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 her final season at Truman State, the Bulldogs finished with a 23-8 record marking the program's best season in 47 years. 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 to players on the side. Molly Miller (@coach_mollymiller) Instagram photos and videos Miller and her husband, Derek, have two children, Crosby and Cy. 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. On the court, Coach Miller is all about pressure defense. 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. "I love the relationship part of it. 3,319 followers. 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. That's going to be our goal and I think we can do it at GCU." 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. Drury. Millers competitive fire that made her a Division II third-team All-American in 2008 has translated to coaching. 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. Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. 2023 www.news-leader.com. She goes on to say, "Molly is a light shining forever," and there are plans for a . 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. Visit gcu.edu 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. Before joining Drury, Eagan had a successful six-year stint as the head coach at Truman State. NCAA Tournament. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 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 also named the national coach of the year and her name was already floating around for Division I openings. 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. "She was one of my biggest supporters and she really, really helped me through this process," Eagan said. Play Index. From 2004 to 2008, Miller played at Drury as a 5-foot-6 point guard and four-year starter. 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. Molly Miller has been hired to replace Nicole Powell as Grand Canyon's women's basketball coach. Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University. At every step, she has been a determined winner. Molly Miller Profiles | Facebook "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. 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. "I'm excited to hit the ground running and meet those kids and love them like family. The 2021-22 season concluded in the WNIT first round, the first WNIT berth for the Lopes in program history. The Basketball Podcast: EP186 with Molly Miller on Pressing - YouTube All the while, she put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. "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. Molly Miller named Head Women's Basketball Coach at Grand Canyon 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. 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 enters the 2022-23 season with an .866 winning percentage, second highest among active Division I head coaches, .19 behind UConns Geno Auriemma. GCU finished third in the country in steals per game (12.6), steals (404) and 10th in turnovers forced (21.72) a season ago. "This was a place that I felt like I could take my career if she happened to leave. Molly Miller - Head Coach, Women's Basketball - Women's Basketball Molly Miller - Head Coach, Women's Basketball - Women's Basketball 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, . Coach Molly Miller (@MollyMiller33) / Twitter 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. Miller just completed her fifth season as the Lady Panthers head coach and her teams have gone 148-17. 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. If you havent heard about GCUs new womens basketball coach yet, then here is a summary of her resume. READ ALSO:GCU freezes tuition for 13th year. We want to be one of the best teams in the nation. 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). Millers teams defend with the intensity and trapping that was her trademark as a player. She challenges them on the court, invests in their lives off the court and keeps an open-door policy to form long-term relationships. 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. 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 and Colt Haynes Vanish in the Night After High - Medium https://gculopes.com/news/2020/4/7/womens-basketball-miller-takes-gcu-helm-as-elite-winner.aspx. A year later, Bray had to use that list but he didn't have to look far. 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. Molly Miller - Women's Basketball Coach - Grand Canyon University Athletics Molly Miller | SicEm365 She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes. 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 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. Molly Miller named head coach at Grand Canyon University Drury Lady Panthers: How Amy Eagan replaced Molly Miller as head coach Miller's hustle-oriented teams defend with the intensity and trapping that was her trademark as a player. Before Jalen Rose worked at ESPN along with Molly Qerim and other sports analysts, he was a 13-year NBA veteran. 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. "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 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 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 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). The team that won its fourth-straight GLVC title just this past season got its wish. 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. Im super-competitive, Miller said.