Nyla Milleson begins her eighth season at the helm of the George Mason women’s basketball program entering the 2020-21 season. She became the eighth head coach in program history on April 16, 2013.
The Patriots have gradually improved, especially in Atlantic 10 Conference play, under Milleson’s watch. In 2017-18, the Patriots had one of the best seasons in program history and tied for the 10th-best one-season turnaround in the nation with a nine-game turnaround (which factors in total wins and losses). Their plus-11 wins from just 13 the year before was also one of the best in the country.
In 2018-19, Mason captured 16 regular season wins, including eight Atlantic 10 victories. It marked the second consecutive winning season - a feat the Patriots had not achieved in 15 years. The 40 wins over the last two seasons are also a program record for most wins over a two-year span in program history. The Green & Gold also fielded the A-10 Player of the Year for the second-straight campaign in Nicole Cardano-Hillary. Cardaño-Hillary, the 2018 A-10 Rookie of the Year, led the league in scoring (20.4 ppg) and steals (65) and also was named to the A-10 All-Conference First Team. Cardaño-Hillary is the first player in A-10 history to win A-10 Rookie of the Year and A-10 Player of the Year honors in back-to-back years.
In 2017-18, Mason set a school record for wins (24), made the postseason for just the third time in program history - and first in 14 years - and won a postseason game for the first time in program history as they reached the second round of the WNIT. The 24-10 record marked Mason's first winning season in 14 years. They also finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 with 11 conference wins for their highest conference finish and most conference wins since 2003-04. Mason also set program records for longest home winning streak (13 games) and most home wins (17) during the 2017-18 season. The Patriots' 11 non-conference victories were their most in 30 years.
Milleson guided a team that featured both the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year (Natalie Butler) and Rookie of the Year (Nicole Cardaño-Hillary), marking the first time since 1997 one team had both in the same year. Butler led the nation in rebounding (16.6 rpg) and double-doubles (33) and tied the Division I records for most double-doubles and most consecutive double-doubles (33) in one season. She also was named Honorable Mention All-America by the Associated Press to be come the first All-American in program history and was the first player to be taken in the WNBA Draft in school history when she was selected 30th overall in the third round by the Dallas Wings. Butler also led the A-10 in scoring (19.2 ppg) and Cardaño-Hillary (17.8 ppg) ranked third while also leading the league in steals (84).
After winning just one A-10 contest in 2013-14 - the Patriots’ inaugural season in the league - the Patriots improved to five wins in 2014-15. The last two seasons, Mason finished with identical 6-10 records in league action for its most conference wins since 2011-12. The Patriots advanced to the quarterfinals of the A-10 Tournament for the first time. Milleson mentored three-time Atlantic 10 All-Conference selection Taylor Brown (2013-16). The point guard ended her three years at Mason with 1,693 points - the second-most in program history. She was also the first player in program history with at least 1,500 points, 400 rebounds and 300 assists - all under Milleson’s watch. Two players under her watch, Bridget O’Donnell (Czech Republic) and Kristi Mokube (Greece), are currently playing professionally oversaeas.
In just her second season, Milleson led the Patriots to a marked improvements finishing with a 13-17 overall record, going 5-11 in conference play increasing the overall win percentage from 25.8 percent in 2013-14 to 43 percent overall. Mason’s 8-6 non-conference record marked the best non-conference record for the Patriots since 2008. Atlantic 10 Conference Second Team All-Conference guard Taylor Brown continued to grow under Milleson’s instruction, leading the conference in scoring from end to end with 21.4 points per game, setting a new George Mason women’s basketball single-season scoring record with 643 points on the season.
Milleson led Mason through a tough first season in the Atlantic-10 conference, getting the Patriots first postseason win since 2009 with an overtime victory over UMass in the opening game of the A-10 tournament. It was fitting that the Patriots’ Third Team All-Conference guard, Taylor Brown, led all scorers on the night with 35 points, missing the all-time tournament record for points scored in a game by just one. The Green and Gold finished the 2013-14 season with an overall 8-23 record, just 1-15 in coference play.
Prior to joining Mason, Milleson spent six years as the head coach at Missouri State where she led the Lady Bears to three WNIT appearances. Milleson brings a career record of 290-123 (.702) in 13 years as a collegiate head coach, spending the past six seasons at Missouri State University. Under the tutelage of Milleson, the Lady Bears went 105-87 (.547), including three WNIT appearances and were the 2012 Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champions. In six seasons, Milleson mentored 21 All-MVC selections, 13 All-MVC academic honorees, two MVC Newcomer of the Year winners, two MVC Freshman of the Year recipients and one MVC Player of the Year.
Prior to her stint at Missouri State, Milleson spent seven seasons as the first head women’s basketball coach at Drury University (1999-2007) where she earned five straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, including a 2004 NCAA Division II national championship runner-up finish. Milleson led the Panthers to three Elite Eight appearances and six conference titles in eight seasons, while being named the Heartland Conference Coach of the Year four times.
After being named the sixth head women’s basketball coach at Missouri State in 2007, it took just two seasons before Milleson led the Lady Bears to three consecutive 20-win seasons and back to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference. MSU went 22-11 in 2009-10, tying for the seventh-best turnaround in the nation from 2008-09 and propelling the Lady Bears to their first postseason tournament appearance in five seasons. To end the 2009-10 campaign, Casey Garrison was tabbed the Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year, while teammate Christiana Shorter picked up Freshman of the Year honors.
The Lady Bears saw continued success under Milleson’s direction, going 24-11 and 12-6 in MVC action in 2010-11 before compiling a 24-9 overall record and 14-4 MVC league mark in 2011-12. Both seasons, MSU earned WNIT berths, advancing to the third round in 2011-12. The 2011-12 season marked the 17th time in program history the Lady Bears topped the 20-win mark, matching the ninth-highest single-season win total in program history.
Milleson’s squads also excelled in the classroom at MSU, accumulating more than 20 MVC Honor Roll and Scholar-Athlete awards. In 2012, Lacey Boshe became the sixth Lady Bear to earn Academic All-America distinction, earning a spot on the Capitol One Second Team and was named the MVC Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Prior to Missouri State, Milleson helped put together the building blocks for Drury’s first-ever women’s basketball team. She laid the foundation for the team during the 1999-00 school year before the team saw its first season in 2000-01. Over the next seven years, Milleson compiled a 185-36 (.837) record, claiming six conference titles and five appearances in the NCAA Division II tournament. Drury owned the top winning percentage among all Division II programs in the nation over Milleson’s last four years at the helm.
The Panthers claimed Heartland Conference titles four of the five seasons Drury competed in that league before joining the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2005-06. Drury became the first team to go undefeated in GLVC history with a 19-0 mark in 2005-06.
Milleson led Drury to six 20-win teams in seven seasons after guiding Springfield (Mo.) Glendale High School to six 20-win seasons. Milleson was tabbed the MBCA and Associated Press Missouri Coach of the Year after guiding the Lady Falcons to a Missouri Class 4A state title in 1996 with a 27-3 record.
Milleson also had a three-year stint at Junction City (Kan.) High School prior to moving to Glendale in 1992. The Goodland, Kan., native graduated valedictorian of her high school class at Goodland, competed in basketball and volleyball at Seward County (Kan.) Community College before moving to Kansas State. Milleson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology/Education from Kansas State in 1985 and received her master’s degree in Educational Administration from Kansas State in 1989 as a magna cum laude graduate.
Milleson and her husband, Brent, have two sons, Barrett and Caylor.
The Nyla Milleson File
Hometown: Goodland, Kansas
Education: Bachelor of Science-Psychology/Education, Kansas State, 1985
Master of Science-Educational Administration, Kansas State, 1989
Family: Husband, Brent, and sons, Barrett and Caylor
Milleson as a Head Coach
Year School Record Conf. Postseason
2018-19 George Mason 16-14 8-8 -
2017-18 George Mason 24-10 11-5 WNIT Second Round
2016-17 George Mason 13-17 6-10 -
2015-16 George Mason 12-19 6-10 -
2014-15 George Mason 13-17 5-11 -
2013-14 George Mason 8-23 1-15 -
2012-13 Missouri State 14-17 6-12 -
2011-12 Missouri State 24-9 14-4 WNIT Third Round
2010-11 Missouri State 24-11 12-6 WNIT Second Round
2009-10 Missouri State 22-11 12-6 WNIT Third Round
2008-09 Missouri State 10-20 6-12 -
2007-08 Missouri State 11-19 9-9 -
2006-07 Drury 25-9 14-5 NCAA Elite Eight
2005-06 Drury 30-3 19-0 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2004-05 Drury 29-2 12-0 NCAA Second Round
2003-04 Drury 36-2 12-0 NCAA National Runner-Up
2002-03 Drury 27-5 9-1 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2001-02 Drury 18-9 7-3 -
2000-01 Drury 20-6 10-2
