BasketballHiringSoCon

Local HS coach Bucky McMillan hired to take over at Samford

After 12 decorated years as the head coach at Mountain Brook HS outside Birmingham, Bucky McMillan is making the move to the college game. McMillan was announced Monday as the new head coach of the Samford Bulldogs in the SoCon.

“We wanted someone with head coaching experience and a proven track record of winning championships, someone who could excite and engage the Birmingham and Samford communities and someone who understands and embraces the mission of our great university,” AD Martin Newton said in a release. “Bucky McMillan quickly became the obvious choice. Bucky has a proven track record of winning championships, a tireless work ethic, a unique basketball mind and the energy and enthusiasm to bring championship basketball to Lakeshore Drive.”

This is the first college gig for McMillan, a Birmingham-native who won 333 games in 12 years at alma mater Mountain Brook. He won Alabama state titles in 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and was consistently ranked as the top high school program in the state over the last eight years.

“I am thankful and grateful for this opportunity,” McMillan said. “I want to especially give thanks to the leadership at Samford for their confidence in me to lead this program. When I came to Mountain Brook I had never been a high school head coach and the administration there took a chance on me, and this is a similar situation. I am excited to get to Samford and build relationships with the faculty and staff, and most importantly with the student-athletes.”

Samford parted ways with former head coach Scott Padgett last month after six seasons at the helm, four of which saw the Bulldogs finish below .500. The Samford program has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2000 and has just one other postseason appearance since then (2017 CIT).

 

credit to Samford Athletics for the image