George F. "Buddy" Sasser is a former American football coach and athletics administrator. As commissioner of the Big South Conference between 1989 and 1996, Sasser was responsible for increasing membership, gaining automatic bids to the NCAA basketball tournament and adding basketball television exposure for the conference.

Buddy Sasser
Biographical details
BornConway, South Carolina, U.S.
Playing career
1955–1956North Carolina
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1963–1970Conway HS (SC)
1972–1976Appalachian State (assistant)
1977–1982Wofford
1983–1984East Tennessee State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1963–1970Conway HS (SC)
1972–1977Appalachian State (assistant AD)
1977–1982Wofford
1985–1986East Tennessee State
1986–1989Coastal Carolina
1989–1996Big South (commissioner)
1996–1999Coastal Carolina
Head coaching record
Overall45–39–3 (college)
66–17–5 (high school)

Biography

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Born in Conway, South Carolina, Sasser played college football for the University of North Carolina Tarheels earning two letters, the last in 1956. Sasser served as athletic director and head football coach at Conway High School from 1963 to 1970, leading the Tigers to a 66–17–5 record. He was assistant football coach and assistant athletic director at Appalachian State University from 1972 until 1977, and was athletic director and head football coach from 1977 until 1982 at Wofford College. He served as Coastal Carolina University's athletic director from 1986 until 1989 and again from 1996 until 1999.

Honors and awards

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In 1982, Sasser was named Kodak Coach of the Year for the college division.[1] He was inducted, along with three other Coastal Carolina University athletic administrators and student athletes, in the inaugural class of the Big South Conference Hall of Fame.

Each year, the George F. "Buddy" Sasser Cup Trophy (named for him in 2000)[2] is awarded to the Big South member institution that has the most successful year in athletics.[3] Coastal Carolina University's Athletic Hall of Fame was named in honor of Sasser on June 4, 2003.[1]

Head coaching record

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College

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Wofford Terriers (NAIA Division I independent) (1977–1982)
1977 Wofford 7–3–1
1978 Wofford 3–8
1979 Wofford 5–5
1980 Wofford 7–2–2
1981 Wofford 6–5
1982 Wofford 8–3
Wofford: 36–26–3
East Tennessee State Buccaneers (Southern Conference) (1983–1984)
1983 East Tennessee State 3–8 1–6 T–7th
1984 East Tennessee State 6–5 2–4 T–5th
East Tennessee State: 9–13 3–10
Total: 45–39–3

References

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  1. ^ a b Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Archived January 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Sasser Hall of Fame Members, 2010
  2. ^ 2009 Track Guide Archived July 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, UNC Asheville (pdf)
  3. ^ "Liberty University Leads Sasser Cup Race", Big South Conference, December 2, 2009