Tony David, a long-time associate head coach at Samford, enters his fifth season as the program's head coach.
In his time in charge of the program, David has posted a record of 131-103, including winning the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament and regular-season titles. That same season, he led the team to the program's fourth NCAA Tournament bid.
The Bulldogs made history in David’s second season at the helm in 2023, becoming the first team to capture both the Southern Conference Regular-Season and Tournament titles since joining the league in 2008. David’s squad tallied its most wins since 2019, finishing 37-25 overall and 15-6 in conference play. Samford captured its third SoCon Tournament Title in five years in improbable fashion, winning three win-or-go-home contests on the final day of the tournament on Saturday, May 27 to clinch a championship. Josh Rodriguez and Heath Clevenger, whose 6.2 innings of one-run baseball on the mound in the championship game earned him Tournament Most Outstanding Player, were both named to the All-Tournament Team. The Bulldogs made noise in their NCAA Regional play, knocking off No. 13 ranked Southern Miss 4-2 in 10 innings in the opening round of the Auburn Region to capture their fourth regional win in program history.
Five Bulldogs garnered Southern Conference Postseason accolades in 2023, headlined by David earning SoCon Coach of the Year, Jacob Cravey winning Pitcher of the Year, Lucas Steele garnering Coaches Freshman of the Year, and Jayden Davis taking home Media Freshman of the Year. Cravey and Davis were both named to the Coaches and Media First Team while John Anderson picked up Media Team First Team Honors and Coaches Second Team honors. Junior reliever Ben Petschke was named to the Coaches Second team while Davis and Steele both were tabbed to the SoCon All-Freshman squad. Davis and Steele were both named to the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American Team while Cravey was selected to the Collegiate Baseball All-America Second Team and NCBWA and ABCA/Rawlings All-America Second Team.
The Bulldogs set a new single-season record with 103 home runs in 2023, led by Anderson’s 22 that ranked first in the SoCon and second in program history for a single-season total. Steele (16), Rodriguez (12), and Garrett Staton (10) all also tallied double-digit home run totals. The Bulldogs batted .282 as a team and slugged .498, the third-highest mark in the SoCon.Despite losing starting pitchers Michael Ross and Blake Bortak due to injury, along with their top two relievers from 2022 in Alex Goff and Carson Hobbs, The Bulldogs finished third in the SoCon with a team earned run average of 5.95. Samford went a perfect 7-0 in game one of SoCon series’ started by Cravey, helping them win six of its seven conference weekend sets. Petschke led the SoCon and ranked third in the country with 14 saves, the second-highest single-season total in program history
In his first season at the helm in 2022, David’s squad posted a record of 28-29. The Bulldogs earned series victories against five of their seven SoCon opponents, including a home series win over no. 22 Wofford from April 29-May 1. In nonconference action, the Bulldogs tallied wins at #10 Florida State on Feb. 27 and against defending national champions Mississippi State at the Hoover Met on May 10. Colton Ledbetter earned All-SoCon Coaches First Team honors, Michael Ross notched an All-SoCon Coaches Second Team nod, Stephen Klein was named to the All-SoCon Media Second Team and Garrett Staton garnered All-Freshman Team honors. The Bulldogs mark of 12-9 in league action secured them the no. 3 seed in the SoCon Tournament, where they put up 35 runs over their first two postseason contests. The Bulldogs won 22-3 against Western Carolina and 13-10 over Mercer before falling in the tournament semifinals. As a team, the Bulldogs led the league with a .973 team fielding percentage and posted the fewest number of errors among SoCon teams.
The 2024 season saw the Bulldogs post a record of 36-22 overall and 14-7 in the SoCon. Samford reached the finals of the SoCon Tournament for a second-straight season. After the season, pitcher Michael Ross was named first team All-American, while second baseman John Anderson earned third-team honors.
In 2025 Samford made its third-straight trip to the finals of the SoCon Tournament, finishing the season with a mark of 30-27 overall and 13-8 in the SoCon. Following the season, 10 players were honored by the SoCon. Third baseman Parker McDonald and outfielder Michael Gupron were both named first team All-SoCon. Starting pitchers Mason Blasche and Miller Riggins, relief pitcher Josh Leerssen, catcher Cade Carr, first baseman Jackson Harris and second baseman Jeffrey Ince earned second team All-SoCon honors. Ince was also named to the SoCon's All-Defensive Team, while Blasche, Gus Gandy and Jake Souders were all named to the SoCon's All-Freshman team.
Prior to being promoted to the head coaching position, David served on the Samford staff for the past 17 seasons, including the last 16 as associate head coach. David also served as the program’s recruiting coordinator from 2005 to 2017.
David was extremely instrumental in the school-record 533 wins amassed during his 17 seasons as an assistant coach and associate head coach. The Bulldogs posted 13 30-win seasons during that span, including the only two 40-win seasons in program history. David also helped the program to the 2006 Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title, as well as the 2012, 2018 and 2021 Southern Conference Tournament championships and 2019 SoCon regular-season title.
In 2021, Samford captured its third SoCon Tournament title, earning its third NCAA Tournament bid. The team posted a 35-24 overall record, including a 20-10 mark in SoCon play. Included in the 35 wins were 15 victories in one or two-run games.
David has been on the coaching staff for the most successful seasons in program history, as the team has averaged 35 wins in each fully completed season since 2012 (excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season).
Overall, in his coaching career at all levels, David has coached four future major leaguers in Jake Peavy, Adam Lind, P.J. Walters and former Samford Bulldog Phillip Ervin, as well as 46 players who were drafted and/or signed contracts with major league baseball teams.
In all, Samford has seen 34 players drafted during David’s time with the program, and David has played an integral role in the recruitment and development of that talent.
David spent the 2004 season as an assistant coach at his alma mater, South Alabama. He helped lead the Jaguars to a share of their fourth-consecutive Sun Belt Conference Championship. While assisting with infield instruction and overseeing the outfield, David managed an outfield that would produce two major league draft picks (Adam Lind – third round and Kevin Williams – 30th round).
Before returning to South Alabama, David spent six seasons as the head coach at Bayside Academy in Daphne, Ala. David was hired in 1998 to start the program from scratch and watched it grow from nine players the first season to well over 40 in his last. He established a consistent winner, never suffered a losing season and finished with an overall record of 91-64.
In the summer of 1996, David was the head coach of the high school summer select team in the NABF for the Mobile Bears Baseball team, leading the team to a 55-5 record and runner-up finish at the NABF World Series.
David played at South Alabama in 1994 and 1995, helping lead the team to the 1994 Sun Belt Conference regular season championship. As a senior in 1995, David received the Eddie Stanky Award on a team that was ranked as high as 13th in the nation. South Alabama finished the year with an NCAA Regional appearance at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla.
In his two-year playing career with South Alabama, the Jaguars compiled an impressive 73-42 overall record.
David is married to the former Bethany Snodgrass, a South Alabama graduate. The couple has two daughters, Peyton Elizabeth and Addison Nicole, as well as a son, Tyler Samuel.
THE DAVID FILE
2021-Present, Head Coach, Samford University
2017-21, Associate Head Coach, Samford University
2006-17, Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, Samford University
2005, Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, Samford University
2004, Assistant Coach, South Alabama
1998-2003, Head Coach, Bayside Academy High School
1997, Assistant Coach, Citronelle High School
1996, Head Coach, Mobile Bears Summer Team
1994-95, Division I Baseball Player, South Alabama
