GCU named Miller, 34, as its new head coach Tuesday after she posted an astounding 180-17 record over the past six years at her alma mater, Drury Univeristy in Springfield, Missouri. Now it's time for her to win somewhere else. "To this day, shes the most competitive person Ive ever been around, her Drury coach, now-George Mason head coach Nyla Milleson, once told the Springfield News-Leader. In her Drury playing career, her teams went 112-18 (.862). https://gculopes.com/news/2020/4/7/womens-basketball-miller-takes-gcu-helm-as-elite-winner.aspx. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University. Miller left the Lady Panthers for Division I Grand Canyon on Wednesday, Drury announced Amy Eagan would be promoted to the head coaching position, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. When you work hard and strive for great things and you're a good person, you want to achieve great things and that's what you can do with the support here and the resources here.". Drury won by 27.9 points per game in 2018-19 and 28.5 per game in 2019-20. In her first job, Miller spent four years as a marketing director for Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute, putting her master of business administration to use while giving basketball instruction to players on the side. The two have not been since since. GCU womens basketball coach Molly Miller led the school to its first NIT appearance this season. I think we can make a big splash. READ ALSO:GCU freezes tuition for 13th year. Eagan's Truman State team won the Great Lakes Valley Conference title in her first season in 2013-14 and she finished her career as the program's all-time leader in coaching wins with a record of 111-62. During her final two seasons at Drury, her team went 67-1 including a perfect 32-0 season prior to the cancellation of the 2019-20 NCAA Tournament. Head Coach Molly Miller (joined by Cy and Crosby) speaks with the media after GCU Women's Basketball defeats Seattle 80-64.Grand Canyon University, Arizona's. She took over as head coach at her alma mater in 2014 and led the program to historic heights amassing a 180-17 record over six seasons. At GCU, Miller has compiled a 40-17 (.702) overall record and a 22-8 (.733) conference mark while solidifying GCU Arena as one of the toughest places to play with a 24-4 (.857) record at home. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. All the while, she has put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. Her Panthers teams held a stunning 67-1 mark over her last two seasons at her hometown university in Springfield, Missouri. View Comments. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. You can also sign up for his free "Bears Beat" newsletter by subscribing on News-Leader.com. Head Coach Molly Miller (joined by Cy and Crosby) speaks with the media after GCU Women's Basketball defeats Seattle 80-64.Grand Canyon University, Arizonas premier, private Christian university, helps students find their purpose with next- generation education, including over 200 academic programs with over 150 online programs. 2023 Western Athletic Conference. With the resources and the excitement behind the athletic program and specifically the womens basketball program, theres real momentum there. "I have had the privilege to get to know President Mueller and the athletic director,Jamie Boggs, in the recent days, and the enthusiasm of these incredible leaders certainly helped solidify my decision," Miller said. If an undefeated mark does not state Drury's dominance under Miller enough, the Panthers also led Division II in scoring margin for the past two seasons, winning by an average of 27.9 points per game in 2018-19 and an average of 28.5 points per game this season. She took a pay cut to return to Drury as an assistant coach for two seasons before being elevated to interim head coach, a title that lost the interim tag after a 7-2 start. Miller maintained Drury's tradition upon becoming head coach at age 28 and she ascended the program to reach the 2019 Division II Final Four and post a 32-0 record in 2019-20, when the Panthers were ranked No. Growing up in Springfield as Molly Carter, she found her love of basketball at age 8 as a ball girl for national power Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). The team that won its fourth-straight GLVC title just this past season got its wish. I am thrilled coach Eagan will be taking the helm at Drury, and I sincerely wish her the best of luck. Her teams were top-5 in the nation in five different defensive statistical categories. Her basketball record is nothing short of incredible but even more important is who she is as a person. The two-time Division II Coach of the Year ended her Drury career with the D-II national runner-up in 2019 and an undefeated, top-ranked 2020 team when the national tournament was canceled because of COVID-19. The 17-year-old girl's family is still searching for justice. "To this day, shes the most competitive person Ive ever been around, her Drury coach, now-George Mason head coach Nyla Milleson, once told the Springfield News-Leader. Millers teams defend with the intensity and trapping that was her trademark as a player. In her spare time, she loved to read and write. We will have to give each other virtual hugs for now, but soon well be high-fiving each other on the court after a Lopes win, Miller said. I think we can make a big splash. Miller took over the Division 1 program at Grand Canyon in 2020. She became a star at Drury University. Growing up in Springfield as Molly Carter, she found her love of basketball at age 8 as a ball girl for national power Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). She mastered dribbling and finishing with either hand and progressed into a player who won two state championships at Kickapoo High School, where her teams went 109-9 (.924). In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. She also served as a head coach at NAIA St. Ambrose in Davenport, Iowa, from 2005-07. Miller was quoted in the university's press release saying: Amy Eagan is a perfect fit to become the next head coach of the Drury University Lady Panthers. Growing up in Springfield as Molly Carter, she found her love of basketball at age 8 as a ball girl for national power Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). In two seasons in Phoenix, Millers high-pressure defense and up-tempo offense has seen GCU rank nationally in steals per game and turnovers forced per game. Miller went 180-17 in her eight years at her alma mater Drury in Springfield, Mo., the highest winning percentage for any NCAA D. II coach. Visit gcu.edu 12 Apr 2019 News Drury University women's basketball head coach Molly Miller has agreed to terms with the institution on a contract extension that will run through the 2021-22 season. Make a Gift (Basketball Benefits Included), TicketSmarter - Official Ticket Resale Partner, 5 NCAA-II tournaments, 4GLVCchampionships, Note- no divisional play in the GLVC in 2018-19. Drury announced Amy Eagan would be promoted to the head coaching position after she spent one year as an assistant coach. HomeBusiness NewsMolly Miller brings winningest college coaching record to GCU. "She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes. Miller is joined in Phoenix by her. Drury has been ranked in the Division II top 25 for a nation-leading 111 consecutive weeks. She guided Drury to the Division II Final Four last year and a 32-0 record this season, when she put the Panthers at No. Before joining Drury, Eagan had a successful six-year stint as the head coach at Truman State. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. Molly Miller is leading the Grand Canyon women's basketball program for her third season as Lopes head coach after taking over the program on April 7, 2020. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); HoopDirt is your source for the latest college basketball coaching news, rumors, and job postings. Miller and her husband, Derek, are raising a 3-year-old daughter, Crosby, and a 3-month-old son, Cy. 1 team in the country. In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University." The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Miller posted an astounding 180-17 record over six years at her alma mater, Drury. 1 every week in the Division II poll. Drury is coming off a 32-0 season that ended abruptly because of the NCAA Tournament's cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic. ATLANTA Molly Miller, head coach at Drury University, has been named the 2020 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches . Miller's competitive fire that made her a Division II third-team All-American in 2008 has translated to coaching. All Molly Miller did in Springfield was win. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. "I'm super-competitive," Miller said. "With the resources and the excitement behind the athletic program and specifically the women's basketball program, there's real momentum there. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. In the five days leading up to the announcement of her hiring, multiple Lady Panthers voiced their support for Eagan while hoping she would get the promotion. Under Miller, Drury became the first Great Lakes Valley Conference program to win four consecutive titles and went 105-5 in conference play (55-0 at home) over her six-year tenure. Grand Canyon University head coach Molly Miller joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss full-court pressure and playing uptempo.Miller holds the highest care. Molly Miller is leading the Grand Canyon women's basketball program for her third season as Lopes head coach after taking over the program on April 7, 2020. This exciting style of basketball led Drury to the third-highest average attendance (1,768) in Division II during her final season, despite only having 1,500 undergraduate students on campus and competing with crosstown rivals Missouri State. Miller posted an astounding 180-17 record over six years at her alma mater, Drury. She took a pay cut to return to Drury as an assistant coach for two seasons before being elevated to interim head coach, a title that lost the interim tag after a 7-2 start. The Panthers have guarded opponents from baseline to baseline and led Division II with 30.8 turnovers forced per game this season. Were going to be very family-oriented at GCU. Well have an exciting brand of basketball to play.. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. PHOENIX, Ariz. (KY3) - Grand Canyon University head basketball coach Molly Miller made her name in Springfield. Miller holds the highest career winning percentage (.892) of any NCAA men's or women's basketball coach . Miller enters the 2022-23 season with an .866 winning percentage, second highest among active Division I head coaches, .19 behind UConns Geno Auriemma. Drury will also start '19-20 season with a 40-game . For the first time ever, her basketball career has taken her outside of Springfield, as she embarks on a new journey as head coach of the GCU Antelopes. Her statement reveals Molly Miller took her own life, and now her family and friends are left asking why, saying "There was not a single sign that anything was wrong or bothering her.". Just before becoming the head coach at Truman State, she was the head coach at Ashford and took a team that won just four games in her first season to a near .500-record the next year. GCU named Miller, 34, as its new head coach Tuesday after she posted an astounding 180-17 record over . "She was one of my biggest supporters and she really, really helped me through this process," Eagan said. The Lady Panthers became the first team in GLVC history to win three league titles in a row and were the first team ever to go unbeaten during the regular season and win the conference tournament in the same year. Make a Gift (Basketball Benefits Included), TicketSmarter - Official Ticket Resale Partner, 5 NCAA-II tournaments, 4GLVCchampionships, Note- no divisional play in the GLVC in 2018-19. 580 following. In her first job, Miller spent four years as a marketing director for Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute, putting her master of business administration to use while giving basketball instruction to players on the side. In 2020-21, GCU ranked second nationally for steals (13.4 per game) and turnover margin (plus-8.4 per game) while also coming in fourth for turnovers forced (23.3 per game). Over her six-year Drury career, Miller is 128-8. The entertaining style and success have made Drury one of the top Division II draws, ranking third in attendance last season at 1,768 fans per game despite only having 1,500 undergraduate students on campus and competing for Ozarks basketball fans with Missouri State. Molly Miller's tenure as the Lady Panthers head coach saw another magical season under her leadership as Drury went 35-1, advanced to the NCAA-II national semifinals, . She took a pay cut to return to Drury as an assistant coach for two seasons before being elevated to Panthers interim head coach, a title that lost the "interim" tag after a 7-2 start. In her first job, Miller spent four years as a marketing director for Springfield Neurological and Spine Institute, putting her master of business administration to use while giving basketball instruction on the side. In the midst of global chaos, Grand Canyon University made a tremendous hire that might have been overshadowed by the events of 2020. Player Season Finder . Molly MillerCoach Miller is one of the winningest college head coaches in the country and a true leader who knows how to run a championship program, GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said of Miller's hiring. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here.