UNM golf coach Glen Millican leaves for Missouri

Glen Millican remembers his official visit. That first introduction to the University of New Mexico in the early-1990s, watching Tim Herron play golf on a cold, gusty February afternoon.

Then, being dropped off by his parents from Richardson, Texas over a year later, his commitment to the Lobos in tow. Graduating as a three-year letterwinner in 1998 and getting hired as an assistant to former UNM golf coach J.T. Higgins.

Thinking he’d follow him in the same role to Texas A&M in 2001 – until former UNM athletic director Rudy Davalos let Millican interview for the job.

A “dream-like” hiring followed, leading to years of continued success. After spending 30 years with UNM, Millican counted coaching 13 players to All-American status and coming out on the other side of a 4-for-3 playoff to get into match play at the 2013 NCAA Championships in Atlanta square among his favorite memories.

“It’s impossible to sum it up,” Millican told the Journal. “It’s just been a great experience. I’ve been treated so well and the people here are so awesome and accepting. I want to thank them for all the opportunities and all the support they’ve given me, in good times and bad.”

Millican, the University of New Mexico men's golf coach for the past 22 years, was named to the same position at Missouri on Friday. The announcement he was leaving his alma mater led to an emotional “rollercoaster of a day,” his phone receiving calls and texts at a near-constant rate.

Millican replaces former Missouri co-head coach Mark Hankins. Hankins was set to replace longtime head coach Mark Leroux on July 1, until the former was tabbed for the head job at USC on July 9 – who in turn replaces former Lobo coach Higgins.

“We sought to hire someone of high character with a proven record of success and coaching at the highest level to lead our Men's Golf program," Missouri director of athletics Desireé Reed-Francois said in a release. "Coach Millican is a veteran leader, a relentless recruiter, has exceptional player-development skills and knows what success looks like.”

In 22 years as the head coach at UNM, Millican elevated New Mexico into one of the Mountain West’s premier programs, with five MW Players of the Year, eight conference titles and 13 All-Americans under his watch. His 33 tournament wins are the most in program history.

Millican guided the Lobos to 17 NCAA Regional appearances, making the NCAA Championship field seven times with two top-five finishes coming in 2002 and 2013. After UNM was named Academic National Champion in 2019, he was named MW Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career.

“Glen was one of those guys that just always went above and beyond,” UNM athletic director Eddie Nunez told the Journal. “(He) was a great team player: always wanted other teams to have as much success as he was having. It really was a great atmosphere when he was around.

“It’s a hard one to lose, just like (former UNM track and field head coach) Joe Franklin was. Those are the guys that have helped me build the culture here with great coaches, great people, doing it the right way, recruiting the right way (and) winning at a high level.”

Nunez said Missouri reached out to him early this week about their intentions to contact Millican. Millican said their overtures were unexpected but thought the opportunity sounded good and decided to take a look.

Missouri flew Millican and his wife, Megan, to Columbia for an interview after they first go in contact. Evaluating the opportunity, he found it looked as good as it sounded. Millican and Nunez continued discussions before Missoui offered on Thursday afternoon.

Later in the day, Millican reached back out to Nunez and told him he would be accepting Missouri’s offer.

“You can’t point to a reason to leave this place,” Millican said. “But it just (was) an opportunity we felt like we want to take a shot at right now. It’s tough to leave here, but we’re really excited about the opportunity ahead of us.”

On Friday morning, Millican, Nunez, director of compliance Amy Beggin and senior associate athletic director Ed Manzanares met with the team over Zoom to tell them the news.

“That’s a tough conversation to have with these guys,” Millican said. “These guys mean so much to me and I (brought) them all here and try to provide whatever resources we can for them to have a great opportunity during their time in college to be successful with their life.

“I just told them that it’s hard to leave these guys and I’m gonna miss them tremendously, but they are in great shape. They’re a great team and they’re gonna have a great year. They’re poised to really build on what they did last year and they’re gonna have a great year.”

Nunez said the search for a new coach is “unfortunately” more time-sensitive than normal, with the fall semester beginning on August 21. Similar to ongoing efforts to find a new track and field coach, Nunez said it will be a national search resolved “sooner rather than later” with several prospective candidates identified on Thursday night.

“I want someone that has a great vision,” he said, “and honestly understands who we are here and how we can continue to compete at the highest level.”

Nunez added it’s unlikely he’ll elevate second-year assistant and former UNM golfer Sean Carlon to the post, but would like to retain him with the new head coach, while Millican said he’s been unable to consider potential staff additions at Missouri.