Griff Mills '88 Steps Down as Tusculum College's Basketball Coach After Two Winning Seasons

July 30, 2003

July 30, 2003, Greencastle, Ind. - Griff Mills, a 1988 DePauw University graduate, has announced his resignation as head coach of the Tusculum College men's basketball program. Mills, who in his two years at the Greeneville, Tennessee college led Tusculum to consecutive winning seasons for the first time in four years, and has compiled a 192-144 record in 12 years as a college coach, says he is planning a career change.

"It has been fun trying to take this program to a new level, and I'm proud of what we have accomplished over a short period of time. This decision is based on an opportunity to work on my doctorate degree, change gears into a new profession and see what opportunities might be out there," said Mills.

"We are shocked and disappointed by Griff's resignation," said Tusculum Athletic Director Ed Hoffmeyer. "We appreciate the job he has done and the contribution he and his family made in our community. We wish them the best in their future endeavors."

Griff Mills was the youngest college coach in any division when, at age 26, he took the reigns at NCAA Division II Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia. Mills led the team to a pair of Peach Belt Conference titles, and left with a 161-119 record, the best in AASU's history.

A story in Tennessee's Greeneville Sun notes that Mills "played his collegiate basketball at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He led his Tiger squad to three NCAA Division III National Championship appearances, while accounting for an impressive 87-23 record during his four seasons on the college hardwood. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics from DePauw in 1988 and his Master's degree in Physical Education from East Carolina in 1990."

You can access the article by clicking here. Another item, in the Knoxville News Sentinel, can be found here. Access Tusculum's news release here.

Read a DePauw.edu story on Mills' appointment at Tusculum from August 8, 2001 by clicking here.

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