LSU Eunice hires Jahmel Samuels as new women’s basketball head coach

EUNICE, La. – LSU Eunice has named Jahmel Samuels its new women’s basketball head coach, the school recently announced. Samuels’ hiring is pending approval of the LSU Board of Supervisors.

“Coach Samuels immediately stood out among a very talented and successful pool of candidates,” LSU Eunice athletic director Jeff Willis said. “His ability to mentor young people and his passion for the coaching profession are two aspects that made him stand out.”

Samuels most recently served as the women’s basketball head coach of Bryant & Stratton College-Albany for two seasons. He helped lead the Bobcats to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division I Small College National Championship for the first time in program history.

“I’m excited about this opportunity to build something special at LSU Eunice,” LSU Eunice Women’s Basketball head coach Jahmel Samuels said. “Our student-athletes will wear their HAT every day on campus – they will ‘Be H-Humble, Have A Good A-Attitude and Be T-Thankful.”

Prior to his time at Bryant & Stratton College-Albany, his first head coaching job in collegiate women’s basketball was for one season at Schenectady County Community College. In addition to his coaching duties, Samuels also was an assistant Athletic Director for SCCC.

Before serving as the Royals women’s head coach, Samuels was an assistant coach for the men’s team for five years. Prior to joining the collegiate ranks, Samuels spent more than a decade coaching at the high school level.

While in Albany, Samuels founded the Capitol Region Basketball Boot Camp, growing it into one of the top basketball camps in upstate New York.

He has also served as a camp instructor and station master of the prestigious Five Star Basketball Camp in New York. The Five Star Basketball Camp is revered as a cradle of coaches, with more than 10% of Naismith Hall of Fame Coaches having either worked or lectured at it.

The Brooklyn, New York native was a standout player at Schenectady County Community College, leaving the Royals as the all-time leader in assists, steals and free-throw percentage.

Samuels holds an Associate of Arts in Education from Schenectady County Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Social Sciences from SUNY-Empire State College.

The Bengals spent the 2022-23 season under the direction of interim head coach Dottie McDonald. LSUE finished third in the Louisiana Community College Athletic Conference with four players earning All-LCCAC honors.