|
 Since
being named Radford University’s fifth head men’s
basketball coach in April of 2002, Byron Samuels has
made his impact felt on the Highlander program.
Byron Samuels was named Radford University named
Byron Samuels the institution’s fifth head
basketball coach in April of 2002.
Taking over a program that had had just two losing
seasons in the previous 12 years, expectations were
high for Samuels, and he didn’t disappoint. The team
struggled in the early going, winning just two
non-Conference games, but once the Highlanders began
playing League foes, the wins started to add up. His
crowning achievement in his first season though was
leading RU to its fourth appearance in the Big South
championship finals in the last six years. The
Highlanders upset third-seeded Charleston Southern
on its home floor, 65-62 and then upset
second-seeded Liberty on its home floor three days
later, 55-52. UNC Asheville would spoil the miracle
run in the finals with an 85-71 win over RU. Samuels
impact had been felt by all Radford basketball fans,
not bad for a first-year coach with a very young
team.
That team also felt the impact of Samuels’ coaching.
Under his tutelage, freshman Whit Holcomb-Faye
earned Big South Freshman of the Year honors and
Olumuyiwa Popoola earned All-Academic honors.
Samuels was elevated from Highlander assistant to
head coach on April 8, 2002 after spending the
2001-02 season as and assistant under former RU
coach Dr. Ron Bradley. It was his second such stint
as a Radford assistant after serving on Bradley’s
first staff during the 1991-92 season.
Samuels returned to RU after spending the previous
four seasons on Jerry Green’s staff at the
University of Tennessee. Samuels was very familiar
with Green’s system, having played for him at UNC
Asheville (1983-1986), Samuels and the Vols advanced
to the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons
as an assistant. The 1999-2000 season highlighted
Samuels’ four-year tenure at UT. The season marked
one of the most successful in school history with
the Vols winning a school record 26 games and
advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. In
the process, UT won a share of its eighth SEC title
and its second straight SEC Eastern Division crown.
In his final season in Knoxville, the Vols spent the
entire season ranked in the top 25, reaching as high
as No. 5, and finished the season ranked 11th in the
final Associated Press poll.
Prior to joining the UT staff, Samuels spent
two-years as head coach at Hampton University
(1995-97) where, at age 30, he was one of the
nation’s youngest head coaches when he led the
Pirates into Division I status. In two seasons, his
teams broke 14 team and individual records. His two
recruiting classes were each rated No. 1 in the MEAC.
Samuels’ career has seen him associated with
programs that have experienced dramatic turnarounds
at the Division I level. Prior to taking the Hampton
post, Samuels was an assistant coach at Washington
State. While at WSU, Samuels helped guide the
Cougars to an 18-12 mark and the quarterfinals of
the National Invitational Tournament.
Before his appointment at Washington State, Samuels
served two seasons as an assistant coach at UNC
Wilmington, where he helped the Seahawks post
back-to-back 17-11 and 18-10 marks as one of the top
teams in the Colonial Athletic Association. He was
also on the UNC Wilmington staff during the 1990-91
campaign.
In between stints at UNCW, Samuels spent a season at
RU in 1991-92 and served as an assistant coach at
Tulsa during the 1989-90 season. During the season
at Tulsa, the Golden Hurricanes posted a 17-13 mark
and a berth in the NIT. As a part of that 1991-92 RU
staff, Samuels helped lead the Highlanders to a 20-9
mark and the school’s first regular season Big South
Conference title.
A 1986 graduate of UNC Asheville, Samuels earned a
Bachelor of Science degree, while earning team MVP
honors. He was a member of the Big South’s
first-ever All-Tournament team in 1986. He was
student leader of the year in 1985 and was UNCAs
1986 Male Athlete of the Year.
Samuels earned a master’s degree in education from
Western Carolina University in 1990. Samuels played
professional basketball in Ireland with the Kilkenny
Club in 1988.
The Winston-Salem, N.C., native is married to the
former Beverlyn Wright. They have a daughter, Eryn,
and a son, Evan. |
