May 02, 2013 04:02 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Nyla Milleson will be joining George Mason University as the women's basketball head coach after being fired from Missouri State in March after a 14-17 season and a 58 percent decline in the number of season ticket holders.

Milleson succeeds Coach Jerri Porter, who resigned after serving the program for four years.

Earlier, Milleson was rumored to be considering a basketball job at Drury's.

George Mason's Patriots scored 9-21 last season, including 4-14 in the Colonial Athletic Association. The university is planning to shift to Atlantic 10 Conference, July 1.

"First I would like to thank (George Mason athletic director) Tom O'Connor and everyone in the Athletic Department for giving me this tremendous opportunity that I am extremely honored and blessed to have received," Milleson said. "This program has unlimited potential and I'm excited to be a part of the transition into the basketball-rich A-10."

Milleson will be part of a basketball program outside Midwest for the first time.

Athletic Director O'Connor said that the University was thrilled to welcome Nyla Milleson as she has been a part of many successful programs (290-123 (.702) in 13 years) and has the ability to recruit prospective student-athletes into the program. He hoped that she would take the program to the next level.

"It is interesting, I don't really know what to expect," said junior guard Christine Weithman. "She [Milleson] is very energetic and has a good personality that carries onto the court."

At Missouri State, Milleson was 105-87 in six seasons, including the 2012 Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship and three WNIT appearances.

She has led the team to more than 20 games in three consecutive seasons till this year, before losing to Drake in the play-in round of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

As a result of the defeat, Milleson was fired and was let off two years early from her contract due to on-the-court results, sagging attendance and poor revenues.

Prior to MSU, she served as the debut coach for Drury University's women's team. Here, Milleson was credited to have posted a 185-36 (.837) record, including six Heartland Conference titles and five post- season appearances in the NCAA division II tournament. Plus, the team had the highest winning percentage among all Division II programs across the country.

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