Alabama
Alabama Coach Has High Hopes for Texas A&M’s Bucky McMillan
After losing Buzz Williams this offseason, the Texas A&M Aggies decided to go in a different direction for their next head coach.
Rather than hire another power conference retread, the Aggies hired former Samford coach Bucky McMillan to lead the way. McMillan, 41, led the Bulldogs to a 99-52 record (54-29 SoCon) and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024, their first in 24 years, over his five seasons with the team.
Now, he’ll look to lead the Aggies to similar success in probably the best conference in the country.
Already, one of the premier coaches in the SEC is taking notice. When speaking at the Regions Traditions Pro-Am golf tournament, Alabama’s Nate Oats shared that he will be watching McMillan’s career with great interest.
“I think it’s pretty cool,” Oats said, per On3. “I got here, I talked to Bucky, and I talked to him even about an assistant role. Then I told him, like, ‘Look, man, you need to get to wherever you’re going to get as an assistant,’ and fortunate for him, he’s able to jump right from high school head coach. ‘Just do it on your own accord, how good as you are, and that’ll be better.’ And he did.”
Oats has a somewhat similar background to McMillan. The 50-year-old’s first collegiate head coaching role came at Buffalo, where he led the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament three times in four seasons. Now, he’s one of the premier coaches in the country after leading the Crimson Tide to five straight tournament appearances, including a Final Four in 2024 and an Elite Eight in 2025.
“I mean, he got to Samford, hit it out of the park,” Oats said. “You know, me and him have talked a lot. Shoot, I’ve talked to him even a few times since he’s got to A&M. He says that the success I’ve had here, I think, helped him a little bit with just high school coaches can do it,” Oats said. “And I think it’s great for all the really good high school coaches around. I mean, he went right from high school to Samford. He hit it out of the park, and now he’s in our league.”
It will take some time for McMillan to establish himself in the SEC, especially when he’s basically had to build the roster from scratch this offseason. If he’s able to translate his game from a mid-major conference to a power conference, though, he might just have a chance to become a premier coach like Oats is.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – The Alabama Wildlife Federation and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama are building a new interactive Gopher Tortoise Habitat Display to give Alabamians a chance to immerse themselves in the state’s longleaf pine ecosystem.
The exhibit, which is being funded by a $50,000 HMMA investment, will be located in the NaturePlex at the Alabama Nature Center.
The exhibit spotlights the gopher tortoise as a keystone species in Alabama, showing how its burrows shelter other wildlife.
It will feature interactive, age-appropriate elements to teach habitat conservation and responsible stewardship of Alabama’s natural resources.
Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
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With students and families on campus this weekend for spring 2026 graduation, here’s a rundown of University of Alabama campus history that originally published Nov. 14, 2025.
1820
● The Alabama General Assembly officially established the first public university and named it the University of the State of Alabama. By the 1860s, the school was called the University of Alabama.
1831
● Harvard graduate and Vermont native Alva Woods became the first president of the University of Alabama. First day of classes was held on April 18 with four professors and 52 students. By the end of the term there were nearly 100 students.
1841
● The President’s Mansion was built.
1860
● The Round House was built for the use of the student sentinels.
1865
● All but a few buildings — the President’s Mansion, the observatory, the Round House, the Gorgas House and a few faculty residences — were burned by Union troops.
1892
● Student William G. Little introduced his fellow UA students to the sport of football.
1893
● Anna B. Adams and Bessie Parker became the first women to enroll at the university.
1914
● The first Tutwiler Hall was built on the site of today’s Rose Administration Building. It was the first building exclusively for women.
1915
● The University of Alabama Student Government Association was founded.
1926
● The Alabama Crimson Tide football team won the Rose Bowl, becoming national champions for the first time.
1929
● Denny Chimes, funded in part by student donations, was dedicated in honor of beloved UA President George H. Denny. UA also opens Denny Stadium.
1939
● Construction on the Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library was completed.
1956
● The first Black student enrolled. Autherine Lucy attended classes for three days before being removed from campus and then expelled.
1963
● The university was officially desegregated when Vivian Malone and James Hood enrolled. Gov. George Wallace made good on a threat to “stand in the schoolhouse door” to stop them, but his actions were symbolic and did not stop their enrollment.
1975
● The on-campus football stadium is renamed Bryant-Denny Stadium to honor legendary football coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant.
1980
● UA’s 1979 squad wins the Sugar Bowl, giving Bryant back-to-back national championships. The 1979 championship was also the sixth and final title of Bryant’s career.
2011
● On April 27, 2011, a tornado destroyed much of Tuscaloosa, and six students lost their lives.
2013
● Judy Bonner becomes the university’s first female president.
2016
● The university’s strategic plan, Advancing the Flagship, was unveiled.
2019
● The university achieved R1: Very High Research Activity status, according to the Carnegie Classification.
2020
● The COVID-19 pandemic caused spring classes to be moved online. In-person classes resumed by the fall semester.
● UA wins its 18th national championship in football.
2022
Julia Tutwiler Hall, the 13-story dorm near Bryant-Denny Stadium, was demolished just after 7 a.m. on July 4. UA built a new Tutwiler Hall, just a few yards to the west of the old Tut.
2024
● The Catherine and Pettus Randall Welcome Center, an immersive and engaging visitor center named in honor of longtime University supporters, opened in the restored and reimagined historic Bryce Main.
● The football arena is renamed Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium to honor retired coach Nick Saban. Saban earned six national championships during his 17-year career at the Capstone.
2025
● Peter Mohler is hired to become UA’s 30th president.
● UA sets a new enrollment record by welcoming 42,360 students in the fall.
Sources: The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa News files
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Vanderbilt lost 8-5 in the series finale at No. 24 Alabama on Saturday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
After falling behind early, the Commodores clawed their way back but the home side was able to hold on for the win.
Alabama used four hits, including a three-run homer, to build a 5-0 lead in the first inning.
Colin Barczi got Vanderbilt right back in the game in the top of the second with a three-run blast of his own. Braden Holcomb led off the frame with a single and stole second. Rustan Rigdon was hit by a pitch with two outs and Barczi launched his 10th home run of the season to make it 5-3.
Holcomb picked up his second hit of the day in the top of the third. After Mike Mancini worked a walk and stole second, Holcomb lined a single up the middle to bring home Mancini and pull the Commodores to within a run.
Alabama worked a pair of walks to start off the bottom of the fourth and both runners came around to score as the Crimson Tide went ahead 7-4.
Korbin Reynolds roped a double off the wall to lead off the top of the seventh. Reynolds moved up to third on a passed ball before touching home on a sac fly by Ryker Waite to cut Alabama’s lead back down to two.
Luke Guth came on to pitch with two on and nobody out in the seventh. Catcher’s interference loaded the bases but Guth escaped the jam to keep the deficit at two.
The Crimson Tide extended their lead to three with a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth, going in front 8-5.
Vanderbilt returns home to host Louisville in the Battle of the Barrel on Tuesday at Hawkins Field.
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