Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Sammy Epps, a track and field All-American at Southern Arkansas University, was inducted into the 2004 Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame June 5 in North Little Rock.

Epps, a native of Atlanta, Tex., came to Southern Arkansas in 1981 and graduated in 1986.  After serving on the Crossett coaching staff for several years, Epps is now in his tenth year at James Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas.  His James Bowie track and field team won the Texas Class AAAAA state championship in 2003.

While competing for the Muleriders, Epps was a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-America selection in 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985, and was All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) all four years.  He set the AIC long jump record of 24-11¼ in 1983.
Epps still holds SAU school records in four events, 10.34 in the 100-meter dash set in 1984, 20.84 in the 200-meter dash in 1984, 45.98 in the 400-meter dash in 1985, and 25-5 ½ in the long jump in 1985.

Epps led Southern Arkansas to AIC championships in 1983, 1984, and 1985. Epps now lives in Grand Prairie, Tex., and still coaches at James Bowie in Arlington.  He and his wife Angela have five children, Shamaya, Donnie, Joshua, Sammysha, and Que.