Connor Kuykendall Named Millsaps Head Men’s Basketball Coach

Story from Millsaps Athletics:
JACKSON, Miss.(VDN) –Connor Kuykendall will become the next Millsaps College head men’s basketball coach, the Millsaps College Department of Athletics was pleased to announce on Thursday.

Kuykendall joins the Majors after being the head coach the previous 10 seasons combined at Southwestern University (2019-25) and Schreiner University (2014-19).  

“I am incredibly honored and excited to take over as the next head men’s basketball coach at Millsaps College,” Kuykendall said. “I want to thank Millsaps Athletic Director, Justin LeBlanc, along with the search committee for believing in me and I cannot wait to get to work! When I visited the campus and city of Jackson I could tell it was a special place with great people and amazing educational opportunities for the student-athletes. My family and I look forward to joining such an amazing community!”

While helming the Pirates, he coached 15 all-conference recipients in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC). In addition, he led Southwestern to three appearances in the SCAC Men’s Basketball Tournament.

He also fundraised more than $15,000 through alumni relations and fundraising campaigns multiple seasons. Kuykendall’s student-athletes also excelled in the classroom with the team earning National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) academic team honors. The team GPA for the Pirates always exceeded 3.25 every semester during those six campaigns.

While at Schreiner, he was named the 2017 and 2018 SCAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Mountaineers to back-to-back SCAC men’s basketball regular-season titles. Kuykendall also helmed the team to the 2018 SCAC Men’s Basketball Tournament crown. Schreiner also set school records for wins, conference winning percentage, rebounds, assists and field goal percentage those two seasons.

During his final three campaigns in Kerrville, Texas, the Moutaineers posted a 31-13 SCAC record (.705 winning percentage) and in 2017 Kuykendall was named the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Small College Coach of the Year.

Additionally, he helped guide the Mountaineers to 17 All-SCAC student-athletes as well as both the 2018 SCAC Player and Man of the Year.

Kuykendall also was the men’s basketball assistant coach at Schreiner for two years, beginning in 2012. The Mountaineers qualified for both SCAC Men’s Basketball Tournaments, secured the first conference tournament win in school history and posted the best overall record in Schreiner’s NCAA Division III era to that point.

In 2011-12, Kuykendall was the assist coach at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS). The Wildcats were NJCAA Region 13 Champions and Mon-Dak Conference Champions with a 27-5 overall record. A trio of players received conference or regional recognition, including a Junior College All-American.

Kuykendall began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at NCAA Division II Angelo State University from 2009-11. The Rams featured seven all-conference players, including a DII All-American.

A 2008 graduate at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Kuykendall obtained his Bachelor of Science in Sport Management. He went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Coaching, Sport, Recreation and Fitness Administration for Angelo State in 2011.

CONNOR KUYKENDALL COACHING FILE