Alabama native Lennie Acuff has been named the head coach for the Samford University men’s basketball program, the university announced Wednesday (April 9).
Acuff, who led Lipscomb University to this season’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament for only the second time in the university’s history, has coached the Bisons for six seasons. Acuff previously coached at the University of Alabama-Huntsville from 1997-2019. He becomes the 30th head coach in Bulldogs program history.
Acuff replaces Bucky McMillan, who was named head coach at Texas A&M on Saturday (April 5). McMillan coached the Bulldogs for five years, leading them to four straight 20-win seasons. He ends his tenure at Samford with a 99–52 record.
McMillan has been at the helm of Samford’s program since April 2020.
‘Unprecedented success’
McMillan ushered in unprecedented success to the Bulldogs program, with four consecutive 20-win seasons, two Southern Conference regular-season championships, a SoCon Tournament championship and an NCAA tournament appearance in 2024. McMillan was named the SoCon Coach of the Year for three consecutive seasons from 2021–24 and was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 21 Coach of the Year.
“Samford will forever be indebted to Bucky McMillan for re-establishing the Samford men’s basketball program’s tradition of excellence,” said Samford President Beck Taylor. “Even more than the exciting brand of basketball he brought to Homewood, or the championships won, I will personally be most grateful for the way Bucky represented Samford’s values and Christian mission. Our disappointment in losing our head coach is matched only by our desire to see Bucky succeed at the highest levels.”
The Bulldogs are coming off a 22–11 season where they made the postseason for the second consecutive year and earned the program’s first NIT invitation. They fell in the quarterfinals of the SoCon Tournament to Furman before having their 2024–25 season end at George Mason in the NIT.
Samford ranked fifth nationally in scoring in 2024 averaging 86.1 points per game and ranked 14th this past season (82.9).
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was compiled by The Alabama Baptist, with reporting from Samford University.
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