By Donna Smith, University Communications and Marketing
On a cool February morning, USF men鈥檚 basketball coach Amir Abdur-Rahim strolled into the Starbucks in the Tampa campus library and announced that, since his team kept fans up until midnight the night before, he was buying coffee for everyone in line. The gesture is one of many ways that USF鈥檚 new coach has been sparking excitement for the team and cultivating a whole new crop of Bulls basketball fans.
"My father was a clergyman in Atlanta, and almost everything he did for the community started in that grassroots type of space,鈥� Abdur-Rahim said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a ton of value in building our fanbase that same way, because you can build something really special like what we have now.鈥�
Abdur-Rahim has also helped spur interest in the team by getting out on campus and engaging with students, doling out free ice cream sandwiches or donuts at the Marshall Student Center and to shake hands with fans waiting in line before a game.
鈥淚t is just important for me, my staff and our student-athletes to let our campus know that we're part of the campus 鈥� not separate from it 鈥� and we want to contribute in a positive way,鈥� Abdur-Rahim said.
Ari Thibeault, a freshman studying exercise science, said she believes his efforts are getting more students excited about Bulls basketball.
鈥淢ore students are showing up and getting passionate about the game,鈥� Thibeault said. 鈥淥nce they meet the coach and talk to him, they feel like they have a personal connection to the team.鈥�
became the 11th coach in Bulls basketball history in March 2023, after three seasons as head coach at Kennesaw State. While there, he led a turnaround season very similar to the one the Bulls are experiencing this year.
As Abdur-Rahim has guided the team to their first regular season conference title in program history and the second-longest active win streak in the NCAA this season, Bulls fans have responded: The 10,500-seat Yuengling Center arena sold out for the first time in 20 years for the game against Florida Atlantic University, then again the following home game against Southern Methodist University. The back-to-back sellouts were a first in program history.
Tyler Moss, a senior majoring in public relations and advertising, is one of the leaders of the SoFlo Rodeo, the official student section of USF men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball. He says that, combined with the SoFlo Rodeo鈥檚 efforts, Abdur-Rahim has been instrumental in getting more than 3,000 students into the Yuengling Center鈥檚 student section for this season鈥檚 home games 鈥� a new high.
鈥淚 truly believe that if we can consistently put that many kids in that stadium, chanting and involved, I don鈥檛 think we can lose.鈥�
As the team prepares for its final home game on Tuesday, March 5 against Tulane, Abdur-Rahim looks forward to ramping up the already frenetic energy.
鈥淲hen I first came to USF, I kept hearing about how the Sun Dome (now the Yuengling Center) was full of energy,鈥� Abdur-Rahim said. 鈥淎ll I could think was, 鈥榃e鈥檙e going to get the Yuengling Center rocking in that same way.鈥欌��
USF junior Kyle Muffoletto says he appreciates everything Abdur-Rahim has done to contribute to the vibe he鈥檚 feeling around campus.
鈥淗e鈥檚 done an amazing job,鈥� Muffoletto said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a unique time, and it really takes all of us to come together and make this kind of excitement.鈥�
To learn more about Abdur-Rahim鈥檚 journey to USF and his coaching philosophy, check out Inside USF: The Podcast. Note: The episode was recorded prior to the start of the fall basketball season.
Photos courtesy of SoFloRodeo