2022-23 Samford Mens Basketball program 3

VAN WAGNER COLLEGE

Van Wagner College and Samford University athletics announced a long-term partnership naming Van Wagner as the athletics department’s exclusive multimedia rights partner and sales agent for the department’s corporate sponsorship program in the summer of 2017. As part of the agreement, the Van Wagner Collegiate Services division oversees the locally based operation, Samford Sponsorships, which works with university leadership to enhance the overall gameday experience, and create unique and meaningful opportunities for the program’s sponsors, business partners and a growing and dedicated Bulldogs fan base. The Van Wagner team, in collaboration with the Samford athletics department, handles management, sales and integration of corporate sponsorship on all levels within multimedia resources, including the Bulldogs’ digital assets, venue signage, marketing, promotional rights to athletics marks and hospitality. For more information please contact Ashlee Torres at 205.726.4718 or by e-mail at afincher@samfordas.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Samford fans can keep up with the Bulldogs 24/7 through the following social media outlets: SamfordSports samfordsports samfordsportsnetwork samfordsports

INTERNET

The official website of Samford University athletics is samfordsports.com. A partnership of Samford athletics and SideArm Sports, the internet home of the Bulldogs, is full of the most up-to-date information on football and Samford’s 16 other varsity sports. With news stories, coaches’ and student-athletes’ biographies, plus team rosters, statistics, schedules, game notes, results and video, the most comprehensive coverage of the Bulldogs can always be found online at samfordsports.com.

BROADCASTS

For the eighth-straight season, Samford’s home games will be broadcast live on ESPN platforms, either on ESPN3 or ESPN+. Both ESPN3 and ESPN+ can be accessed via the ESPN App across most internet-connected media devices or on ESPN.com. ESPN+ is the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment in conjunction with ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks. Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB, NHL and MLS games, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and multiple other sports from more than 15 conferences), exclusive Top Rank boxing, UFC, Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby, cricket, new and exclusive documentary films and series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s awardwinning 30 for 30 films. It is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App, the leading sports app and the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans, and is also be available through ESPN.com.

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Nothing brings us all together like game day. That’s why Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is a loyal sponsor of sports programs across the state and why we’re proud to be your trusted teammate when it comes to your health insurance.

Learn more at AlabamaBlue.com/RightForYou.

Samford Bulldogs

NUMERICAL ROSTER

NO NAME POS HT WT CL HOMETOWN/PREVIOUS SCHOOL

0 Ques Glover G 6-0 180 Jr. Knoxville, Tenn./Florida

1 Bubba Parham G 5-11 165 Sr. Snellville, Ga./Georgia Tech

2 Jaden Campbell G 6-5 205 Jr. Brampton, Ont., Can./Florida Southwestern

3 Jaron Rillie G 6-3 165 So. Sydney, Australia/Link Year Prep (Mo.)

4 Jermaine Marshall F 6-6 225 Jr. Brighton, Ala./Akron

5 A.J. Staton-McCray G 6-5 190 So. Delray Beach, Fla./West Oaks, Academy (Fla.)

10 Owen LaRocca G 6-1 150 So. Sugar Land, Texas/Fort Bend Christian

11 Marcellus Vail G 6-2 195 So. Shelbyville, Ky./Martha Layne Collins HS

12 Daniel Lobach F 6-7 190 R-So. Durham,. N.C./Rutgers

13 Quinn Richey G 6-5 205 Jr. Johns Creek, Ga./James Madison

14 Achor Achor F 6-9 222 So. Melbourne, Australia/Chipola College

15 Grayson Walters F 6-5 210 So. Mountain Brook, Ala./Link Year Prep (Mo.)

21 Britton Johnson G 6-4 185 Sr. Mountain Brook, Ala./Univ. of Alabama

22 Logan Dye F 6-9 240 Sr. Haleyville, Ala./Haleyville HS

23 Cooper Kaifes G 6-4 205 R-Jr. Shawnee, Kan./Loyola-Chicago

24 Brody Boyer G 6-4 210 Jr. Palm Bay, Fla./Eastern Florida State College

25 Nathan Johnson F 6-7 205 Sr. Adel, Iowa/UMBC

31 Joshua Hughes F 6-5 200 Fr. Woodstock, Ga./Etowah High School

32 Clay Holmes G 6-2 235 So. Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood Academy

33 Charlie Morrison G 6-0 190 So. Athens, Ala./Lindsay Lane Christian

Coaching Staff:

Bucky McMillan – Head Coach

Mitch Cole – Associate Head Coach

Danny Young – Assistant Coach

Neb Exantus – Assistant Coach

Duane Reboul – Special Assistant to the Head Coach

David Good – Director of Player Development and Scouting

GEOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN

Bob Thornton – NBA Liaison and Director of Advance Scouting and Strategies

Warren Fitzpatrick – Director of Basketball Operations

Skip Wellborn – Director of Internal Operations

ALABAMA (5): Logan Dye (Haleyville), Britton Johnson (Mountain Brook), Jermaine Marshall (Brighton), Charlie Morrison (Athens), Grayson Walters (Mountain Brook)

AUSTRALIA (1): Achor Achor (Melbourne)

CALIFORNIA (1): Jaron Rillie (Santa Barbara)

CANADA (1): Jaden Campbell (Brampton, Ontario)

FLORIDA (2): Brody Boyer (Palm Bay), A.J. Staton-McCray (Delray Beach)

GEORGIA (3): Joshua Hughes (Woodstock), Bubba Parham (Snellville), Quinn Richey (Johns Creek)

IOWA (1): Nathan Johnson (Adel)

KANSAS (1): Cooper Kaifes (Shawnee)

KENTUCKY (1): Marcellus Vail (Shelbyville)

NORTH CAROLINA (1): Daniel Lobach (Durham)

TENNESSEE (2): Ques Glover (Knoxville), Clay Holmes (Brentwood)

TEXAS (1): Owen LaRocca (Sugar Land)

CLASS BREAKDOWN

Freshmen (1): Joshua Hughes

Sophomores (9): Achor Achor, Clay Holmes, Owen LaRocca, Daniel Lobach, Charlie Morrison, Jaron Rillie, A.J. Staton-McCray, Marcellus Vail, Grayson Walters

Juniors (6): Brody Boyer, Jaden Campbell, Ques Glover, Cooper Kaifes, Jermaine Marshall, Quinn Richey

Seniors (4): Logan Dye, Britton Johnson, Nathan Johnson, Bubba Parham

Samford University

Samford is one of the country’s leading Christian universities and offers undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional programs through 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It enrolls 5,758 students from 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 22 countries.

Samford is regularly recognized as one of the best Christian universities in the United States, receiving high marks for academic quality and value. Samford is the top-ranked university in Alabama in national rankings published by The Wall Street Journal. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education ranks Samford 1st in the nation for student engagement. Samford is ranked 37th nationally for best undergraduate teaching and 97th for best value by U.S. News & World Report.

According to The Wall Street Journal /Times Higher Education, Samford students are more likely to recommend their university than students at any other college or university in the country.

Among Samford’s 53,917 alumni have included more than 60 members of the U.S. Congress, eight state governors, two U.S. Supreme Court justices, one Secretary of State, four Rhodes Scholars, multiple Emmy and Grammy award-winning artists, two national championship football coaches, and recipients of the Pulitzer and Nobel Peace prizes.

The university fields 17 varsity sports—eight men’s and nine women’s—that participate at the NCAA Division I level in the Southern Conference. Samford’s athletic teams earned a 97% Graduation Success Rate by the NCAA, tying for third place among all Division I universities in the nation, along with an impressive group of peer institutions.

Samford Distinctions

• Samford is ranked 1st in the nation for student engagement by The Wall Street Journal (2022). Student engagement assesses how challenged and inspired students feel inside and outside the classroom, as well as the breadth of courses their schools offer.

• Samford is ranked 34th in the nation among private universities and 115th among all public, private and liberal arts colleges and universities analyzed for Kiplinger’sPersonal Finance’s Best College Values list (2019).

• Samford is the top-ranked university in Alabama in national rankings by The Wall Street Journal (2022).

• 97% of undergraduate alumni are working or in further study within six months of graduation (2021).

• Samford’s athletic teams earned a 97% Graduation Success Rate by the NCAA, tying for third place among all Division I universities in the nation, along with an impressive group of peer institutions.

• Samford is ranked 1st in Alabama and 32nd nationally by LendEdu in its list of best colleges for financial aid (2020).

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Beck A. Taylor President

Dr. Beck A. Taylor began his tenure as the 19th president of Samford University in July 2021. Taylor, who served as dean and professor of economics for Samford’s Brock School of Business from 2005-2010, returned to Samford after serving as the 18th president of Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, from 2010-2021.

After earning his undergraduate degree from Baylor with majors in economics and finance, Taylor was employed as an analyst for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) in Houston, Texas. He went on to earn his M.S. and Ph.D. in economics from Purdue University. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Baylor as associate dean for research and faculty development for the Hankamer School of Business, and was named the first holder of the W.H. Smith Professorship in Economics. In 2002, he was appointed as a visiting scholar by Harvard University where he spent one year in residence at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

As dean of Samford’s Brock School of Business, Taylor led the rapid transformation of the business school, including its renaming to honor Harry B. Brock, Jr., founder of Compass Bank. Taylor led the Brock School of Business to establish eight new academic programs, as well as the school’s new honors program. The school’s

entrepreneurship program was recognized in 2010 as the nation’s top emerging program by the U.S. Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship. In an effort to build bridges between students and the Birmingham business community, Taylor established the Samford Business Network, as well as a 45-member advisory board of the region’s top business leaders.

As a scholar, Taylor has published dozens of studies in economics journals such as Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Human Resources and Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking. Illustrating his diverse research interests and his connections to the social sciences, Taylor has also published groundbreaking research in public health and child developmental psychology. His research has been cited in testimony given before the U.S. Congress, the Federal Trade Commission, and the California State Assembly, and also has been referenced in publications such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Christian Science Monitor. Taylor is a member of numerous professional and academic organizations, and he has served as a strategic business consultant for dozens of organizations. He and his wife, Julie, have three children.

Martin Newton, Director of Athletics

Samford University alumnus and director of athletics Martin Newton has transformed the Bulldogs into one of the Southern Conference’s most successful programs since taking the helm of the department on March 9, 2011.

Newton recently signed a five-year contract extension that began on July 1, 2022.

Newton has made an impact nationally in his time at Samford as he will begin a five-year appointment to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee on Sept. 1. Additionally, he currently serves on the NCAA Division I Council and the Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee. He was also recently appointed to the NCAA Council Coordination Committee (CCC).

On the fields and courts, the Bulldogs have captured 58 Southern Conference regular season and tournament championships during his tenure, including a school record nine titles in 2020-21. The total broke the old record of eight titles, set the previous year, a season shortened by the cancellation of spring sports due to COVID-19.

Additionally, in the Southern Conference All-Sports standings in each of the last two years, Samford won the Germann Cup (top women’s program) and placed third in the Commissioner’s Cup (top men’s program) standings.

Academically, the school’s student-athletes have also posted outstanding results in the classroom, with 1,910 Bulldogs being named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll. Samford’s student-athletes posted an impressive 97 percent in the most recent NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR) report, tying for the top score nationally among all Division I institutions.

Over the last 11 years, the Athletics Department has seen significant growth in corporate partnerships and annual giving, more than doubling philanthropic gifts and sponsorship revenues.

Facility enhancements have also been a hallmark of Newton’s tenure with the Bulldogs. Samford has opened a new soccer and track stadium as well as a new softball stadium, indoor hitting facility for the baseball and softball programs and an indoor practice

facility for men’s and women’s golf. A new academic center was recently built in Bashinsky Field House. Additionally, state-of-the-art video boards have been added to the Pete Hanna Center (men’s and women’s basketball/volleyball), Seibert Stadium (football), Joe Lee Griffin Field (baseball) and in Shauna Yelton Field at the Cameron Bean Track (soccer/track and field).

The football video board was a part of Phase I of the Seibert Stadium project, which was completed in August 2019 and was 100 percent donor funded. Phase II, which was completed prior to the 2021 season, included a complete renovation of the Bashinsky Press Tower, new premium seating on the west side of the stadium and renovations to the east side Gate House.

In the spring of 2017, a goal of Newton’s was realized when the inaugural class of the Samford Athletics Hall of Fame was inducted.

He has also negotiated an exclusive universitywide footwear and apparel deal with Nike, helped lead the way on a university-wide licensing agreement with the Licensing Resource Group and successfully transformed the antiquated radio network into an industry leader in campus-led broadcast production with all Samford home athletic events airing on ESPN3 or ESPN+.

Newton started the Samford Strong Leadership Academy in 2014. The academy is a program jointly developed between the Athletics Department and the Frances Marlin Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership. Its mission is to bring successful athletes to campus to share their personal stories and the importance of faith and character to success in all areas of life for Samford’s student-athletes.

Following his 1983 graduation from Samford, he worked in sports marketing for Converse for 13 years. Newton then spent 13 years in a similar capacity at Nike.

Prior to his return to Samford, Newton was hired at the University of Kentucky in 2009, where he managed the budget, fund-raising, compliance, scheduling, marketing and academic support for the men’s basketball program.

Newton and his wife, Cindy, have three grown children, Katie, Madison and Charles. They also have two grandsons, Charlie and Sawyer.

Head Men’s Basketball Coach Bucky McMillan

Bucky McMillan

enters his third season as head coach of the Samford University Men’s Basketball team. McMillan was named Samford’s 29th head men’s basketball coach April 6, 2020.

Year two under McMillan in 2021-22 served as one of the Bulldogs’ most successful seasons in recent history. For the first time since the 1998-99 campaign, Samford men’s hoops tallied 20 regular-season wins. McMillan’s squad added 15 wins from the previous season, finishing 21-11. The Bulldogs posted a 10-8 mark in conference play, earning them the no. 3 seed in the SoCon Championship before eventually falling in the tournament semifinals. McMillan was named the SoCon Sports Media Association Coach of the Year while sophomore guard Ques Glover earned All-SoCon First Team honors. Glover, who ranked third in the SoCon in scoring average (19.2 PPG) and second in assists per game (4.4) in 2021-22, was also named to the SoCon All-Tournament First Team and a finalist for the Lou Henson Award. The Bulldogs notched a pair of road wins at power-five opponents, knocking off Oregon State 78-77 on Nov. 18 and besting Ole Miss 75-73 on Dec. 21. The Bulldogs drew two of their largest home attendances in recent years in 2021-22, totaling 2,876 attendees against Belmont on Dec. 5 and 2,512 against Furman on Feb. 23.

In his first season at Samford, the Bulldogs started the season 5-3 before injuries and COVID-19 setbacks slowed their progress. When the final horn sounded on the season, Samford went 6-13 overall and 2-9 in SoCon play.

“BuckyBall” had an immediate impact on the program, averaging 76.8 points per game, ranking fourth overall in the prestigious Southern Conference. Samford scored a school record

133 points in a blowout win over Belhaven (133-84) on Dec. 21, 2020. In an early season exhibition, the Bulldogs defeated Greenville 174-99 in a game that drew national attention from Sports Illustrated, ESPN and Fox Sports. Individually, freshman sensation A.J. Staton-McCray shined in coach McMillan’s system. The 6-5 guard from Charlotte, N.C., was named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference All-Freshman Team after averaging 10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. His 30 steals led the Bulldogs and ranked second in the SoCon. He also finished the year ranked 30th in the league in points per game. McMillan claimed his first collegiate victory on Dec. 1, 2020 versus Covenant College, 98-73, and his first SoCon win came against VMI, 84-71, on Dec. 30, 2020 in the Pete Hanna Center.

McMillan came to Samford after serving as the head coach at Mountain Brook High School for the past 12 seasons. McMillan has led the program to unprecedented success, reaching the state finals in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and the team won the title in the state’s highest classification in 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

In 2020, the Mountain Brook program was ranked 13th in the list of top 25 public high school basketball programs in the United States over the last decade. In 2018, the National High School Coaches Association named McMillan its National Coach of the Year after his team finished the season with a 34-3 record and ranked No. 17 in the USA Today national rankings. His 2019 team finished the year ranked No. 5 nationally by USA Today. McMillan’s teams were ranked No. 1 in the AHSAA state rankings during each season from 2013 to 2020.

McMillan was named USA Today’s Alabama Coach of the Year in 2019; Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Coach of the Year in 2013, 2014 and 2015; Birmingham Tip-Off Club State Coach of the Year in 2012, 2015 and 2019; and Over The Mountain Coach of the Year in 2013,

2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019. He was selected to coach the Alabama All-Stars in the 2019 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. That same year, he was named one of the coaches of Michael Jordan’s “Jordan Brand” All-Star Classic. During his 12-year run in charge of the Spartans’ program, McMillan won 333 games, averaging nearly 28 wins per season. After posting an 18-12 record in his first season as head coach, McMillan’s teams won at least 23 games in each of the next 11 seasons.

In addition to his work at Mountain Brook High School, McMillan founded the Bucky Ball Academy, a youth camp to enhance and unify basketball in the Mountain Brook community. He also founded the Alabama Flyers program that provides off-season basketball opportunities for the community’s youth.

McMillan played his college basketball at Birmingham-Southern College from 2002 to 2006, where he was named to the Big South Conference Academic Honor Roll all four seasons, and to the league’s All-Academic team as a senior. He also earned the distinction of being named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honor’s Court. McMillan earned his bachelor’s degree in education services from Birmingham-Southern in 2007.

While a student at Mountain Brook High School from 1999 to 2002, McMillan received All-State honors from the Birmingham News in 2002 and was nominated for the McDonald’s High School All-America team. The Birmingham News also named him to its All-State Athletic Academic team.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING...

“As a former high school coach myself I am excited for both Bucky and Samford University. Bucky is someone who has put his time in and climbed the ladder to earn this opportunity. I have only known him a short time but have seen first-hand that he has the unique ability to connect and motivate his players, the knowledge to evaluate and develop them and the drive and passion it takes to coach at a high level. I’m confident he will do some great things at Samford.”

Nate Oats, University of Alabama Head Coach

“Bucky is an incredible leader of young men. He is fully committed to his players’ overall development both on and off the court. Samford just got a lot better by hiring Bucky!

Travis Steele, Xavier University Head Coach

“One of the biggest bright spots of this hire is the excitement Bucky will bring to the program, to Birmingham and to college basketball in Alabama. We were able to tap into that when I was at Samford and it helped bring about the success we enjoyed. It’s just an excellent hire by Samford University and Martin Newton.”

John Brady, Former Samford University and LSU Head Coach

“I was an assistant coach at UAB in the mid-90’s when a young, tough, smart little point guard came to our camp and led his team. Bucky was a Good Player at BSC before embarking on an incredibly successful high school coaching career at his alma mater. I’m truly excited for him as he embarks on the tremendous opportunity provided to him by Samford University!! Can’t wait to watch him do great things at that great university!!

Andy Kennedy, UAB Head Coach

Mitch Cole

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH

Coaching veteran Mitch Cole enters his second season as the associate head coach for Samford men’s basketball.

Cole comes to Samford after serving as the head coach at Berry College for three seasons. In his time at Berry, Cole posted a record of 51-17. In the 2020-21 season, Cole led the Vikings to both the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Regular Season and Tournament titles. For his efforts, Cole was named 2021 SAA Coach of the Year. The 2021 Vikings also broke onto the national scene, finishing the season ranked No. 11 in the last NCAA Division III poll.

Cole came to Berry after serving two seasons as an assistant coach at the Arkansas-Little Rock. He spent the previous five seasons on the staff at Texas A&M and was formerly the head coach at Birmingham-Southern. Cole came to A&M after one of the most successful seasons in Birmingham-Southern men’s basketball history, leading the Panthers to a 23-4 overall record in 2010-11 and winning the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Championship with a 14-2 conference mark.

Cole spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach at BSC under then head coach Duane Reboul, who is currently on Samford’s staff.

Cole played collegiately at Montana State University-Billings, where he double majored in history and education and graduated in 1992. Cole went on to earn his master’s in education from Auburn while working as a graduate assistant with the basketball team.

Cole and his wife, Amy, have three children: daughter Laura Kate and sons Carson and Joshua.

Danny Young

ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD COACH

Danny Young begins his first season as an assistant coach on the Samford men’s basketball staff.

Young comes to Samford after spending the last 19 seasons as the head coach at the University of Montevallo. In his 19 seasons at Montevallo, Young posted a record of 372-209, and he has a mark of 433-220 in 21 seasons as a college head coach.

In Young’s 21 seasons as a head coach, his teams advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen 10 times, including one trip to the NCAA Division II championship game.

Young was named the Gulf South Conference East Division Coach of the Decade for 2000-2010. Prior to UM, Young was Athletic Director and head men’s basketball coach at Salem International in Salem, West Virginia, posting a 51-11 (.823) record in two seasons as head coach.

Young’s team also won the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and went to the NCAA East Regional, finishing with a 25-6 record overall in 2002-03.

Prior to SIU, Young served as an assistant at Wheeling Jesuit University from 1994-96 and spent a season as an assistant at Nebraska-Omaha. Young’s first coaching job came when he returned to his alma mater, Grand Canyon.

Young earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Grand Canyon University in 1990.

A concussion is nothing to play with.

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury and should be taken seriously. Although fewer than 10% of concussions involve a loss of consciousness, it is important to understand the dangers and not take them lightly. Even a minor fall or collision may be of concern, so be alert to symptoms such as headaches, unsteadiness, confusion or other types of abnormal behavior.

Any athlete with a suspected concussion should be removed from play, evaluated by a doctor, monitored and not left alone.

To make an appointment, please call 205-934-1041.

Childrens AL .org/ Concussion

AD Neb Exantus

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH

Neb Exantus enters his third season at Samford and his second year as a full-time assistant coach.

Prior to being promoted to a full-time assistant coach, Exantus served on the coaching staff in a graduate assistant role for the Samford men’s basketball team under Coach Bucky McMillan.

Prior to Samford, Exantus was an assistant coach at Southern New Hampshire University, (Alma Mater, 2017) where he was able to help produce one of SNHU’s best recruiting classes with the direction of Former Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year Jack Perri.

Before SNHU, Exantus was key in the development of close to 20 Division I players in his tenure at West Oaks Academy including standouts that went on to play in the Big 12 and SEC. Throughout his career, he’s worked with countless professional athletes including Anfernee Simons and John Mooney through his training company, Nexlevel Basketball based out of New England. Exantus also works with the Haitian National Team during the summer.

Exantus is a 2017 graduate of Southern New Hampshire University.

Duane Reboul

ASSISTANT COACH

Basketball coaching legend Duane Reboul enters his third season on the Samford staff. He serves as a special assistant to the head coach. Reboul was one of the top basketball coaches in the nation during his 17 seasons as the head coach at Birmingham-Southern, where he was head coach Bucky McMillan’s head coach. He led his teams to two NAIA National Championships, three NAIA Final 4 appearances and four NAIA Elite Eight runs. He was named the 1995 National Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Reboul earned Southern States Conference Coach of the Year honors in 1990, 1993 and 1995. He was named State of Alabama Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1997, and the TranSouth Conference Division Coach of the Year in 1998. He led the program through its transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division I, earning Big South Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2004 and 2006, and his 2004 team won the Big South Conference title.

In his time as the Panthers’ head coach, Reboul won 402 games, averaging nearly 24 wins per season. His teams posted an impressive nine consecutive 20-win seasons.

Reboul began his coaching career as the head coach at his alma mater, De La Salle High School in New Orleans, leading the school to the 1976 state title. He then served six seasons as the head coach at Jesuit High School before moving to the college ranks as an assistant coach at New Orleans and Mississippi State before being hired as the head coach at BSC. He graduated from the University of New Orleans in 1972 after captaining the basketball team to a No. 1 small college national ranking.

David Good

DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT AND SCOUTING

Good came to Samford after serving as an assistant coach on McMillan’s staff at Mountain Brook High School since 2015. He helped lead the Spartans to three 7A state titles (2019, 2018, 2017), one 7A runner-up (2020), and an overall record of 152-22. During his time at Mountain Brook, the Spartans eclipsed the 30-win mark four times including a 34-3 record in 2018 while ranking No. 17 in the USA Today national rankings and a 31-3 record in 2019 while ranking No. 5 in the USA Today national rankings.

Prior to his time at Mountain Brook, Good taught physical education and coached basketball at Thompson High School and Thompson Middle School from 2012-2015.

From 2007 to 2012, Good was a video coordinator at UAB where he assisted in four straight 20-win seasons, a CUSA Conference Championship in 2011, four post-season appearances (NCAA-2011; NIT-2010, 2009, 2008) and a 107-57 overall record. Good also served as a Graduate Assistant at Eastern Michigan University from 2005-2007. Good began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Shepherd High School in Michigan from 2004 to 2005, helping lead the team to a 19-2 record and a conference title.

Good earned a Master of Science in Education from UAB (2012), Master of Science in Sports Management from Eastern Michigan University (2010) and a Bachelor of Science in Sports Studies from Central Michigan University (2004).

Good and his wife, Lucy, a Samford graduate, have two daughters, Addie Mae and Evie Kate.

Bob Thornton

AD

NBA LIAISON AND DIRECTOR OF ADVANCE SCOUTING AND STRATEGIES

Bob Thornton joins the Bulldog staff for 2022-23 as the NBA Liaison and Director of Advance Scouting and Strategies after spending last season as Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Mississippi State.

Thornton comes to Samford with 39 years of coaching experience at both the professional and collegiate levels. He has spent 13 years as an NBA assistant coach and an additional 21 years in various professional roles and leagues worldwide. He got his start in coaching at Chapman University and Cal State Fullerton.

He is known around basketball circles as an excellent player development coach with expertise in developing forwards and centers. Thornton excels at designing, and teaching, both offensive and defensive concepts while putting together advanced scouting reports.

Thornton spent nearly two decades in the NBA, where he served as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls. He has spent time as an advanced scout for the Seattle SuperSonics and Oklahoma City Thunder. As an advanced scout, he assisted the franchise in scouting and eventually drafting Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Thornton has spent time as a head coach with the NBA D-League’s, now the G-League, Huntsville Flights, and the Continental Basketball Association’s, Quad City Thunder.

Thornton, a graduate of UC Irvine, spent over a decade playing professional basketball. After getting his start in Spain, he spent time with the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and the Washington Wizards. He was coached by Jerry Sloan, Hubie Brown, Rick Pitino and others while playing in the NBA.

David Good enters his third season as Samford men’s basketball’s director of player development and scouting.

Warren Fitzpatrick

DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS

Warren Fitzpatrick enters his first season as the Director of Basketball Operations for Samford Men’s Basketball in 2022-23.

Prior to his current role, Fitzpatrick served as a graduate assistant under Coach McMillan in 2021-22.

Before his time working with the men’s basketball program, Fitzpatrick was a four-year letter winner for the Samford Men’s Track and Field Team. He was a part of three SoCon Championship squads and holds the record for the fastest indoor and outdoor 1600M (4x400M) relay times. Fitzpatrick earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Samford in 2021, with a concentration in Sports Marketing.

An alumnus of Mountain Brook High School, Fitzpatrick played varsity basketball for Coach McMillan at Mountain Brook before his arrival at Samford.

AD Support Staff

Skip Wellborn Director of Internal Operations

Brad Montgomery Athletic Trainer

Andrew Barbour Video Coordinator

Trey Kilgore Strength and Conditioning Coach

Stanley Henderson Graduate Student Manager

10 Questions with Jermaine Marshall

By Haley Sue Harbison

In each program this season, we will feature Q&As with each player. In today’s edition we highlight Jermaine Marshall.

What made you choose Samford?

Coach Bucky. That’s the honest answer. I played in a fall league, and I knew him and we always had a connection. After JUCO, when he first got the job, he was recruiting me, but I had already made up my mind that I was going to Akron. But after I entered my name in the transfer portal from there, I just knew I was coming to Samford.

Best memory with the team

When we went to the Dominican Republic and got to bond together and hang out and give back. We went to the orphanage, and they didn’t have anything and were asking for our socks and shoes, and we were giving them that.

Favorite place to go in Birmingham

Probably Railroad Park. I can take my dog Bailey for walks there. And I can clear my head and it’s a great place to just walk around and clear your head.

How would you describe the Samford Basketball team?

Dogs. I just feel like sometimes we are out of it, but we always find a way to get the job done.

How do you get in the zone for a game?

Music. I’m a big music guy. I just feel like the right playlist does it. Like a couple of songs before a game-Lil Baby- get me fired up.

What is your goal for yourself as a player and for the team?

My goal for myself is to be a leader and make sure everybody else is doing good because if everybody else is doing good they’ll help me be better. As a team, going to March Madness, winning the tournament, winning every home game, being road dogs- dogs on the road.

Is there another player you really look up to?

Yeah, a guy on my old school, LePear Toles. He didn’t play. He hurt his back in the weight room and couldn’t play the last two years, but he didn’t let that affect him. He was a vocal leader and never let that change him.

Do you have a hidden talent?

Playing cards. Me and Paulie (Stramaglia) used to play all the time and that was my game.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

It ain’t that deep. That’s the best advice because sometimes I can be so caught up in the moment but then I realize it ain’t that deep.

What is your advice to aspiring athletes?

I would tell him whatever you do, just give it your all. If you’re not going to give your all then there is no point in doing it.

10 Questions with

Charlie Morrison

By: Haley Sue Harbison

In each program this season, we will feature Q&As with each player. In today’s edition we highlight Charlie Morrison.

What made you choose Samford?

Well, in high school I went to a small high school in Athens, Alabama and I wanted that similar feel in a college, and I also really wanted the opportunity to play basketball and it all just worked out perfectly.

What is your best memory with the team?

The Furman game last year. The students were crazy, and we got to go up in the stands with them and swag surf and it was amazing!

How would you describe the Samford basketball team?

We are very hard working and going to play very fast. And it’s fun to watch too because you can see how hard we work at practice. Even if you’re not an “Xs and Os” person you can see the effort and determination. It is a fun brand of basketball.

Is there another player you really look up to?

I’ve been asked that, and I really don’t have any. To be honest, I don’t really watch a whole lot of basketball outside of us or college basketball.

Do you have any hidden talents?

I am really good at NCAA’14 on XBox 360. I would challenge anyone. You can ask my roommates, I beat them every time.

What is something nobody knows about you?

A lot of people probably don’t know I was manager my freshman year. I go to walk on after Christmas and then get a roster spot sophomore year.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

My dad told me no matter what, to always have a positive attitude and effort. Like freshman year I could’ve been really bummed for being a manager because it didn’t work out for me to go straight into being a walk on so this has just really helped my attitude and effort.

Favorite thing about the team?

Honestly, they’re just a bunch of fun guys to be around. Even during hard practices, it is just fun for us to all be around each other. I am pretty close with Jaron and Owen and Marcellus. I’ve been good friends with Jaron and Marcellus since freshman year and they’ve been good friends to me whenever I was just a manager and stuff like that.

What are your plans after college?

I am not exactly sure, but I want to work for an insurance company. But I also felt a call to the ministry about a year ago. I am excited to see what that looks like.

If you didn’t play basketball, what sport would you play?

Well, my high school baseball team was all state my senior year so that was pretty cool. I thought about playing baseball, but I didn’t really love it, so I stuck with basketbal

• Indoor pool

10 Questions with

Bubba Parham

By: Haley Sue Harbison

In each program this season, we will feature Q&As with each player. In today’s edition we highlight Bubba Parham.

What made you choose Samford?

I just loved the people and the basketball program. I really felt like I was a good fit for the team, and academically this is a really good school.

Best memory with the team?

Going to the DR and enjoying the family bonding. We had a good time out there.

How would you describe the team?

We have a bunch of different personalities and I feel like that’s what you need as a team. We come together well, and we play well and stick together no matter what.

How do you get in the zone for a game?

Well, I can’t take a nap. I just watch YouTube highlights of my favorite players and chill and stay chill.

What is your goal for yourself as a player and for the team?

I want to be a leader, I want to be the best leader on the team. I want to make the first team (All-SoCon) and I want to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

Is there another player you really look up to?

In the NBA, maybe Steph Curry. He’s my favorite, on and off the court, he is brilliant. He has the perfect family. He is the best shooter of all time, best passer of all time, best PG of all time- and I’m a PG so why not look up to him?

Do you have a hidden talent?

Oh, yes! I am a great bowler! I’m a pretty good singer, too. I like R&B, John Legend, I like everything, to be honest. I just sing in front of my girl and my family though.

What is something nobody knows about you?

Well, I saved my friend’s life back when we were in elementary school. We were riding bikes down the hill, and his brother had thrown his shoe in front of his bike. We were riding down and his handlebars didn’t have the grip things on them, and he fell because of the shoe, and it went in his stomach. We had to carry him home and call the ambulance, and then the helicopter came and took him to the hospital.

What is your advice to aspiring athletes?

Keep working! Everybody’s path is different. Like just because you don’t get high major offers doesn’t mean you can’t ultimately make it to where you want to go, so stick to it.

What legacy do you want to leave behind?

Someone who is a leader and someone who played hard. Someone who did the right thing all of the time and left it all on the court.

10 Questions with

A.J. Staton-McCray

By: Haley Sue Harbison

In each program this season, we will feature Q&As with each player. In today’s edition we highlight A.J. Staton-McCray.

What made you choose to come to Samford?

Just the academics and being a part of a great system.

What is your best memory with the team?

The DR trip with the team and experiencing the different culture they have out there. Also the time we spent with the kids and the firetruck was great.

How do you get in the zone for a game?

YouTube highlights, and I’ve got to have some music. I listen to some rap and some R&B just depending on how I am feeling.

What is your goal for yourself as a player and for the team?

I would say just to get back to 100 percent. Get back to how I was feeling when I got here and first team (All-SoCon) as well for defense. And I want the team to get to the NCAA tournament.

Is there another player you really look up to?

I would say Lebron (James) just because of his longevity and how long he has played in the league and the impact he has had on us as a society. And Kyrie (Irving).

Do you have a hidden talent?

I wouldn’t call it a hidden talent, but I played pro-tennis in middle school and high school. And I like to sing. I mostly rap. I’ve got an unreleased song on my computer right now, but I won’t ever release it… I’m not that guy.

Something nobody knows about you?

I was on the swim team for two years. I swam the freestyle and backstroke.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Stick to your morals. I always try to.

What is your favorite thing about the team?

Being around my teammates. Also my trainer Brad (Montgomery) because he has been with me through all of my injuries.

What legacy do you want to leave behind?

Someone who fought through adversity. Someone who fought and played hard through whatever I was going through. It’s been a rough patch with injuries- two surgeries on the same knee- but I am getting back.

10 Questions with

Brody Boyer

By: Haley Sue Harbison

In each program this season, we will feature Q&As with each player. In today’s edition we highlight Brody Boyer.

What made you choose Samford?

It was a family environment when I came on my visit and it felt like they were going to do big things this year and I wanted to be a part of it.

What is your best memory with the team?

I would say the DR. We had a great bonding experience together and made a ton of great memories with the team.

How would you describe the Samford Basketball team?

Uplifting. It is a team where everybody is going to try to pick you up and that is my favorite thing about the team.

How do you get in the zone for a game?

I have to take a nap before a game. Then I listen to some music to get my mind right.

What is your goal for yourself as a player and for the team?

I want to be the glue guy and help out the team in different ways. As far as the team goes, I want us to make it to March Madness. I try to talk and do a little bit of everything to help the guys.

Do you have a hidden talent?

Well, I am top two on the basketball team at ping-pong, and I’m not two. We play at Paulie’s and we played a lot in the DR.

What is something nobody knows about you?

I used to run a shoe page on Instagram and sold a lot of sneakers. I would sell a little bit of old shoes and a little bit of new shoes, but I don’t do that anymore. It was a fun way for me to make a little extra money on the side.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

My dad told me to make a difference in whatever I do, so I try to follow through with that.

What is your advice to aspiring athletes?

You have to work hard, but also enjoy it while you’re in it. Because it’s not going to stay for long, so enjoy it!

What legacy do you want to leave behind?

Just a guy who made the most of the opportunities he was given. Took basketball as a vehicle and used it to be successful at whatever I go on to do in life

Your drive makes us

Here in Alabama, basketball isn’t just about competition—it’s about community. We come together— powered by passion—to celebrate the triumphs, share the heartbreaking losses, and see in each other the potential for a better tomorrow. That’s Power for a Better Alabama. We proudly support Samford Basketball.