Sam Aubrey

Aubrey was born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and attended Tulsa Central High School. He enrolled at Oklahoma A&M and was offered a partial scholarship by coach Iba. He won a letter as a sophomore for the 1941-42 Oklahoma A&M basketball team that won the Missouri Valley Conference championship. As a junior for the 1942-43 team, he again won a varsity letter as a guard.[4]

Aubrey then enlisted in the Army and won a Silver Star for valor in combat during the Arno-Po campaign in Italy. He also received a Purple Heart after he was shot in the back in September 1944, with the bullet exiting near the front of his left hip. The wound resulted in extensive injuries, including destruction of the large muscle in his left hip, an inability to walk for two months, a cast from his waist down, and a lengthy hospitalization.[2][4]

After the war, Aubrey returned to Oklahoma A&M and, despite his injuries, returned to the basketball team less than a year after being shot.[2] He started every for the 1945–46 Oklahoma A&M Aggies men's basketball team that won the NCAA championship.[4]

After graduating from Oklahoma A&M in 1946, Aubrey began coaching basketball. He began as the basketball coach at Pryor High School, compiling a 46-29 in three years in that post.[2] He then coached for four years at Oklahoma Tech where he compiled a record of 67-52.[4]

He returned to Oklahoma A&M as the freshman coach in 1953. In 10 seasons as freshman coach, he compiled a record of 62-18. He then became a full-time assistant coach in 1964.[4]

After serving for 16 years as an assistant under Iba, Aubrey succeeded Iba as head coach in February 1970.[5] However, he resigned after winning only 18 games in three seasons, including only seven in Big Eight play.[6][7][8]

Aubrey died in May 2008 at a retirement center in Stillwater.[9][10]