Drury. 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.". We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 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. 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. "I'm excited to hit the ground running and meet those kids and love them like family. 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). 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. "This was a place that I felt like I could take my career if she happened to leave. Before joining Drury, Eagan had a successful six-year stint as the head coach at Truman State. At every step, she has been a determined winner. 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. 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. "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. Miller's teams have played with frenetic energy to dominate in Division II and she exudes a similar intensity on the sideline. 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 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. Drury announced Amy Eagan would be promoted to the head coaching position after she spent one year as an assistant 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. 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). "I'm super-competitive," Miller said. The competitive fire of a 2008 Division II third-team All-American has translated to coaching. 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. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. 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. 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. 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. "She carries herself with class and poise, and I was so proud to have her by my side last year. Im super-competitive, Miller said. She inherits a team from Nicole Powell that went 15-12 . The team that won its fourth-straight GLVC title just this past season got its wish. Miller enters the 2022-23 season with an .866 winning percentage, second highest among active Division I head coaches, .19 behind UConns Geno Auriemma. Im excited to hit the ground running and meet those kids and love them like family. Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with 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. The Lady Panthers won their first 35 games before falling in the Division II NCAA Tournament semifinals. 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 what could have been seen as a questionable decision led her to land the head coaching position as the head coach of the No. In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. She challenges them on the court, invests in their lives off the court and keeps an open-door policy to form long-term relationships. Her teams had a winning season in all six seasons while winning 20 or more games three times. 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. Now that you have a little background on Coach Miller, its time to get to know the person behind all that success. 2023 www.news-leader.com. "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. The Lopes were picked third in the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll with two on the preseason All-Conference team. Drury won by 27.9 points per game in 2018-19 and 28.5 per game in 2019-20. SPRINGFIELD, Mo.. Her Drury teams as a player went 112-18 (.862). Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University." All Molly Miller did in Springfield was win. 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. Well have an exciting brand of basketball to play.. Eagan said she barely got the chance to talk to Miller as both start to settle into their new coaching roles. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. "I built some really good relationships with those kids," Eagan said. At every step, she has been a determined winner. READ ALSO:GCU freezes tuition for 13th year. She has tremendous character, is passionate about her faith and will be a wonderful leader for our student-athletes. 580 following. 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. Getting to know the kids outside of just basketball I just think those things are really, really important. Drury will also start '19-20 season with a 40-game . She ranks fourth in program history for career points (1,570), third for assists (439) and second for steals (409). 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. It was only a matter of time before she had to do it somewhere else. Off the court, Miller preaches about the importance of culture and comradery. Now it's time for her to win somewhere else. 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. 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. We want to be one of the best teams in the nation. 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. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. She was studying to become a nurse. Miller and her husband, Derek, have two children, Crosby and Cy. 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 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. 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. Eagan played college basketball at Truman State and was a four-time all-conference selection in the MIAA. 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, have two children, Crosby and Cy. 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). Her leadership capabilities and strong faith background make her an ideal representative of the University.
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. 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. 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. 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. "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. 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 Drury playing career, her teams went 112-18 (.862). In her final season at Truman State, the Bulldogs finished with a 23-8 record marking the program's best season in 47 years. https://gculopes.com/news/2020/4/7/womens-basketball-miller-takes-gcu-helm-as-elite-winner.aspx. 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. "I couldn't be more appreciative of her and everything she's done for me.". Thursday, Marian McConnell released a statement via Facebook. Molly was an athlete in high school, participating in dance, basketball, and softball. Miller recruits players with a similar hunger to win and work to improve. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Miller is joined in Phoenix by her husband, Derek, and their two children, Crosby and Cy. 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. 1 every week in the Division II poll. Member News 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. Grand Canyon University head coach Molly Miller joins the Basketball Podcast to discuss full-court pressure and playing uptempo.Miller holds the highest care. 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. Features The virtuosic Molly Miller on her magical 335 and guitar becoming a 'choice' A revered session musician and educator who's worked alongside major artists like Jason Mraz amongst others, Miller is one of the most accomplished guitar players in the industry. 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. We'll have an exciting brand of basketball to play." 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. 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. 1 team in the country. Upon her hiring at Drury, she still ranked fourth all-time in scoring and was the program's career leader in assists, steals and free throws made. That's going to be our goal and I think we can do it at GCU." She ranks fourth in program history for career points (1,570), third for assists (439) and second for steals (409). On the heels of Mother's Day, GCU Women's Basketball Head Coach Molly Miller shares a glimpse inside her family. #LopesUp 0:43 1K views GCU Havocs and 3 others Coach Molly Miller Retweeted Her basketball record is nothing short of incredible but even more important is who she is as a person. 3,319 Followers, 580 Following, 584 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Molly Miller (@coach_mollymiller) coach_mollymiller. 2023 Western Athletic Conference. "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. 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. 584 posts. I think we can make a big splash. 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. Miller is the new head women's basketball coach of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. 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. View the profiles of people named Molly Miller. 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. The car Miller and Haynes were riding in, a 2012 Honda Accord, was found totaled two weeks . 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 Athletics Jamie Boggs said. If an undefeated mark does not state Drurys 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. In turn, her teams have played uptempo, player-predicated motion offense that averaged 90.2 points per game this season. 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 think we can make a big splash. 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. 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. 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. 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. All the while, she put an emphasis on her players being students first, learning life skills and acting as community stewards. "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. "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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 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. "I am very excited," Eagan said during a Zoom press conference with members of the media. "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." With the resources and the excitement behind the athletic program and specifically the womens basketball program, theres real momentum there. 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. Drury is coming off a 32-0 season that ended abruptly because of the NCAA Tournament's cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic. Miller was also named the national coach of the year and her name was already floating around for Division I openings. Miller took over the Division 1 program at Grand Canyon in 2020. 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. 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.