Sam Leal

Sam Leal
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamWartburg
Record0–0
Biographical details
Alma materMaine–Farmington BS
Springfield MS
Playing career
2010-2014Maine–Farmington
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2014-2015Southern Maine (assistant)
2017-2019Springfield (assistant)
2019-2020Bates (assistant)
2020-2024Maine–Farmington
2024-PresentWartburg
Head coaching record
Overall53–25 (.679)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
NAC Coach of the Year (2023)

Sam Leal is a former men's basketball player and current head coach at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.[1]

Playing career

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Sam Leal played college basketball at UMF in Farmington, Maine. In his junior campaign the Beavers would win the North Atlantic Conference regular season championship and finish with an overall record of 21–6. In his final year at UMF, the beavers would end their season with an overtime loss to Husson in the NAC tournament championship game.[2]

Coaching career

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Maine–Farmington

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Leal began is head coaching career at his alma mater, University of Maine at Farmington.[3] Sam spent 4 seasons at the helm, recording a 53–25 overall record. Following the 2022–2023 season, Leal was named NAC coach of the year after posting a 19–8 overall record, 13–1 in conference play, earning them the #1 seed in the conference tournament.[4] They would fall in the conference championship game to SUNY-Delhi.

Wartburg College

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Sam Leal was announced as the 13th head men's basketball coach in Wartburg history on May 1, 2024.[5] He replaced longtime head coach Dick Peth.

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Maine–Farmington (North Atlantic Conference) (2020–2024)
2020–21 Maine–Farmington 2–1 Postseason not held due to COVID-19
2021–22 Maine–Farmington 14–7 8-2 1st (East)
2022–23 Maine–Farmington 19–8 13–1 1st (East)
2023–24 Maine–Farmington 18–9 9–5 2nd (East)
Maine–Farmington: 53–25 (.679) 30–8
Wartburg Knights (American Rivers Conference) (2024–Present)
2024–25 Wartburg
Wartburg: 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–)
Total: 53–25 (.679)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ "Wartburg College hires a new head men's basketball coach". KWWL. May 2, 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Men's hoops' championship run falls short in OT at Husson". goumfbeavers.com. UMF Athletics. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  3. ^ Blasi, Tony (April 20, 2020). "Sam Leal named new men's basketball coach at UMF". Sun Journal. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Men's basketball 2023 All-NAC teams unveiled". nacathletics.com. NAC Athletics. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  5. ^ Petrik, Ethan (May 1, 2024). "College men's basketball: Wartburg tabs Leal as Knights' next head coach". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
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