University of South Carolina Aiken Athletics

5/10/2023

Mark Miller enters his eighth season as the head coach at USC Aiken in 2022-23 after spending the previous eight seasons as the head coach at Holy Family.

Miller's 2022-23 team reached the NCAA Tournament as the No. 6 seed, marking the fist time USC Aiken earned a bid to the postseason tournament since the 2012-13 season. Behind all-region selection Emily Trushel, Miller's squad went 18-12 overall and registered a 12-6 mark in league play. The team swept North Georgia during the regular season and boasted a pair of all-conference selections in Trushel (first team) and Jentri Worley (third team). 

The Pacers posted a pair of games that rank in the top 10 in school history for points scored in a quarter - 30 against Georgia Southwestern and 28 against Flagler. 

While playing with one of the youngest teams in the country, Miller’s 2021-22 team established a school record in the 58-35 win at Georgia College on Jan. 12. His squad did not give up a point in the second quarter against the Bobcats, marking the fewest points allowed in a quarter in school and PBC history. In fact, four times during the season, his defense allowed less than six points in a frame.

He coached two-time all-region and first-team all-conference selection Kwajelin Farrar in addition to Melyk Taouil, who also picked up all-conference accolades in 2019-20. His team knocked off No. 11 North Georgia 55-51 on Feb. 1. On Senior Day, his team bested PBC regular-season and tournament champion Lander 75-55.  

In addition to Farrar, Miller also coached third-team all-league honoree Kyrie' Chandler during the 2018-19 campaign. Miller guided the Pacers to a win over NCAA Tournament participant Clayton State. He led the Pacers to a No. 5 seed in the PBC Tournament after reeling off wins in four of the team's final five regular-season games.

Miller's team faced several top-25 teams, including NCAA Elite Eight participant Carson-Newman, during the 2017-18 season. The campaign was one of the most challenging schedules in recent history for USC Aiken and despite having a team with no seniors, Miller's team knocked off then-No. 25 Benedict and NCAA Tournament participant Lander in Greenwood, S.C. He swept the Jaguars for the second consecutive season, rallying from five down with 62 seconds to play at Augusta en route to an overtime win.

During his first season at the helm, Miller led the squad to a return appearance in the PBC Tournament. He more than doubled the program's PBC wins from a season before his arrival. Miller coached PBC Freshman of the Year in Farrar and recorded a sweep over rival Augusta, marking the first time that had happened since the 2013-14 campaign. Miller's teams also beat three nationally-ranked programs, including the eventual top seed in the NCAA Southeast Region in Columbus State. 

In 13 seasons as a head coach at the collegiate level, Miller has compiled a record of 261-122. He has led his teams to 12 conference tournaments and seven appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

Last season, Miller guided Holy Family to a 22-9 record, including a 16-3 mark in the CACC. He led the team to a berth in the CACC semifinals and to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed.

During the 2014-15 season, Miller guided the Tigers back to the CACC Championship game and defeated cross-town rival Philadelphia University, 79-75, to win his third title as head coach. It marked the program’s sixth conference title since joining Division II and ninth since joining the conference in 1999. The victory also gave Miller win number 200 in his career. 

Holy Family earned the CACC’s automatic qualifying bid into the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Tigers went on to upset top-seed and host Adelphi University in the East Region quarterfinals, 84-79. It was the first time an eighth seed defeated a one seed in the East Regional since the 64-team field came into creation (2004). 

In 2013-14, the Tigers finished 18-10 overall and 15-4 in the CACC to earn the second seed out of the South Division. Holy Family qualified for the conference tournament for the 11th straight season in the team’s NCAA era and advanced to the semifinals for the tenth time in that span. 

In 2012-13, Miller guided the Tigers to their second straight CACC Championship and as a result advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the tenth consecutive year. Holy Family advanced to the East Region semifinal for the eighth straight year. The Tigers wrapped up the 2012-13 season with a 28-3 overall record and finished conference play with an 18-1 mark winning the CACC South Division Regular Season Title. Miller was also voted the CACC Coach of the Year for the first time in his career.

In 2011-12, Holy Family finished the year with a 26-8 overall record and a 17-2 mark in conference play to claim its fifth straight South Division Regular Season Title and 12th consecutive overall. The Tigers went on to win the CACC Championship with a 71-46 victory over the University of the Sciences. It marked the programs sixth conference championship and first under Miller. Holy Family earned its ninth straight NCAA Division II tournament appearance and advanced all the way to the East Regional Final.

In 2010-11, Miller guided Holy Family to a 24-5 overall record as the Tigers advanced to the CACC Championship Final and earned their eighth straight NCAA Division II Tournament bid. The Tigers earned the second seed in the East Regional and advanced to the regional semifinals for the sixth consecutive year. Holy wrapped up the season ranked 20th nationally. In the classroom, the Tigers were among 25 teams honored by the WBCA in the Academic Top-25 Honor Roll for the 2010-11 season. Holy Family was ranked fifth marking the second straight season the Tigers were ranked in the top-10. Holy Family was ranked sixth in 2009-10.

In his first year with the Tigers, the team went 30-3 overall and reached the NCAA Division II East Region final. It was the second time in program history that the team played in the region final. Holy Family ended the season ranked 13th in the USA Today/ESPN Division II Coaches Poll.

Nationally, Holy Family finished the year in the top-10 in five different statistical categories. For the second straight season, the team led Division II in scoring defense allowing 51.5 points per game during the 2009-10 season. The Tigers finished second in rebounding margin (+12.1), sixth in field-goal defense (33.7 percent), seventh in free-throw percentage (78.0 percent) and 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.15).

Miller came to Holy Family after a three-year stint as the women’s basketball head coach at Division III Norwich University in Vermont. Under his guidance, the Cadets went 54-25 and made appearances in three consecutive Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) post-season tournaments and one NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. In 2006-07, Norwich posted a 24-win season (24-4).

Prior to Norwich, Miller logged nine seasons at the Division I level. He spent the 2005-06 season as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Miller served for four seasons as the associate head women’s basketball coach at Loyola (Md.) College. From 1998 to 2001, Miller was as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets qualified for the NIT in 2000 and 2001. His collegiate coaching career started in the 1991-92 season when he was an assistant coach at Mount St. Mary’s for the first time.

Miller was also a very accomplished high school basketball coach, serving two stints as head girl’s coach at Middletown (Md.) High School. In 11 seasons, he led the Knights to two Maryland State titles (1989 and 1993) and 237 victories. Middletown was also state tournament runners-up three times and won six regional titles under Miller’s guidance. He was tabbed as the Frederick County Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1995.

Miller is a 1997 graduate of Shepherd University with a bachelor of arts in general studies.

1st Win At USC Aiken: 11/16/16 vs. No. 15 Benedict 68-61 Win
50th Win At USC Aiken: 2/1/20 vs. No. 11 North Georgia 55-51 Win

300th Career Win: 2/8/23 at Georgia College & State 62-60 Win
 

Year	School	Record	Postseason
2006-07	Norwich	24-4	GNAC Final/NCAA First Round
2007-08	Norwich	12-14	GNAC Semifinal
2008-09	Norwich	18-7	GNAC Semifinal
2009-10	Holy Family	30-3	CACC Final/NCAA East Regional Final
2010-11	Holy Family	24-5	CACC Final/NCAA East Regional Semifinal
2011-12	Holy Family	26-8	CACC Champs/NCAA East Regional Final
2012-13	Holy Family	28-3	CACC Champs/NCAA East Regional Semifinal
2013-14	Holy Family	18-10	CACC Semifinal
2014-15	Holy Family	21-11	CACC Champs/NCAA East Regional Semifinal
2015-16	Holy Family	22-9	CACC Semifinals/NCAA First Round
2016-17	USC Aiken	14-15	PBC Quarterfinal
2017-18	USC Aiken	8-20
2018-19	USC Aiken	16-13	PBC Quarterfinal
2019-20	USC Aiken	15-14	PBC Quarterfinal
2020-21	USC Aiken	2-5
2021-22	USC Aiken	8-18
2022-23	USC Aiken	18-12	PBC Quarterfinal/NCAA First Round
223-24	USC Aiken	5-23
Totals		309-194