Drury men's basketball announced the hiring of Sam Briscoe as the Panthers' newest assistant coach in May 2025.
Last season Briscoe helped engineer the Panthers' development that included 17-14 finish following a late-season turnaround that saw DU win its last three regular-season games to qualify for the GLVC Tournament for the first time in five years. Three Panthers earned All-Great Lakes Valley Conference recognition, including freshman KeShaun Thomas, who turned in one of the top freshman campaigns in recent memory in helping lead DU to a conference tournament runner-up finish.
Briscoe returned to the program after having served as an assistant under head coach Chris Foster in 2021-22, and two years as a graduate assistant for Steve Hesser from 2019-21. Briscoe replaced assistant Marc Sonnen, who resigned to pursue an assistant coaching position at the Division I level.
Prior to returning to Drury, Briscoe spent three years as a head coach at the high school level in the St. Louis area and, for the last two seasons, led the prestigious Christian Brothers College (CBC) program. He helped start a rebuilding process at CBC and guided the team that returned only two varsity players to a Class 6 District championship game in 2024.
Before heading to CBC, Briscoe was the head coach at Kirkwood High School, guiding a dramatic turnaround for a team that won just nine games prior to his arrival to a squad that went 24-3 during his lone year as head coach (2022-23). The Pioneers were also co-conference champions, winning their first title in 20 years.
"We are excited to welcome Sam back to Drury," Foster said. "Having worked with Sam before, I have seen his work ethic and ability to connect with student-athletes first-hand. He has had valuable experience as a head coach over the last three years that will serve him well as he makes the jump back to the college level. Sam is very connected in our recruiting base and has a strong passion to serve the student-athletes here at Drury. He will be a great addition to our coaching staff and to the Drury Community."
During his time with the Panthers, Briscoe helped in the development of three all-conference players, was part of a 20-win season in 2019-20, and the team's 2021 GLVC Tournament run saw the Panthers reach the finals. Briscoe assisted in scouting opponents, recruiting and evaluating prospective student-athletes, and helped coordinate team travel logistics.
"I am excited to return to Drury University," said Briscoe. "My time here was incredibly rewarding and I am thankful for the opportunity to work under Coach Foster once again. Drury holds a special place in my heart, and I am looking forward to using my experiences over the last three years to contribute to the success of the program and help our players grow."
Originally from St. Charles, Mo., Briscoe played two seasons at Rockhurst before finishing his degree at the University of Missouri. He holds a degree in business administration from Mizzou and a master's degree in secondary education from Drury.
