Sam Stapleton returns for his fourth season as an assistant coach for the 2020-21 season after serving the previous two years as a graduate assistant/video coordinator for the men's basketball program at NCAA Division I Pepperdine, where he received his Master's Degree in Education in 2017.
During his tenure with the Toros, Stapleton helped pilot the Toros to the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament for a fourth consecutive season and has coached six all-conference selections and the program's first CCAA Freshman of the Year.
The 2019-20 season saw the Toros not only reach 14 wins for the second consecutive season and the program's fourth straight CCAA Tournament appearance, but junior Colten Kresl set a new program record for career 3-pointers made as well as breaking the same category in the single-season section, a record held intact for 34 years.
In 2018-19, Stapleton saw Kresl earn a spot at first-team All-CCAA and Wonder Smith to an honorable mention. That season also saw the sophomore Kresl come up just five 3-point baskets short in his first attempt of breaking the program's single-season record. In addition, Stapleton also coached Alex Garcia to the program's first CCAA Freshman of the Year trophy.
He was charged with SportsCode, Synergy and other applications while assisting the Director of Basketball Operations with day to day responsibilities, as well as helping organize and assist in running summer youth camps.
Prior, he served as an assistant coach for West LA Community College for two seasons following a five-year stint as a coach with LA Rockfish, an AAU high school team.
Stapleton received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College in May 2013, where he earned four varsity letters as the starting point guard, finishing third in assists and fifth in steals as a senior in the SCIAC.
(June 2020)
