Samford's basketball program dates to 1912, and the Birmingham, Alabama school competes in the Southern Conference. The Bulldogs have been a steady conference competitor with occasional postseason appearances.
The Bulldogs nickname has been associated with Samford since the early 1900s, chosen as a traditional symbol of tenacity and grit.
Winning the 2024 Southern Conference Tournament to earn an NCAA Tournament bid, the program's first trip to March Madness since 2000.
Samford University was originally named Howard College and is the largest privately funded university in Alabama, located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham.
The Samford Bulldogs compete in the Southern and hold an all-time record of 720–855 (.457 winning percentage) across 54 recorded seasons dating back to 1972-73.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 18-14 | 11-7 (Southern) | Lennie Acuff | |
| 2024-25 | 22-11 | 12-6 (Southern) | Bucky McMillan | |
| 2023-24 | 29-6 | 15-3 (Southern) | Bucky McMillan | |
| 2022-23 | 21-11 | 15-3 (Southern) | Bucky McMillan | |
| 2021-22 | 21-11 | 10-8 (Southern) | Bucky McMillan | |
| 2020-21 | 6-13 | 2-9 (Southern) | Bucky McMillan | |
| 2019-20 | 10-23 | 4-14 (Southern) | Scott Padgett | |
| 2018-19 | 17-16 | 6-12 (Southern) | Scott Padgett | |
| 2017-18 | 10-22 | 6-12 (Southern) | Scott Padgett | |
| 2016-17 | 20-16 | 8-10 (Southern) | Scott Padgett | |
| 2015-16 | 14-19 | 4-14 (Southern) | Scott Padgett | |
| 2014-15 | 13-19 | 6-12 (Southern) | Scott Padgett | |
| 2013-14 | 13-20 | 6-10 (Southern) | Bennie Seltzer | |
| 2012-13 | 11-21 | 9-9 (Southern) | Bennie Seltzer | |
| 2011-12 | 11-19 | 8-10 (Southern) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2010-11 | 12-19 | 4-14 (Southern) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2009-10 | 11-20 | 5-13 (Southern) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2008-09 | 16-16 | 9-11 (Southern) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2007-08 | 14-16 | 10-10 (OVC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2006-07 | 16-16 | 12-8 (OVC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2005-06 | 20-11 | 14-6 (OVC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2004-05 | 15-13 | 10-6 (OVC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2003-04 | 12-16 | 7-9 (OVC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2002-03 | 13-15 | 9-7 (A-Sun) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2001-02 | 15-14 | 12-8 (A-Sun) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 2000-01 | 15-14 | 11-7 (TAAC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 1999-00 | 21-11 | 12-6 (TAAC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 1998-99 | 24-6 | 15-1 (TAAC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 1997-98 | 14-13 | 9-7 (TAAC) | Jimmy Tillette | |
| 1996-97 | 19-9 | 11-5 (TAAC) | John Brady | |
| 1995-96 | 16-11 | 11-5 (TAAC) | John Brady | |
| 1994-95 | 16-11 | 11-5 (TAAC) | John Brady | |
| 1993-94 | 10-18 | 4-12 (TAAC) | John Brady | |
| 1992-93 | 17-10 | 7-5 (TAAC) | John Brady | |
| 1991-92 | 11-18 | 7-7 (TAAC) | John Brady | |
| 1990-91 | 6-22 | 2-12 (TAAC) | Ed McLean | |
| 1989-90 | 6-22 | 4-12 (TAAC) | Ed McLean | |
| 1988-89 | 8-19 | 5-13 (TAAC) | Ed McLean | |
| 1987-88 | 7-20 | 4-14 (TAAC) | Ed McLean | |
| 1986-87 | 4-22 | 1-17 (TAAC) | Mel Hankinson | |
| 1985-86 | 16-13 | 8-6 (TAAC) | Mel Hankinson | |
| 1984-85 | 18-12 | 7-7 (TAAC) | Mel Hankinson | |
| 1983-84 | 22-8 | 10-4 (TAAC) | Mike Hanks | |
| 1982-83 | 13-15 | 6-8 (TAAC) | Mike Hanks | |
| 1981-82 | 11-15 | 6-10 (TAAC) | Mike Hanks | |
| 1980-81 | 10-17 | 5-6 (TAAC) | Cliff Wettig | |
| 1979-80 | 8-19 | 3-3 (TAAC) | Cliff Wettig | |
| 1978-79 | 10-15 | 0-2 (TAAC) | Fred J. Crowell | |
| 1977-78 | 8-19 | Ind | Fred J. Crowell | |
| 1976-77 | 7-19 | Ind | Fred J. Crowell | |
| 1975-76 | 3-23 | Ind | Fred J. Crowell | |
| 1974-75 | 9-17 | Ind | Ron Harris | |
| 1973-74 | 6-20 | Ind | Ron Harris | |
| 1972-73 | 5-20 | Ind | Ron Harris |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|