Campbell University

Tales from the Creek Podcast with Sam Staggers (August 2023)

Sam Staggers Photo Gallery

Sam Staggers ('77) was a four-year starter at center for Coach Danny Roberts' Fighting Camels from 1973-77.  Staggers earned NAIA all-district honors each year from his sophomore through his senior campaign as the Camels won at least 23 games each season.

During his senior year, Staggers led the Camels to the brink of a national title in their final campaign at the NAIA level.  After scoring more than 600 points for an average of 18.2 per game and grabbing 10.5 rebounds per contest, Staggers was named first-team NAIA All-American, NAIA District 29 Player of the Year and District 29 Tournament MVP.  He finished ninth in the country in field goal percentage (.607).  

The Camels won the 1977 District 29 tournament to earn one of 32 spots in the national tournament at Kansas City.  Campbell became the first unseeded team in the 40-year history of the event to reach the finals and finish as national runner-up.  

He set the school record for career points scored with 1957 – a mark that stood for more than three decades.  He pulled down 1148 rebounds in 119 games, an average of nearly 10 per outing, while making better than 56 percent of his field goal attempts.  

Following graduation in May 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education, Staggers embarked on a professional playing career that lasted nearly 20 years. 

Drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters, Staggers opted to play pro ball in Belgium, where from 1977-96, he starred in the Belgian pro league.  During his playing career with Belgian clubs Andenne (1977-80), Standard Liege (1980-86), Mariandenne (1986-89), Mariemboug (1989-90), Spirou Monceau (1990-91) and Pepinster (1991-96), he was a Pro League all-star team member in 1986 and top-10 Sunair selection from 1982-92.  

After the conclusion of his playing career, Staggers moved to the coaching ranks in 1996-97 and guided Belflamme to the playoffs in his first year on the bench.  He also led St. Louis (1997-98) and Colfontaine (1998-2000) to post-season berths.  He retired from men's pro division coaching in 2009; then guided the Quievrain women's team to a runner-up finish in the Belgium Cup.