In her spare time, she loved to read and write. 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. 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. Arizona Republic. 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. 224-34 (.868) 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. In her Drury playing career, her teams went 112-18 (.862). PHOENIX, Ariz.Grand Canyon's aspirations to rise in Division I women's basketball will be in the hands of new Lopes head coach Molly Miller, a two-time Division II Coach of the Year who leads all active college basketball coaches in winning percentage. 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. All Rights Reserved, 2023 Hercules Tires WAC Basketball Tournament, Lancers Down Lopes in Front of Sellout Crowd, Tennis set to open 2023 season versus Utah, Trip ends with 3-2 comeback win vs. No. 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. Miller enters the 2022-23 season with an .866 winning percentage, second highest among active Division I head coaches, .19 behind UConn's Geno Auriemma. https://gculopes.com/news/2020/4/7/womens-basketball-miller-takes-gcu-helm-as-elite-winner.aspx. 2019 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. She was also a hall of fame-worthy player at the program in addition to being a two-time state champion at Kickapoo. In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. I think we can make a big splash. At every step, she has been a determined winner. She challenges them on the court, invests in their lives off the court and keeps an open-door policy to form long-term relationships. Miller enters the 2022-23 season with an .866 winning percentage, second highest among active Division I head coaches, .19 behind UConns Geno Auriemma. 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. She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes. Bray started to gather a shortlistjust in case someone hired Miller away. HomeBusiness NewsMolly Miller brings winningest college coaching record to GCU. I look forward to a seamless transition for our basketball program and the fun journey that lies ahead for our university, our players, our fans and our community.. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the 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). 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. Miller and her husband, Derek, are raising a 3-year-old daughter, Crosby, and a 3-month-old son, Cy. Years later, she became the school's head coach. 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. Miller holds the highest career winning percentage (.892) of any NCAA men's or women's basketball coach . Grand Canyon's aspirations to rise in Division I women's basketball will be in the hands of new Lopes head coach Molly Miller, a two-time Division II Coach of the Year who leads all active college basketball coaches in winning percentage. The moment it all started "I started playing guitar when I was seven years old. If an undefeated mark does not state Drurys dominance under Miller enough, the Panthers also led Division II in scoring margin for her last two seasons there. Now it's time for her to win somewhere else. 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. GCU womens basketball coach Molly Miller led the school to its first NIT appearance this season. View Comments. Drury will also start '19-20 season with a 40-game . #LopesUp 0:43 1K views GCU Havocs and 3 others Coach Molly Miller Retweeted She will enter the 2019-20 owning the best winning percentage among head coaches in all of NCAA-II women's basketball. Millers hustle-oriented teams defend with the intensity and trapping that was her trademark as a player. She already was mastering 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). Miller and her husband, Derek, are raising a 3-year-old daughter, Crosby, and a 3-month-old son, Cy. 580 following. Facebook gives people the power to. Miller's hustle-oriented teams defend with the intensity and trapping that was her trademark as a player. The competitive fire of a 2008 Division II third-team All-American has translated to coaching. Sophomore transfer Aaliyah Collins was tabbed to the First Team after finishing third in the WAC in steals per game (2.52) in and fourth in steals (68) a season ago. "She was one of my biggest supporters and she really, really helped me through this process," Eagan said. 1 team in the country. Now that you have a little background on Coach Miller, its time to get to know the person behind all that success. 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). Drury has won the Great Lakes Valley Conference in four consecutive seasons (no team previously had won more than two in a row) as Miller went 105-5 in conference play (55-0 at home) over her six-year tenure. Her .914 winning percentage at Drury was the top mark among active NCAA basketball coaches, regardless of gender or division. Given the unbelievable success Coach Miller has experienced on the basketball court, we are incredibly excited about the future of the womens basketball program, GCU President Brian Mueller said at the time of her hiring. If you havent heard about GCUs new womens basketball coach yet, then here is a summary of her resume. View the profiles of people named Molly Miller. All the while, she put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. 1 every week in the Division II poll. She was able to overcome adversity and utilize modern technology and other unorthodox recruiting techniques to help sell the dream of GCU womens basketball during her first offseason in Division I. "We will have to give each other virtual hugs for now, but soon we'll be high-fiving each other on the court after a Lopes win," Miller said. Her basketball record is nothing short of incredible but even more important is who she is as a person. "She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University.. 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. Drury has been ranked in the Division II top 25 for a nation-leading 111 consecutive weeks. Thats going to be our goal and I think we can do it at GCU.. Theres no doubt that Coach Miller is bringing a ton of excitement to the GCU athletic program, so if you havent been paying attention to Antelopes basketball, it might be time to jump on the bandwagon. Over her six-year Drury career, Miller is 128-8. "To this day, she's the most competitive person I've ever been around," her Drury coach, now-George Mason head coach Nyla Milleson, once told theSpringfield News-Leader. The 2021-22 season concluded in the WNIT first round, the first WNIT berth for the Lopes in program history. All rights reserved. Last month, Women's Basketball Coaches Association Executive Director Danielle Donehew called Miller "a rising star" after her peers named her the Division II Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year. 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. "I couldn't be more appreciative of her and everything she's done for me.". Miller and the Lopes have earned back-to-back appearances in the WAC Tournament championship game as she finished 22-10 overall and 14-4 in WAC play in 2021-22. Drury was ranked in the Division II top 25 for a nation-leading 111 consecutive weeks. 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. 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). She challenges them on the court, invests in their lives off the court and keeps an open-door policy to form long-term relationships. She inherits a team from Nicole Powell that went 15-12 . "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. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. GCU finished third in the country in steals per game (12.6), steals (404) and 10th in turnovers forced (21.72) a season ago. "Given the unbelievable success Coach Miller has experienced on the basketball court, we are incredibly excited about the future of the women's basketball program," GCU President Brian Mueller said. Visit gcu.edu Eagan will have some big shoes to fill as she tries to replace someone who was turning into a bit of a Springfield women's basketball icon before her departure. At every step, she has been a determined winner. Copyright 2023 AZ Big Media | All Rights Reserved | Site by Blufish, PNC survey shows small business owners see bright future, Ranking Arizona: Top 10 mechanical contractors for 2023, Goodyear takes next steps to make new downtown a reality. 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 determination of her and her coaching staff directly resulted in their ability to sign an exciting freshmen class, as well as a few notable transfers, site unseen. Miller enters the 2022-23 season with an .866 winning percentage, second highest among active Division I head coaches, .19 behind UConn's Geno Auriemma. Molly Miller is in her sixth season as the Lady Panthers head coach. Veteran forward Tiarra Brown, who enters her junior season and third under Miller, was selected to the Second Team and returns as the leading scorer for the Lopes with 9.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 2021-22. 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. Passion. At every step, she has been a determined winner. Grand Canyons aspirations to rise in Division I womens basketball will be in the hands of new Lopes head coach Molly Miller, a two-time Division II Coach of the Year who leads all active college basketball coaches in winning percentage. She also served as a head coach at NAIA St. Ambrose in Davenport, Iowa, from 2005-07. Molly Miller has been hired to replace Nicole Powell as Grand Canyon's women's basketball coach. Miller and the Lopes have earned back-to-back appearances in the WAC Tournament championship game as she finished 22-10 overall and 14-4 in WAC play in 2021-22. Getting to know the kids outside of just basketball I just think those things are really, really important. "With the resources and the excitement behind the athletic program and specifically the women's basketball program, there's real momentum there. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email atwwheeler@news-leader.comor join the conversation on Twitter where his handle is@WyattWheeler_NL. She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes.
The 17-year-old girl's family is still searching for justice. The Lopes were picked third in the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll with two on the preseason All-Conference team. Founded, monitored, and run by college coaches. Miller and her husband, Derek, have two children, Crosby and Cy. Drury won by 27.9 points per game in 2018-19 and 28.5 per game in 2019-20. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. In this week's coaching conversation, Grand Canyon University head coach Molly Miller joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss full-court pressure and playing uptempo. "Coach 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 Interim Vice President of AthleticsJamie Boggssaid. Miller is joined in Phoenix by her. 1988 Men's NCAA, 2019 Women's NCAA, 1940 Men's NCAA, 2006 Women's NCAA, 1981 Men's NCAA. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. The 2021-22 season concluded in the WNIT first round, the first WNIT berth for the Lopes in program history. She and her husband Derek share a little about what it's like to balance coaching a college basketball team and raising two children.Grand Canyon University, Arizonas premier, private Christian university, helps students find their purpose with next- generation education, including over 270 academic programs with over 200 online programs. You can also sign up for his free "Bears Beat" newsletter by subscribing on News-Leader.com. During her playing days at Drury, she was named third-team All-American in 2008 and finished top-3 in program history for points, assists and steals. GCU offers new residence halls, amenities, academic buildings and state-of-the-art athletic facilities on campus, student support resources, dynamic online classrooms, innovative learning experiences and more. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. "We will have to give each other virtual hugs for now, but soon we'll be high-fiving each other on the court after a Lopes win," Miller said. All the while, she has put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. We cannot wait for her and her family to arrive in Phoenix and join the GCU community." All the while, she has put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. NCAA Tournament. But since Miller took over as head coach at age 28 in 2014, she pushed the Panthers to the best all-time winning percentage (.827) in Division II history. Molly is a rising star, Womens Basketball Coaches Association Executive Director Danielle Donehew said after her peers gave her consecutive Division II Coach of the Year honors. PHOENIX, Ariz. (KY3) - Grand Canyon University head basketball coach Molly Miller made her name in Springfield. 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. Miller and her husband, Derek, are raising a 3-year-old daughter, Crosby, and a 3-month-old son, Cy. Millers competitive fire that made her a Division II third-team All-American in 2008 has translated to coaching. But since Miller took over as head coach at age 28 in 2014, she pushed the Panthers to the best all-time winning percentage (.827) in Division II history. 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, won the Midwest Regional, and won their third-straight GLVC championship in 2018-19. 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. The Panthers have guarded opponents from baseline to baseline and led Division II with 30.8 turnovers forced per game this season. The .914 winning percentage tops any active Division I, II or III mens or womens basketball head coach with at least five years of experience and includes a stunning 67-1 mark over the past two seasons. From 2004 to 2008, Miller played at Drury as a 5-foot-6 point guard and four-year starter. At every step, she has been a determined winner. 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. 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 . 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. Courtesy Paul Coro, Grand Canyon Athletic Communications. "I have all the faith in the world that this will be a very easy transition for the program and the kids and that we can continue what we have done with the expectations for this program and then do those things even better.". Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. UNLV 77, Duke 79, Kentucky 103, Duke 104, Notre Dame 91, UConn 89, Texas A&M 63, Stanford 62. 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. "I love this game and everything that is has given to me so I want to give back to it and my players so they can find as much joy and love for the game," Miller said. On the heels of Mother's Day, GCU Women's Basketball Head Coach Molly Miller shares a glimpse inside her family. Her combined high school and college record as a player was 221-27. Episode 186: Molly Miller, Full-Court Pressure and Playing Uptempo. Her winning record as a player and a former head coach is impressive. "She carries herself with class and poise, and I was so proud to have her by my side last year. Well have an exciting brand of basketball to play.. "This was a place that I felt like I could take my career if she happened to leave. College Basketball Scores. Miller led Kickapoo High School to a state championship. Drury has been a Division II power since Miller played there (2004-08) as a 5-foot-6 point guard who started for four seasons. This year's team was 32-0, 20-0 in GLVC Conference play. The Lopes were picked third in the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll with two on the preseason All-Conference team. We want to be one of the best teams in the nation. "I'm super-competitive," Miller said. Millers teams defend with the intensity and trapping that was her trademark as a player. Jody Adams-Birch takes over at New Mexico State, NM State will not renew the contract of WBB Head Coach Atkinson, OFFICIAL: Gottlieb added to Grand Canyon WBB staff, Graduate Assistant Lawrence Technological University, Head Womens Basketball Coach Defiance College, Head Womens Basketball Coach University of Wisconsin River Falls. We'll have an exciting brand of basketball to play." 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. Molly was an athlete in high school, participating in dance, basketball, and softball. Molly Miller exits Drury with a career record of 180-17, By: Ed Beach, Assistant AD for External Affairs/Media Relations, Make a Gift (Basketball Benefits Included), TicketSmarter - Official Ticket Resale Partner, Molly Miller's letter to the Drury Community, Link to Grand Canyon University news release, Lady Panthers escape quarterfinals scare from Quincy, Top seeded Lady Panthers open GLVC Tournament vs Quincy, Thur., 6 pm, Amy Eagan named GLVC Coach of the Year; Moore is Defensive Player of the Year; Schaaf named Freshman of the Year; four selected as All-GLVC, Lady Panthers remain at number two in national poll, .914 winning percentage leads all of NCAA women's basketball, Led the team to 54 straight home wins (2016-current), the second-longest home-court winning streak in NCAA-II, Was 55-0 at home in the GLVC during her career, NCAA-II Coach of the Year (WBCA) 2020 and 2019, 2020 NCAA-II Coach of the Year (World Exposure Report), 2020 NCAA-II Coach of the Year (HoopDirt.com), Number One national ranking for all 16 weeks of the NCAA-II coaches' poll, Nationally ranked in the NCAA-II Top 25 for 111 straight weeks, the longest such streak in the nation, and ranked in the Top 10 for 48 consecutive weeks, Won five GLVC championships in her six years (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020), Won six GLVC regular season titles (West Division in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018; finished first as a one-division league in 2019 and 2020), Made NCAA-II tournament in all six of seasons (advanced to regional finals in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019), Advanced to NCAA-II national semifinals in 2019, Coached the NCAA-II Player of the Year twice (, Had 19 players named All-GLVC, with 12 players named First Team All-GLVC, Had one GLVC Player of the Year (Hailey Diestlkamp, 2020), Had two GLVC Freshman of the Year winners (, Had three named GLVC Defensive Player of the Year (, Inducted into Drury Sports Hall of Fame, 2012. Drury ended the year with a number three national ranking after being ranked number one in the coaches' poll throughout the second half of the season. Grand Canyon University head coach Molly Miller joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss full-court pressure and playing uptempo.Miller holds the highest care. She and her husband Derek share a little about what it's like to balance. Drury won by 27.9 points per game in 2018-19 and 28.5 per game in 2019-20. Drury has been a Division II power since Miller played there (2004-08) as a 5-foot-6 point guard who started for four seasons. Miller is considered the top NCAA Division II women's coach in the . 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. In her final season at Truman State, the Bulldogs finished with a 23-8 record marking the program's best season in 47 years. Miller posted an astounding 180-17 record over six years at her alma mater, Drury. 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.