BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford women's basketball program has hired former player
Amara Mayers as a full-time assistant coach, and has promoted current assistant coach
Sally Higgins, head coach
Mike Morris announced Tuesday.
"We are excited to have Amara remain a member of our basketball family as an assistant coach," Morris said. "Amara has a great heart and understanding of the game. She can relate very well with today's student-athlete on and off the court. She will be a great asset to our program."
In her new role, Mayers will be involved in all areas of the program. In addition to her coaching duties, she will handle all aspects of the team's road trips, including lodging and meals. She will also assist Morris with the day-to-day running of the women's basketball program.
Mayers served the staff as a video coordinator while finishing her master's degree during the last two seasons. In that role, Mayers was responsible for overseeing and maintaining overall functionality of the video area and equipment, as well as training staff on the editing system. She was also involved with player development.
Mayers played for the Bulldogs from 2013-2016, where she was an integral part of the team. She appeared in 76 games in her Samford career. During her senior season, she started all 31 games, averaging 8.0 points and 3.7 rebounds, all while leading the team to a 20-11 record.
A native of Harvest, Alabama , Mayers graduated from Samford in May of 2016 with a degree in Sports Administration. She has earned her M.S. degree from Samford in Educational Leadership, Policy, Organizations and Leadership.
Higgins is entering her third season on the Samford coaching staff. During her first two seasons, she occupied the position Mayers will now assume. In her new position, Higgins will take on more responsibility in the area of recruiting.
"We are also excited to move Sally into a recruiting role," Morris said. "Sally has a great understanding of the type of student-athlete that will thrive at Samford. She has a great eye for talent and a tremendous work ethic."
Higgins came to Samford for the 2016-17 season after serving as the director of basketball operations at Stephen F. Austin since the summer of 2015. At Stephen F. Austin, she was involved with nearly all facets of the women's basketball program, including team travel, scheduling, on-campus recruiting visits and equipment management, as well as assisting with the day-to-day functions of the office.
Higgins played basketball at West Texas A&M from 2010-14, appearing in 109 games in her four-year career. She made 35 appearances during her senior season in 2013-14, averaging 19.0 minutes, 6.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field. As a senior, Higgins helped her team compile an impressive 32-3 record and advance to the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship game. She scored six points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting in the title game but her team narrowly fell to Bentley.
A native of San Angelo, Texas, Higgins graduated from West Texas A&M in May of 2014 with a degree in corporate communication. She also spent eight months in a seminary program called the Kanakuk Institute in Branson, Missouri.
