Sam Hollingsworth (2001) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Sam Hollingsworth

Induction:
2001

Hollingsworth was the prototype of the team player. More interested in doing what ever it took to help the teams win, oblivious of individual goals and individual honors.
At Hattiesburg High Sam was a member of Big Eight championship teams in football, basketball and track and he was selected to the all-Big Eight team in basketball.
It’s easy to see why former coach Lee Floyd wanted Hollingsworth to be a part of the team and the program he was building at Southern Miss.
As a freshman in 1953-54 Hollingsworth played a surprisingly important role as a reserve center for the club. Although he averaged just a few points and a few rebounds a game, his presence on the floor, gave the team a shot blocker and scorer in the middle that caused matchup problems for the opponents. That team would finish with a 23-8 record and earn a third straight trip to the NAIA national tournament in Kansas City.
As a sophomore in 1954-55 Hollingsworth’s playing time increased as did his contributions to the Golden Eagle attack, with the legendary Nick Revon now gone, the scoring burden was more spread out among the other players on the team and Hollingsworth certainly did more than his share. Although Floyd was gone and Chuck Finley now coached the team, Hollingsworth was counted on even more as a sophomore. Although the 1954-55 team struggled to an 11-17 overall mark, they played some of its best basketball down the stretch, battling back to win the NAIA District tournament and advancing once again to the NAIA Nationals.
Following his sophomore year Hollingsworth left for a two-year stint in the United States Navy, where he was stationed primarily at the Jacksonville, Florida Naval Air Station. Basketball remained an important part of his life even in the Navy. He was a part of several navy all-star teams and played a key role on several key championship teams.
After his two-year Navy stint Hollingsworth returned to Southern Miss to play the final two years of his career. Fred Lewis was beginning his first season as the team’s head coach, making three different head coaches Sam had played under. Now bigger and stronger and with his skills a bit more polished Hollingsworth took on an even bigger role on the team. Now as a starter in the middle he became on the top scorers and rebounders on a team that went 18-7 on the season.
When his senior finally arrived six years after he first had arrived on campus, Hollingsworth would enjoy his finest season ever. Although the team would struggle that year to a 12-13, Sam played the most solid basketball of his career, once again ranking among the team leaders in scoring and rebounding.
Following a solid career at Southern Miss, Hollingsworth’s first coaching position was at Kate Griffin Junior High in Meridian. Following a season there he would take over as the head basketball coach at Hattiesburg high School in 1960. It was a formula that certainly proved successful as from 1960 to 1969 his Hattiesburg High teams compiled a record of 220 wins and just 63 losses. They also won two Big 8 Championships and finished runnerup once for the state championship.