Sam Leal
| Title | Head Men's Basketball Coach |
|---|---|
| samuel.leal@maine.edu | |
| Sport | Men's Basketball |
| Bio | Bio: Sam Leal became the University of Maine at Farmington Men’s Head Basketball Coach in 2020. Prior to accepting the Head Coach position at UMF, Leal was a full-time Assistant and lead recruiter during the 2019-20 season for Bates College, where he was involved in every aspect of the program. Playing a key role in player development there, Sam was responsible for operationalizing the team’s social media presence, was integral in leading successful fund-raising events, and assisted with scheduling and other logistics at Bates. Prior to Bates, Leal served as a Graduate Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Springfield College while earning a Master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology. In Leal’s first year, Springfield went 12-2 in conference play, setting a NEWMAC record before advancing to the NCAA DIII Men’s Basketball Championship national semifinals. Leal took the lead in developing the mindset for a winning culture with the team and staff, which served the team well as they advanced deeper in tournament play. In 2019, he was tabbed to help organize the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III All-Star Game in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Leal began his coaching career at the University of Southern Maine in 2014-15, and taught math at Greely High School for two years. As a student-athlete, Leal played basketball for four years for UMF, contributing on and off the court. A stellar student, he earned North Athletic Conference (NAC) Scholar-Athlete recognition multiple times, made the Dean’s List and graduated cum laude. He was recognized by his peers with UMF’s Beaver Pride Award in 2014 as a senior, and was named to the 2014 NABC Honors Court. Degrees:
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