Sam Biley begins his 13th year this season as head coach of the Lady Muleriders. A native of Moscow, Ark., he was the first of 10 children born into a large family where it was Sam’s job to be the role model for the ensuing “Biley Brigade.”

As a youngster, Sam quickly became a playground legend in Pine Bluff. When it was time to go to high school, Sam chose small, Class B Samuel Vaster High School over local 5A powerhouse Pine Bluff High. In his senior season, with dominating performances all through the state and overall tournament, he led Vaster easily to the Class B title. In the overall tournament, where Biley was named the MVP, Vaster beat Morrilton and a Conway team led by Arkansas Razorback “Triplet” Marvin Delph. However, in the finals, they fell short to Little Rock Central, led by 6-10, Louisiana Tech signee, “Lanky” Wells. Biley was an All-State selection in both 1971-72 and 1972-73.

After being wooed by Louisiana Tech, the University of Arkansas, and local school Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Biley chose Southern State College, now Southern Arkansas, where he played from 1973-77. After playing sparingly as a freshman, Biley was an honorable mention All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) selection as a sophomore in 1974-75 and went on to earn first-team All-AIC honors as a junior and senior. He averaged 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds his senior year and was chosen All-National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District 17 his last two years.

After graduating from SAU, Biley was head basketball coach at Smackover High School for a year and led the Buckaroos to the 1978 state tournament. He returned to Southern Arkansas in 1978 to complete work on his master’s degree and served as a two-year graduate assistant for the Mulerider basketball team.

Biley then served the next 15 years (1980-95) as an assistant to SAU head coach Monroe Ingram. He helped lead the Muleriders to District 17 championships and berths in the NAIA National Tournament in the 1982-83 and 1988-89 seasons, and to the 1989-90 AIC championship. As recruiting coordinator, Biley was responsible for bringing in nine all-conference athletes during his tenure. He also brought the second Biley, in what would become a succession of many, to the athletic program in the form of his brother Michael, who played on the 1982-83 team. His youngest brother, Ken, would go on to be a member of the Arkansas Razorback 1994 national championship team.

In 1995, Biley was named head coach of the Lady Mulerider basketball team. He was named the Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year in 2003-04, after guiding SAU to a 16-11 record and the GSC Tournament, at the time a career best and first. In 2004-05, Biley led SAU to an 18-11 record and to the semi-finals of the GSC tournament. His 2005-06 team finished 13-15, making the conference tournament for a third consecutive year, and made it four straight last season when the team went 14-14 and again advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament. Off the court, his teams have had 81 selections to the Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll, and a third team academic All-American.

Biley and his wife, Rose, have two children, Bryan and Bridgette. Bryan had an outstanding four-year career for the Muleriders, earning 1999-2000 Freshman of the Year and 2002-03 Second Team All-GSC honors, and Bridgette played with the Lady Muleriders. Bryan currently serves as a graduate assistant coach for his father’s team. In addition to his children, Biley had the pleasure to coach his niece, Meah, Michael’s daughter. Thus, bringing the Southern Arkansas University “Biley Count” to five.