The Panthers have guarded opponents from baseline to baseline and led Division II with 30.8 turnovers forced per game this season. GCU finished third in the country in steals per game (12.6), steals (404) and 10th in turnovers forced (21.72) a season ago. The moment it all started "I started playing guitar when I was seven years old. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 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). Molly Miller Life is good Grand Canyon University Head Womens Bball Coach #lopesup . Arizona Republic. 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). Molly Miller has been hired to replace Nicole Powell as Grand Canyon's women's basketball coach. Passion. Im super-competitive, Miller said. In what could have been seen as a questionable decision led her to land the head coaching position as the head coach of the No. I am thrilled coach Eagan will be taking the helm at Drury, and I sincerely wish her the best of luck. Now it's time for her to win somewhere else. 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. 2023 Western Athletic Conference. All Molly Miller did in Springfield was win. 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. Drury Lady Panthers:All Molly Miller did in Springfield was win. "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. Thats going to be our goal and I think we can do it at GCU.. At every step, she has been a determined winner. 1 for every week of the Division II poll up until the NCAA tournament cancellation. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. This year's team was 32-0, 20-0 in GLVC Conference play. 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. Eagan played college basketball at Truman State and was a four-time all-conference selection in the MIAA. Drury was ranked in the Division II top 25 for a nation-leading 111 consecutive weeks. 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. Were going to be very family-oriented at GCU. 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. 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. The two have not been since since. College Basketball Scores. "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. 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. 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 . Drury has been ranked in the Division II top 25 for a nation-leading 111 consecutive weeks. You can also sign up for his free "Bears Beat" newsletter by subscribing on News-Leader.com. "Her basketball record is nothing short of incredible but even more important is who she is as a person. Her Panthers teams held a stunning 67-1 mark over her last two seasons at her hometown university in Springfield, Missouri. 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. She will enter the 2019-20 owning the best winning percentage among head coaches in all of NCAA-II women's basketball. Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. 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. Join Facebook to connect with Molly Miller and others you may know. 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. 0:04 0:33 Molly Miller has known two things her entire basketball career: winning and doing it in Springfield. The competitive fire of a 2008 Division II third-team All-American has translated to coaching. SPRINGFIELD, Mo.. Her Panthers teams held a stunning 67-1 mark over her last two seasons at her hometown university in Springfield, Missouri. All the while, she has put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. 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. Miller took over the Division 1 program at Grand Canyon in 2020. Miller is joined in Phoenix by her husband, Derek, and their two children, Crosby and Cy. In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. Before Jalen Rose worked at ESPN along with Molly Qerim and other sports analysts, he was a 13-year NBA veteran. The 2021-22 season concluded in the WNIT first round, the first WNIT berth for the Lopes in program history. Miller is the new head women's basketball coach of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. PHOENIX, Ariz. (KY3) - Grand Canyon University head basketball coach Molly Miller made her name in Springfield. Episode 186: Molly Miller, Full-Court Pressure and Playing Uptempo. Miller and her husband, Derek, are raising a 3-year-old daughter, Crosby, and a 3-month-old son, Cy. In her Drury playing career, her teams went 112-18 (.862). Miller was a three-time all conference player and MVP who led her team to 4 NCAA tournament appearances and a 112-18 record, was a three-time all-state player in HS, and led her team to 2 state championships and a record of 110-9 over four years. 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In the midst of global chaos, Grand Canyon University made a tremendous hire that might have been overshadowed by the events of 2020. "I'm super-competitive," Miller said. Miller posted an astounding 180-17 record over six years at her alma mater, Drury. The Lopes were picked third in the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll with two on the preseason All-Conference team. 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). 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. With the resources and the excitement behind the athletic program and specifically the womens basketball program, theres real momentum there. All the while, she has put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. She challenges them on the court, invests in their lives off the court and keeps an open-door policy to form long-term relationships. I think we can make a big splash. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. 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. Drury was ranked in the Division II top 25 for a nation-leading 111 consecutive weeks. NCAA Tournament. 2023 www.news-leader.com. 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 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. She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes. And at Drury, her teams led the nation in scoring margin her final two seasons, winning by 27.9 and 28.5 points per game, respectively. Miller led Kickapoo High School to a state championship. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University." 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). The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. In July of 2013, Molly Miller and Colton Haynes were passengers in a car chase with police when the driver allegedly turned onto a dead-end Oklahoma road. 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. Molly Miller - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more . 1 every week in the Division II poll. 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. Thursday, Marian McConnell released a statement via Facebook. Miller left Drury with a career record of 180-17 and her .914 winning percentage is the best mark in program history and leads all active women's basketball coaches at all levels of the NCAA. She also served as a head coach at NAIA St. Ambrose in Davenport, Iowa, from 2005-07. 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. 3,319 followers. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. We'll have an exciting brand of basketball to play." 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. 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. The Lady Panthers won their first 35 games before falling in the Division II NCAA Tournament semifinals. 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. HomeBusiness NewsMolly Miller brings winningest college coaching record to GCU. Courtesy Paul Coro, Grand Canyon Athletic Communications. Miller's teams have played with frenetic energy to dominate in Division II and she exudes a similar intensity on the sideline. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. 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. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); HoopDirt is your source for the latest college basketball coaching news, rumors, and job postings. Her basketball record is nothing short of incredible but even more important is who she is as a person. In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. 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 . 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. Miller just completed her fifth season as the Lady Panthers head coach and her teams have gone 148-17. She became a star at Drury University. 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. Her work ethic and loyalty are unmatched, and her outstanding character sets the bar high. 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. Grand Canyon University head coach Molly Miller joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss full-court pressure and playing uptempo.Miller holds the highest care. Visit gcu.edu 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Drury is coming off a 32-0 season that ended abruptly because of the NCAA Tournament's cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic. 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. 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. On the heels of Mother's Day, GCU Women's Basketball Head Coach Molly Miller shares a glimpse inside her family. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University. 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). "I built some really good relationships with those kids," Eagan said. 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. Her Drury teams as a player went 112-18 (.862). 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. 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. Drury. "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 Drury teams as a player went 112-18 (.862). Now it's time for her to win somewhere else. 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. She ranks fourth in program history for career points (1,570), third for assists (439) and second for steals (409). 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. 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). UNLV 77, Duke 79, Kentucky 103, Duke 104, Notre Dame 91, UConn 89, Texas A&M 63, Stanford 62. 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.