I am thrilled coach Eagan will be taking the helm at Drury, and I sincerely wish her the best of luck. HomeBusiness NewsMolly Miller brings winningest college coaching record to GCU. Her basketball record is nothing short of incredible but even more important is who she is as a person. She grew up in Springfield, Missouri, as Molly Carter and played at Kickapoo High School and Drury University in her hometown. 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. Play Index. Miller's teams have played with frenetic energy to dominate in Division II and she exudes a similar intensity on the sideline. 1 for every week of the Division II poll up until the NCAA tournament cancellation. Her basketball record is nothing short of incredible but even more important is who she is as a person. View the profiles of people named Molly Miller. 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. All rights reserved. "I thought for myself as I continued to look at my life and my career, there's not a better Division II in the country," Eagan said of her decision. Miller posted an astounding 180-17 record over six years at her alma mater, Drury. 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). 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. Her teams were top-5 in the nation in five different defensive statistical categories. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. 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. Her work ethic and loyalty are unmatched, and her outstanding character sets the bar high. Miller and her husband, Derek, have two children, Crosby and Cy. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. 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. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University. I'm just a relationship coach.". 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. 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. 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 has been ranked in the Division II top 25 for a nation-leading 111 consecutive weeks. Last month, Womens 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. 14 Ohio State, Aggies Stumble in Home Tilt Versus UT Arlington, Tyler McCliment-Call Ties Her Season-High with 17 points as the Ladyjacks Fly Past the Redhawks, WEEK AT A GLANCE: WBB hosts Bearkats, MBB heads to West Coast for WAC play, Men's Tennis Defeats Oral Roberts in Tight Match, CBUs Harper to Represent WAC as Member of NCAA Womens Basketball Student-Athlete Engagement Group, WAC Announces Academic All-WAC Honorees for Spring 2020 Sports, Freshmen and Transfers, Tiffany Sardin to be Next Chicago State Head Women's Basketball Coach, WAC Board Announces Adjustments to Basketball Tournament Eligibility, Grand Canyons Holland Named Her Hoops Stats Fab 15 Freshman, WAC Announces Academic All-WAC Honorees for 2020 Winter Sports, Molly Miller Named Grand Canyon Head Women's Basketball Coach, WAC Announces Cancellation of Basketball Tournament, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - March 10, TicketSmarter WAC Womens Basketball Player of the Week Announced, WAC Women's Basketball Postseason Honorees Announced, 2020 Hercules Tires WAC Womens Basketball Tournament Bracket Announced, WAC Statement on Chicago State, Kansas City Basketball Cancellations, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - March 3, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Feb. 25, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Feb. 18, Hercules Tires Named Title Sponsor of WAC Basketball Tournament, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Feb. 11, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Feb. 4, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Jan. 28, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Jan. 21, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Jan. 14, NM State at Kansas City Womens Basketball Game Rescheduled Due to Weather, TicketSmarter Named Presenting Sponsor of WAC Basketball Tournament, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Jan. 7, WAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week Announced, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Dec. 31, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Dec. 24, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Dec . 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. 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. She challenges them on the court, invests in their lives off the court and keeps an open-door policy to form long-term relationships. Molly Miller - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more . 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. Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. The team that won its fourth-straight GLVC title just this past season got its wish. College Basketball Scores. 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. I think we can make a big splash. 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). Miller and her husband, Derek, are raising a 3-year-old daughter, Crosby, and a 3-month-old son, Cy. Her teams had a winning season in all six seasons while winning 20 or more games three times. 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. Drury was ranked in the Division II top 25 for a nation-leading 111 consecutive weeks. 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 . In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. 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. Getting to know the kids outside of just basketball I just think those things are really, really important. 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. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. Miller departs Drury with a career record of 180-17. 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. 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, . Her combined high school and college record as a player was 221-27. We cannot wait for her and her family to arrive in Phoenix and join the GCU community." 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. 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.. 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 . Miller left the Lady Panthers for Division I Grand Canyon on Wednesday and it took just five days for Drury to find her replacement. 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. #LopesUp 0:43 1K views GCU Havocs and 3 others Coach Molly Miller Retweeted 3,319 Followers, 580 Following, 584 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Molly Miller (@coach_mollymiller) coach_mollymiller. All the while, she has put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. The 17-year-old girl's family is still searching for justice. Miller just completed her fifth season as the Lady Panthers head coach and her teams have gone 148-17. A year later, Bray had to use that list but he didn't have to look far. Miller and her husband, Derek, are raising a 3-year-old daughter, Crosby, and a 3-month-old son, Cy. Grand Canyon University head coach Molly Miller joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss full-court pressure and playing uptempo.Miller holds the highest care. 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. 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. The 2021-22 season concluded in the WNIT first round, the first WNIT berth for the Lopes in program history. Miller's competitive fire that made her a Division II third-team All-American in 2008 has translated to coaching. 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. On the heels of Mother's Day, GCU Women's Basketball Head Coach Molly Miller shares a glimpse inside her family. 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. 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, . 8h A special thank you message to our Havocs, cheerleaders, dance team and band Your support means the world to us, and to the seniors of these groups, best of luck on your future endeavors! Drury will also start '19-20 season with a 40-game . Her Panthers teams held a stunning 67-1 mark over her last two seasons at her hometown university in Springfield, Missouri. Miller holds the highest career winning percentage (.892) of any NCAA men's or women's basketball coach . 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. Thats going to be our goal and I think we can do it at GCU.. 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. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Her .914 winning percentage at Drury was the top mark among active NCAA basketball coaches, regardless of gender or division. 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. As head coach of the Drury Lady Panthers for six seasons, Miller compiled a 180-17 record - making her the winningest active coach with at least five years of experience - in all . "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. Were going to be very family-oriented at GCU. 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. Miller is the new head women's basketball coach of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. "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. 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. Millers teams defend with the intensity and trapping that was her trademark as a player. "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. The Panthers have guarded opponents from baseline to baseline and led Division II with 30.8 turnovers forced per game this season. GCU President Brian Mueller and Athletic Director Jamie Boggs tapped former Drury University head coach Molly Miller to take over the GCU womens basketball program on April 7, 2020. Miller is considered the top NCAA Division II women's coach in the . Player Season Finder . We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. She challenges them on the court, invests in their lives off the court and keeps an open-door policy to form long-term relationships. Now it's time for her to win somewhere else. 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). 580 following. We're going to be very family-oriented at GCU. On the heels of Mother's Day, GCU Women's Basketball Head Coach Molly Miller shares a glimpse inside her family. 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. Millers teams defend with the intensity and trapping that was her trademark as a player. 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. 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. 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. In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. 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. The .914 winning percentage tops any active Division I, II or III men's or women's basketball head coach with at least five years of experience and includes a stunning 67-1 mark over the past two seasons. With the resources and the excitement behind the athletic program and specifically the womens basketball program, theres real momentum there. From 2004 to 2008, Miller played at Drury as a 5-foot-6 point guard and four-year starter. The car Miller and Haynes were riding in, a 2012 Honda Accord, was found totaled two weeks . "With the resources and the excitement behind the athletic program and specifically the women's basketball program, there's real momentum there. She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes. 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. GCU womens basketball coach Molly Miller led the school to its first NIT appearance this season. 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. Visit gcu.edu At every step, she has been a determined winner. 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). PHOENIX, Ariz. (KY3) - Grand Canyon University head basketball coach Molly Miller made her name in Springfield. All the while, she put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. "This was a place that I felt like I could take my career if she happened to leave. It was only a matter of time before she had to do it somewhere else. 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. Her Panthers teams held a stunning 67-1 mark over her last two seasons at her hometown university in Springfield, Missouri. 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. Thursday, Marian McConnell released a statement via Facebook. Her Drury teams as a player went 112-18 (.862). 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). 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 also served as a head coach at NAIA St. Ambrose in Davenport, Iowa, from 2005-07. 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. Molly was an athlete in high school, participating in dance, basketball, and softball. She challenges them on the court, invests in their lives off the court and keeps an open-door policy to form long-term relationships. 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. Arizona Republic. Her Drury teams as a player went 112-18 (.862). UNLV 77, Duke 79, Kentucky 103, Duke 104, Notre Dame 91, UConn 89, Texas A&M 63, Stanford 62. The 2021-22 season concluded in the WNIT first round, the first WNIT berth for the Lopes in program history. 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. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. 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. 2023 www.news-leader.com. 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. 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. 17, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Dec. 10, WAC Basketball Tournament All-Session Tickets On Sale Now, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Dec. 3, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Nov. 26, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Nov. 19, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Nov. 12, This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Nov. 4, WAC Announces Basketball Preview Show, Spotlight Game Schedules, WAC Media Select NM State, Mattingly as Preseason Favorites, WAC Coaches Select NM State, Pack as Preseason Favorites. That's going to be our goal and I think we can do it at GCU." All the while, she has put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. Miller took over the Division 1 program at Grand Canyon in 2020. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University. "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. The competitive fire of a 2008 Division II third-team All-American has translated to coaching. Drury announced Amy Eagan would be promoted to the head coaching position after she spent one year as an assistant coach. "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. 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. 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). 2023 Western Athletic Conference. 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 recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. We'll have an exciting brand of basketball to play." 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. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University." Years later, she became the school's head coach. "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. 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. She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes. 3,319 followers. 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. 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. 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. "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. We want to be one of the best teams in the nation. "I'm excited to hit the ground running and meet those kids and love them like family. 1988 Men's NCAA, 2019 Women's NCAA, 1940 Men's NCAA, 2006 Women's NCAA, 1981 Men's NCAA. 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.