Coaching Staff

LARRY CHAPMAN Men's Basketball Head Coach Auburn, '64

Larry Chapman is entering his 33rd season as Auburn University at Montgomery’s head men’s basketball coach. Chapman took the reins of the program from Herbert Green in 1977 and, 628 wins later, he is still going strong.

During his time as head coach, Chapman’s AUM teams have advanced to 11 NAIA National Tournaments (1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009). In those appearances, Chapman has led the Senators to the championship game (1988) and quarterfinals (1987 and 2009) and the second round three times (1989, 2001 and 2007).

Chapman’s credentials are outstanding, boasting a history of success at every in his basketball career. As a player at Ludowici (Ga.) High School, he was a two-time All-State selection and twice led his team to the state championship tournament. After high school, Chapman enrolled at Auburn University, where he was a three-year starter for legendary coach Joel Eaves. His scrappy style of play and perimeter shooting earned him a reputation as a tough competitor. In 1962, he was named to the All-Southeastern Conference sophomore team. His hard-nosed play and leadership abilities showed through even in college where he was named the team captain his senior season.

After graduating from Auburn in 1964, Chapman stayed on campus and began his coaching career as the head coach of Auburn University’s freshman team. In six seasons he fashioned a 77-39 record, including an 18-1 mark in the 1965-66 season. From Auburn’s freshman team, Chapman moved on to Auburn High School, where he had consecutive 21-win seasons in 1972-73 and 1973-74.

After four years at Auburn High School, Chapman rejoined the college coaching ranks when he was named head coach at Georgia Southern University in 1975. He took over a struggling program and wasted no time in developing a new attitude. He guided the Eagles to a 16-11 record by his third season.

Following his third season at Georgia Southern, Dr. Hanly Funderburk, AUM’s first chancellor, came calling for Chapman to take over the reigns of the three-year-old AUM basketball program. It was a move that has lasted into four decades and began to pay dividends early as Chapman led the Senators to a 20-win season in just his second year in Montgomery. His third team duplicated that total. And things got better from there.

From the 1981-82 season through the 1988-89 season, AUM averaged over 25 wins a season and became the first school in 17 years to win three straight championships in the highly competitive NAIA District 27.

Chapman spent most of his time here at AUM doubling as the athletic director before stepping down from that role in 1999. It was from this position he was instrumental in AUM’s move from the Independent Region to the Georgia-Alabama-Carolina Conference, now known as the Southern States Athletic Conference. Since the SSAC was formed, Chapman’s AUM teams have won one regular season championship and three co-championships and qualified for the national tournament four out of seven seasons.

When Chapman came on board in 1977, only men’s basketball existed at AUM. He pushed for the addition of six sports now being offered on campus along with men’s basketball. As he helped lead these programs into being, Chapman continually encouraged and supported the programs as athletic director and was able to see the other sports not only succeed on a conference level, but a national level as well.

Over his 32 years of coaching at AUM, Chapman has recorded 14 20-win seasons, including last season when the Senators finished with a 27-7 record. His 1987-88 team won a record 32 games and finished that season as the NAIA National Runners-up.

Chapman’s teams have recorded at least 19 victories in 22 of his 32 years and only three of those years did the Senators suffer through losing seasons. Along the way the Senators have won championships in the Southern States Athletic Conference, the Georgia-Alabama-Carolina Conference, the Southeast Independent Region, and NAIA District 27.

Chapman has four children, Luke, Larry, Jr., Clint and Christa.

NIGEL CARD Men's Basketball Associate Head Coach AUM, '81

Auburn Montgomery Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Nigel Card is entering his 23rd season as Head Coach Larry Chapman’s right-hand man. In fact, his connection to Chapman has now lasted a quarter century, as Card played three seasons for Chapman before joining the AUM coaching staff after five years in the junior high and high school coaching ranks.

When one looks in the dictionary and looks up the word loyalty, there is a picture of Nigel Card. The AUM graduate has been with Head Coach Larry Chapman for 26 seasons, three as a player, and now enters his 23rd season as Chapman’s right-hand man.

Card played three seasons for the Senators and he played on consecutive 20-win teams in 1978-79 and 1979-80. He played in 48 career games and was part of two teams that made postseason appearances. He came to AUM following one season at Southern Union Community College.

Card graduated in 1975 from Auburn High School and was the second of four Card brothers who starred on the high school’s basketball team, with each earning a college scholarship.

Following his graduation from AUM in 1981, he began his coaching career at George Washington Junior High School where he spent two seasons before moving on to Greenville Junior High School where he spent one season.

He then moved on to the high school ranks where he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery before receiving a phone call from coach Chapman.

In 1987, Card rejoined the Senators basketball program as an assistant coach. The team promptly posted a 32-3 record and lost an overtime thriller to Grand Canyon College in the NAIA National Championship game.

Card is heavily involved in all aspects of the Senator program, from recruiting to scheduling to on-the-court coaching. During the 1989-90 season, Card served as the interim head coach in Chapman’s absence and posted a 4-3 record, with two of the losses coming to top-25 teams.

Card oversees the running of the annual Larry Chapman Basketball Camp and has become well known throughout the Montgomery community for conducting summer camps in the area. His dedication to the youth is evident in the instruction of young campers. His caring attitude allows for the underprivileged children to attend a summer camp.

He is married to the former Melissa Stallworth of Monroeville, Alabama. The couple resides in Montgomery and are the parents of two daughters, Arin Denay and Ava MacKenzie.