Sam Hargraves has been named head men’s basketball coach at Alma. Hargraves joins the Scots after two years as an assistant coach at Division III Dominican. He also served as the school’s varsity reserve coach, head men’s golf coach, and interim head men’s and women’s tennis coach.   

"We are very excited to announce the hiring of Sam Hargraves as our new men’s basketball coach," said Alma athletic director John Leister. "He has history here at Alma, and he has done a great job of getting himself ready for this challenge. Everyone on campus that met Sam through the interview process was impressed with him, and his enthusiasm for this position was contagious. We cannot wait for him to get started and to start a new chapter in Scots men’s basketball."   

He takes over for interim head coach Charlie Goffnett, under whom the Scots went 6-19, 2-12 in the MIAA. He begins his new position on May 15.

"Saying goodbye to student-athletes and colleagues at Dominican University will be hard," commented Hargraves. "I am extremely excited about the new opportunity in front of me and want to thank Dominican University to help me get there. Mark White allowed me to be very involved in the men’s basketball program at Dominican and that has prepared me for the challenges that lie ahead."

Hargraves will be entering his 14th year of collegiate coaching when he joins the Scots, with the most recent stop being at Dominican. He went to the university in 2009 and helped the school recruit 12 new players, resulting in the first reserve program in Dominican’s history.
While at the school, he also coached the school’s first-ever men’s golf team to a competitve sixth place finish in the NATHC championship. In addition, he led the women’s tennis team to the NATHC conference tournament, awarded to the top six teams.  

"I would like to thank President Abernathy, athletic director John Leister, and the rest of the search committee for giving me the opportunity to build the men’s basketball program at Alma College," said Hargraves.  "This is the place where I started my coaching career as an assistant, and I am so fortunate and excited to come back as the head men’s basketball coach."   

Hargraves played collegiately at Calvin after a stellar career at Alanson High School. While at Calvin, Hargraves played for two national championship winning coaches in Ed Douma (1992) and Kevin Vande Streek (2000). He played three years of varsity basketball, and as a senior, was named to the All-MIAA second team. In his final campaign, he led the league in three-point field goals made with 71.   

His coaching career began at Alma in 1998 as an assistant under then-coach Kevin Skaggs. Other coaching experience for Hargraves includes stops at Hillsdale, Northwood and Lawrence.