DOTHAN, Ala. – Almost twenty years after serving as an assistant softball coach for Gene Dews from 2004-2007, Sam White has returned to Wallace to lead the Lady Govs softball program, Athletic Director
John Rushing announced on Thursday afternoon.
"We are excited to welcome Coach Sam White back home to Wallace," Rushing said. "Coach White returns after gaining years of experience that includes stops leading high school, two-year, and four-year programs."
"He will bring a wealth of knowledge about the game as well as a proven track record of recruiting student-athletes and advancing them to the next level."
White has sent over 75 players to NCAA Division I schools, coached 44 All-Americans, and 32 Academic All-Americans. As a head coach, White has a record of 176-105 (.626 winning percentage).
After spending a season as the head coach at Headland High School, White returns to the college game where he spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach and five as a head coach.
White has spent time as a head coach at the NAIA level, leading Bluefield College (2020-2021), Shawnee State University (2021-2023), and Baker University (2023-2024). He has helped programs attain unprecedented accomplishments including Bluefield's first wins against top 25 teams and capturing the most conference series wins at the time while at Shawnee State. White led Baker to a 34-16 overall record before returning home to help care for his father.
From 2013-2018, White was as assistant coach at Lindsey Wilson College where he helped guide the program to a conference championship, conference tournament championship, and two appearances at the NAIA World Series. The 2015 Blue Raider softball team finished as the NAIA runner-up and won 53 games, including a 33-game win streak.
Prior to Lindsey Wilson, White spent six seasons at the NJCAA level. In his first head coaching job, he led Faulkner State College (now Coastal Alabama – South) to an undefeated 18-0 conference record, 40-16 overall record, and Southern Division Championship.
White spent 2007-2012 at Darton College in Albany, Georgia, as an assistant coach where he helped the team to a pair of NJCAA Tournament appearances and four conference championships. The 2009 team finished with a 36-11 overall record and sixth at the NJCAA World Series then in 2011 Darton rolled to a 50-11 overall record with a fifth-place finish.
When asked about why he is the right person to lead the Lady Govs, White answered, "This is where my career began. This is what set me on the path for everything that I've accomplished. Now I get the opportunity to return and lead the program now and give back to those I come in contact with."
"I told them at the end of practice today, I have found the most success comes from being a servant leader. I'm going to be here to help you so there's no reason to be nervous around me. Wallace helped me when I was young, and it is a point of pride for me to give back by being in a leadership position on this campus."
Coach White returns to Wallace with an assistant coach already in place. Wade Hussey served as the head softball coach at New Brockton High School for eight years and as a volunteer assistant coach at Troy University. He is also the founder of the Alabama Fury, a premier softball travel program. Hussey has been working with the team since classes started on August 20.
"I could have been real nervous if it was someone else that I did not know," White said, "but the fact that he and I have such a long history already, the only way to really sum it up is - it's a God thing."
"I know that we can work together because we see things very similarly. The way things have fallen into place, I could not ask for a better coach and a finer man to be here with me leading this program."
When looking at the talent assembled on this year's squad, White spoke of the athleticism the group possesses, "We are very athletic, something that is a huge part. We have several interchangeable parts. If someone were to go down with a minor injury, I don't think it would be that big of a drop off. Our outfielders can play infield and vice versa."
"There's a culture that's already been established. I think that the ladies came together over the summer and maybe not out of what everybody thought might happen, but there's a glue to them now – a positive culture amongst themselves. They have committed to one another that they're going to work hard every day, learn, and get better. We have a why not us kind of attitude?"
"I think the sky's the limit. We want to win championships here, and I don't mean conference championships. We want to win national championships. We're not going to run from it. We're not going to hide from it."
