Lennie Acuff was named the 19th head men’s basketball coach at Lipscomb University on April 23, 2019.
With a 32-year storied coaching career, Acuff has established himself as a proven winner that was highlighted with his 600th career win in the 2023 ASUN tournament. A veteran to the industry, Acuff coached in his 1,000th career game during the 2023 season. Acuff was inducted as the National President of the NABC at the Final Four in Houston in 2023 and served a year long term.
Acuff owns a career record of 640-396 career and a 85-72 record (55-41 in ASUN play) since arriving at Lipscomb. The most recent 2023-24 season marked Acuff's second-consecutive 20-win season with the Bisons as he led Lipscomb to a 20-12 record (11-5 in ASUN Play) and an ASUN Quarterfinal berth.
In his most recent season, Lipscomb had its second-consecutive 20-win season. As always, the Bisons played a taxing non-conference schedule that was highlighted by a 78-75 victory at Florida State. Lipscomb also nearly bested a tough Arkansas team on the road (66-69) and went 2-1 at the Northern Classic in Montreal, Canada defeating both UNC Asheville and Wofford. An important non-conference victory at home in Allen Arena came in an 82-68 win over Chattanooga. Lipscomb was one of the best teams in the ASUN all season, with 11 wins during ASUN Play, including an impressive 7-1 ASUN record in Allen Arena. The Bisons were one of the most efficient offenses in the country during the season, finishing the season nationally ranked in several statistical categories: 9th in effective field goal percentage (57%), 2nd in fouls per game (12.9), 8th in field goal percentage (49.3%), 25th in free throw percentage (76.7%), 17th in scoring offense (82.1) and 12th in three point percentage (38.0%). Lipscomb point guard Joe Anderson ranked fifth in the nation at the end of the season in Assist/Turnover ratio (3.68).
During the 2022-23 season, Lipscomb had its most successful season to date under the direction of Acuff with his first 20-win season with the Bisons. He led Lipscomb to a 20-13 record (11-7 in ASUN play) and an ASUN Semifinal berth. The Bisons played a tough non-conference schedule that was highlighted by a win at Louisville. The Bisons also played a hard-fought game at Michigan and fell at Notre Dame by just a point. Marquee non-conference victories in Allen Arena came when the Bisons defeated crosstown rival Belmont and when Lipscomb downed Navy. The Bisons picked up 11 wins in ASUN play, highlighted by victories at home against Eastern Kentucky and Liberty, who sat at the top of the conference. The Bisons ended its season on a three game winning streak to end the regular season before picking up an ASUN Quarterfinal win at Stetson. Lipscomb eventually fell to Kennesaw State in its ASUN Semifinal matchup at Kennesaw State, who went on to win the ASUN Tournament. Jacob Ognacevic emerged as one of the ASUN's top players during the season, earning First Team All-Conference honors after leading the conference in field goal percentage and ranking top-five in a number of statistical categories.
Acuff’s third season at the helm, the Bisons experienced challenges brought on by injuries that plagued the team throughout the year. A November upset of Dayton University was the highlight of a difficult non-conference schedule that was made more challenging by the loss of three time ASUN all conference post player Ahsan Asadullah for a significant time with a knee injury. After finishing fourth in the ASUN eastern division, the Bisons knocked off North Florida in the first round of the conference tournament before seeing the year come to a hard fought loss at Liberty University.
In his second season at the helm of the Bisons, Acuff and company finished third in ASUN regular season play that condensed due complications with the Covid pandemic. After making the conference championship game the previous three years, Lipscomb was knocked out in the first round of the ASUN tournament with a loss to FGCU.
In his first season leading the Bisons’ program, Acuff guided a team that lost more than 7,700 career points and 3,000 career rebounds from the previous year to a birth in the ASUN championship game after being picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll. The 16 total wins in 2019-20 were the most by a first-year head coach in Lipscomb’s NCAA Division I era.
Prior to arriving in Nashville, Acuff spent the previous 22 years as the head coach at The University of Alabama in Huntsville where he built the Chargers into a national power with a 437-214 overall record. Acuff is the all-time winningest coach in Gulf South Conference history as well as being at the top of the UAH career wins list. Acuff was honored as the GSC Coach of the Year a league record eight times and the NABC South Region coach of the year four times.
Under Acuff, UAH won eight regular season championships and three GSC tournament titles and 11 NCAA tournament appearances.
Two of Acuff’s trips to the NCAA tournament resulted in Elite Eight appearances as well as five births in the Sweet 16. The Chargers were ranked in the national polls for 44 consecutive weeks including a No. 2 national ranking in 2011-12. The programs consistent success was recognized when UAH was selected as the first NCAA Division II team to be invited to NCAA Division I NIT Season Tip-Off tournament which was highlighted by the Chargers upsetting North Texas in the opening round of the prestigious event.
Acuff was inducted to the Huntsville-Madsion County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 and was recently named to the UAH Athletic Hall of Fame that will be inducted in the fall of 2023.
Highly respected by his peers, Acuff has served on the National Association of Basketball Coaches Board of Directors for over a decade and is currently holds the title of First Vice President of the coaches association.
Prior to his time in Huntsville, Acuff was the head coach at Berry College in Rome, Georgia four seasons where he established Berry as a premier NAIA program. At the age of 25, he began his coaching career at Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. While being the youngest head coach at a four-year college , his three year stint proved to be the rebirth of a struggling program.
Acuff graduated from Shorter College where he enjoyed an outstanding playing career that led to his induction into the Shorter College Athletic Hall of Fame. He stills holds school records for single game, season and career assists.
Acuff is a native of Huntsville and is married to the former Kelly Gregory of Mobile. The
The Acuffs are proud parents of two children, Will and Molly.
