Illinois State University head coach Dan Muller was named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year at a State Farm MVC Tournament luncheon on Thursday. Muller, now in his fourth year at Illinois State, guided the Redbirds to a share of the Conference title and this weekend’s No. 1 tournament seed. Illinois State fashioned a 17-1 league record and a 25-5 overall record; the 17 wins is a school record and the 25 wins are a school record for regular-season wins.
Illinois State last earned an MVC regular-season title in 1998 (when he was a senior player) and the title is the sixth for ISU as an MVC member.
Muller edged Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall in the voting with 102 total points (to Marshall’s 96 points). Bradley’s Brian Wardle was third in the balloting, conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors. For the second-straight year, balloting was tight for the top coaching honor. In 2016, Barry Hinson edged Marshall by three total points (84-81).
Under Muller’s leadership, the Redbirds have recorded a better MVC record and higher conference finish in each year (2013: 8-10, sixth; 2014: 9-9, tied for fourth; 2015: 11-7, tied for third; 2016: 12-6, tied for second; 2017: 17-1, tied for first).
Earlier this season, Muller became the sixth coach (out of 19) in program history to win 100 or more games (101-63), and he’s just the third coach (out of seven) to win 57 or more MVC games (57-33). Muller has coached 11 All-Missouri Valley Conference selections (two first team, six second team and three honorable mention), six MVC All-Defensive accolades, four MVC All-Newcomer Team honors and one MVC All-Freshman Team accolades. In his five seasons, Illinois State has four Top-25 victories, tied for the most-ever by an ISU head coach.
Muller is the fourth Redbird coach to win MVC Coach of the Year honors, joining Bob Donewald (1984), Bob Bender (1992), and Kevin Stallings (1998).
