Nyla Milleson grabs new coaching post

Last edited 1:01 p.m., April 18, 2013

Less than a month after being fired from Missouri State University, Nyla Milleson has picked up a head coaching post at George Mason University.

The former head coach of the MSU Lady Bears, Milleson has been named the eighth head women's basketball coach in program history for George Mason, a public university in Fairfax, Va., near Washington, D.C., according to a news release.

“I truly feel I am in the right place at the right time," Milleson said in the release. "George Mason has such a dynamic and progressive nature and a storied academic background and tradition.

"This program has unlimited potential and I’m excited to be a part of the transition into the basketball-rich (Atlantic 10 Conference)."

Through six seasons at MSU, Milleson had a 105-87 record, finishing the 2012-13 season with a record of 14-17 and 6-12 in Missouri Valley Conference play. Milleson, who earned a $140,000 base salary, was offered a $140,000 buyout for the remaining two years of her contract. Springfield Business Journal learned through a Freedom of Information Act request that Milleson has been offered a base salary of $210,000 at George Mason.

Announcing her dismissal March 18, MSU officials pointed to declines in season tickets and revenues.

MSU named Kellie Harper as Milleson's successor on April 10. Harper, who signed a five-year contract with MSU that includes a base salary of $145,000, is a former head women's basketball coach at North Carolina State and Western Carolina universities.