The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Director of Basketball Operations
- Email:
- sball32@uab.edu
- Alma Mater:
- UAB '05
- Experience:
- 3rd season
- Hometown:
- Duncanville, Ala.
Sidney Ball enters his third season at UAB.
A 2005 UAB graduate, Sidney Ball returned to the Southside as Director of Basketball Operations on head coach Andy Kennedy’s first UAB staff.
Before returning to the Southside, he spent the past six seasons across town as an assistant coach at Samford. In 2016-17, Ball helped the team to its first 20-win season in 11 years and the program’s first-ever postseason victory when the Bulldogs defeated Canisius in the CIT.
Prior to coaching, Ball was an academic counselor at Mississippi State, Georgia State and UAB.
Ball began his athletics career in UAB’s academic services department following his graduation in 2005. His main responsibilities included tracking the academic progress of the Blazers’ women’s basketball, cross country and track and field teams, as well as assisting with the student-athlete development program.
As a player with the Blazers, which included two seasons with Kennedy as an assistant coach, Ball was a four-year letterwinner and two-year starter. He led the Blazers to a pair of postseason appearances – a quarterfinal appearance in the 2003 NIT and a NCAA Sweet 16 berth in 2004. As a senior, Ball helped lead UAB to 22 victories and played a significant part in the Blazers’ upset over No. 1 Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. He was the team’s leading rebounder his junior and senior season. UAB had a 41-23 record with Ball as a starter and was a part of 74 total victories.
A native of Duncanville, Ala., Ball played at Hillcrest High School where he was on the Birmingham News Super Senior list and was named Second Team All-State.
