The Sam Maples File
Hometown: Saracosta, Florida
Education: Florida Atlantic '15; Colorado Christian; '17
Coaching Background
2018-Pres.	Oklahoma Baptist, Head Coach
2016-17	Colorado Christian, Interim Head Coach
2015-16	Colorado Christian, Graduate Assistant
Career Records
All-Time:		129-103 (.556)
OBU Record:		129-103 (.556)
Conference:		84-71 (.541)
By The Numbers
4 - Consecutive winning seasons as a head coach
2 - 30-plus win seasons
1 - All-America selection
14 - All-Conference selections
7 - All-Region selections

Sam Maples was announced as head coach of the Bison softball program on May 16, 2018, and recently completed her fifth season at OBU in 2023. Maples also serves as the pitching coach.

In five seasons in Shawnee, she has orchestrated the Bison to three consecutive conference tournament appearances after missing the postseason since joining Division II. In 2023, Maples led OBU to its first-ever NCAA DII National Tournament berth and saw the program ranked in the national and regional polls for the first time in the DII era. Additionally, Oklahoma Baptist captured its first GAC regular season title in school history. Maples owns an 129-103 (.556) overall record and has finished above .500 in all but one season. 

A season ago, Maples and staff steered OBU to its most winningest season in the Division II era, drawing a 44-12 overall record with a 28-5 finish in conference play. Oklahoma Baptist made its debut in the national rankings at No. 23 and reached as high as No. 18. Maples earned her 100th career win and was one victory shy of matching the all-time program record for single-season wins. The Bison collected a school-record three top-25 wins, defeating No. 6 Texas A&M-Kingsville, No. 17 Southern Arkansas, and No. 18 Harding. OBU's first-ever series victory over the Muleriders spearheaded a 17-game program-record winning streak that landed Oklahoma Baptist in position to earn a GAC regular season title before notching its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. With those efforts, Maples became the first coach in the program's Division II era to be voted the Great American Conference Coach of the Year.

Maples' pitching staff turned in the fifth-best ERA (1.50), the lowest figure in the Bison's NCAA era, and the second-most strikeouts (468) in the country. They registered 18 shutouts, which included two no-hitters from Kayleigh Jones. Offensively, OBU recorded its highest batting average (.300) in the DII era while knocking 34 home runs and outscoring their opponents 272-108. Additionally, their slugging percentage (.420), runs scored (272), hits (451), and stolen bases (90) numbers where program bests. 

A program-record six Bison were named to the All-GAC teams, including Player of the Year Emily Adler, Pitcher of the Year Kayleigh Jones, and Freshman of the Year Kennedy Clark. Maples would see Jones become the first DII All-America honoree in OBU history, earning First-Team nods from the NFCA and D2CCA as well as being named the D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year. Jones and Adler also picked up All-Region honors from the NFCA and D2CCA, the most in school history.

In 2022, Maples guided Oklahoma Baptist to its first 30-plus win season since joining Division II, finishing with 33 overall wins and 19 league victories. It was the most wins since the 2014 season. The Bison went on to earn the No. 5 seed going into the conference tournament, the highest seeding in program history at the time. Under Maples' direction, the pitching staff produced 469 strikeouts, which ranked No. 1 in the nation, and racked up 71 stolen bases, the most in school history. Additionally, another milestone was reached as four Bison were named to All-GAC teams, the most in program history at the time. 

In 2019, Maples led OBU to its first ever Division II postseason appearance after producing 16 league victories, good for the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament. The team finished 21-20 (16-17 GAC), producing a .512 win percentage. The season saw three Bison make an All-GAC team, Kayleigh Jones, Cheyenne Demaree, and Shelby Savage. Before COVID-19 cut the 2020 season short, Maples began conference play with a 10-2 record, highlighted by a seven-game winning streak. 
 
Maples came to Bison Hill from Colorado Christian University, where she served as an assistant on Coach Shanon Hays staff. She joined the CCU program in 2015 as a graduate assistant coach and served as interim head coach in 2016.
 
In 2018 the Cougars posted the best season in program history with a record 43 wins, a runner-up finish in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament, and an appearance in the NCAA Central Regional.
 
A native of Sarasota, Florida, Maples was an All-Conference USA pitcher at Florida Atlantic, playing four years for the Owls under head coach Joan Joyce. During her time as a student-athlete she was active in FAU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and served on the executive board of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Maples received her undergraduate degree in Health Administration in 2015 from FAU, and completed her Master of Business Administration degree at CCU in 2017.

Sam Maples' All-Time Collegiate Head Coaching Record

Year	Overall	Conference	Postseason	Season Notes
2023	44-12	28-5, 1st	NCAA Regional Tournament	1 All-America selection; 4 All-Region selections; 6 All-Conference selections; Most victories in DII era & Second-most wins in program history; First-ever GAC Regular season championship; Most consecutive wins in program history (17); Maples named GAC Coach of the Year
2022	33-22	19-14, 5th	GAC Quarterfinals	1 All-Region selection: Reagan Ford; 4 All-Conference selections: Kayleigh Jones, Samantha Campos Reagan Ford, Sammie Greene; First 30+ plus win season since 2014
2021	21-20	16-17, 6th	GAC Quarterfinals	3 All-Conference selections: Kayleigh Jones, Cheyenne Demaree, Shelby Savage
2020	14-10	10-2, 2nd	N/A	Season canceled due to COVID-19
2019	17-39	11-33, 11th	N/A	1 All-Conference selection: Franki Brown