U of H Men’s Basketball Head Coach Kelvin Sampson

Come meet Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, who led the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament National Championship and named Big 12 Coach of the Year.

About this Event
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhVj0laWxYo?si=jw21HP3fGdydUUzQ

In 2024-25, Sampson led the Cougars to one of the greatest seasons in program history and one that will be long remembered by Houston fans.

For his impressive leadership, Sampson was named the National Coach of the Year by The Sporting News and CBS Sports and was named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year by the league and the Associated Press for the second straight season.

The Cougars – who finished #2 in both national polls – set a school single-season record with 35 wins and advanced to the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game before falling to Florida inside Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cISoW1hGKQE?si=6Vkc1HxFp9sssH2-

A veteran of 20 NCAA Tournaments, former Houston Rockets coach and longtime college veteran Kelvin Sampson joined the University of Houston Men’s Basketball program as its head coach on April 3, 2014.

With his hiring, Sampson became the ninth head coach in the history of the Houston program.

As a 36-year head coaching veteran at Houston, Indiana, Oklahoma, Washington State and Montana Tech, Sampson has compiled a 799-354 record during his career with 20 NCAA Tournament appearances. He is one of only 15 coaches in NCAA history to lead 4+ schools to the NCAA Tournament and one of only 16 coaches to lead multiple schools to the NCAA Final Four.

In his career, he has been named a National Coach of the Year 14 times with five honors for the 2023-24 season alone. Sampson has received 10 conference Coach of the Year awards from five different leagues and guided every program he has led to multiple 20-win seasons during his stints.

In 11 seasons at Houston, Sampson has led the Cougars to seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances – including the 2025 NCAA National Championship Game and the 2021 NCAA Final Four – six American Athletic Conference titles, two Big 12 Conference regular-season crowns and one Big 12 Tournament championship – while standing as the only coach in school history to lead Houston to 10 straight 20-win seasons. He became the second-winningest coach in Houston history during the 2020-21 season and ranks as the school’s career leader with a .781 winning percentage.

During his Oklahoma tenure, he guided the Sooners to 10 consecutive 20-win seasons, the 1999 Sweet 16, the 2002 Final Four and an Elite Eight appearance in 2003. From 1994 to 2006, he guided the Sooners to NCAA Tournament appearances in 11 of 12 years.

In the classroom, numerous student-athletes have received their bachelor’s degrees with one earning his master’s degree under Sampson’s leadership at Houston.

His Cougars have been active leaders in their community, passing out Thanksgiving lunches to Star of Hope Mission residents, leading a Texas Special Olympics event inside the Guy V. Lewis Development Facility and Hofheinz Pavilion, working with Shriners Children’s Hospital, inviting Team Impact students as team members, partnering with the city of Houston’s BARC Animal Shelter & Adoptions, visiting with patients at Memorial Hermann Children’s Hospital, distributing meals to families at the Richard M. Schulze Family Hope Lodge Houston and participating in Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers week during Sampson’s tenure.

TICKETS

Downtown Rotary Club of Houston members are entitled to one (1) free ticket per paid member.

Corporate members are entitled to five (5) tickets. Visitors and guests must purchase a ticket at $75.

*** If you are ordering more than one (1) ticket, please ENTER EACH ATTENDEE'S NAME for faster event check in. ***

All credit cards and PayPal accepted. Valet parking included.

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