There have been a couple staple characters when it comes to Samford Basketball. There’s Sam the Bulldog, Samford Moses and now Christopher “Toph” Alexander. Decked out in his sparkly blazer and giant toothbrush he leads the student section in cheering on the bulldogs.
A 21-year-old student in the Turning Point program, Alexander is undoubtedly the most loyal Bucky-Ball fan at Samford.
“I like Samford sports because of Bucky. I watched him at Mountain Brook,” said Alexander.
Alexander graduated from Mountain Brook High School and loved watching Bucky McMillan coach their basketball team.
“Christopher has always admired and thought Coach Bucky McMillan hung the moon.” Said Alexander’s mother, Lisa Alexander. “When at Mountain Brook, Christopher was just a young elementary student, and he would bring a clipboard to the basketball games and pretend to Bucky walking back and forth pointing like he was helping coach.”
While he was a student at Mountain Brook, Alexander built his “Toph-Brush” with his uncle who is a dentist.
“I made it for Bucky to brush out the other team,” said Alexander.
When Bucky came to Samford, Alexander painted the brush red, white and blue. He waves it around and has everyone to sign it at games.
Alexander loves Samford sports. When asked about what his favorite part was, he said, “Most everything.”
Alexander has become quite an icon on campus because of his enthusiasm at games and eccentric game day outfits. He loves being a campus celebrity that always has people talking to him. Alexander makes a point to invite as many people as possible to every basketball game.
“Toph is just absolutely incredible. He is always there to support, always hyping people up in the basketball GroupMe. He is always trying to get people to the games,” said frequent Bucky-ball attendant Jordan Bramlett.
The students are not the only people who have noticed how important he is to Samford sports but so have athletes, coaches and cheerleaders.
“I think the most memorable people in life are those who are happiest when they are supporting others and that is what makes Toph so endearing to us all. That is why we love him, because he loves to support others, and I have seen that in him since I was at Mountain Brook,” said head Samford men’s basketball coach, Bucky McMillan.
Even though it is now impossible to think of a Samford student section without Alexander, there was a time when he was not allowed in.
“He used to not be let into the student section because he was a Turning Point student and not enrolled in Samford,” said Turning Point teacher, Wendy Betsch. “But now they know him and know to let him in.”
When he is not leading the student section, Alexander also is a DJ. Under the name “DJ Tophy Toph,” he has worked birthday parties and a college grad party. His favorite part about being a DJ is going live every Friday night to show off his DJ skills.
When Alexander finishes with Turning Point, he hopes to be a lineman at a power company. But until then, he is fully committed to being the best fan Bucky-Ball and Samford Sports have ever seen.
How exciting! Loved reading all about this beloved Samford sports icon! So proud of the Samford family for their support of this very accomplished “honorary” mascot! Great story! Loved all the inside story and background facts!