MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Track and Field / Cross Country
Job Titles:
- Head Triathlon Coach / Assistant Swimming Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Cross Country & Track Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Men 's Golf Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Wrestling Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Wrestling Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Director for Internal Operations
Job Titles:
- Assistant Football Coach - Defensive Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Assistant Women 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Track and Field Coach
Chris Garcia joined the Millikin Golf program as an assistant coach in August of 2016.
Garcia ‘15 returned to Millikin after deciding to pursue a career in golf. After serving as a USGA PJ Boatwright Intern for the Southern Nevada Golf Association in 2015-2016, where he assisted in the day to day operations of tournament administration and junior golf, Garcia decided to come back to Millikin, and bring the passion and drive he has for golf and for this school to the men's and women's golf programs.
While at Millikin, Garcia played on the men's golf team all four years, and was named captain his senior year. He graduated in 2015 with a degree in Business Management.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Graduate Assistant
Job Titles:
- Athletic Administration
- Director of Athletics
Job Titles:
- Assistant Volleyball Coach
Job Titles:
- Head Swimming Coach / Assistant Triathlon Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Wrestling Coach
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Golf Coach
Former Big Blue golfer Gaby Correa joins the Millikin staff as an Graduate Assistant Golf Coach starting in fall of 2020.
Correa was a four year player for the Millikin women's golf program.
Job Titles:
- Volunteer Assistant Baseball Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Track and Field Coach ( Distance )
Job Titles:
- Assistant Women 's Volleyball Coach
Job Titles:
- Head Women 's Soccer Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Cross Country & Track Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Wrestling Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Track & Field Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Track and Field Coach
Kathy Hodge joined the Millikin staff as an assistant golf coach in January 2020. Hodge will be working with both the Big Blue men's and women's golf teams.
Hodge is a retired tenured teacher, instructional coach, and former athletic director for Decatur Public Schools. She attended Murray State University, where she played collegiate tennis for two years before transferring to SIU-Carbondale, where she earned her degrees in Physical Education and Mathematics in 1980. In 2004, she acquired a Master's in Administration from Eastern Illinois University.
Golf has developed into an obsession for Hodge over the past five years. What started out merely as a way to spend time on vacation with good friends has turned into a 6-day-a-week passion (any day above 54 degrees!) Always competitive, she has used lesson, videos, practice, and play to consistently improve her game over time. She models a mindset of dedication and enjoyment of golf.
Job Titles:
- Co - Head Softball Coach, SWA
Job Titles:
- Coach / Assistant Hitting Coach
Job Titles:
- Head Men 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Head
- Assistant Golf Coach
- Big Blue As an Assistant Coach
Former Millikin standout golfer Kurt "Turtle" Rogers serves the Big Blue as an assistant coach for the men's and women's golf programs. He specializes in swing mechanics and the mental game.
Rogers is the head golf professional at Millikin's home course, Red Tail Run, located in Decatur. He also oversees all 3 of the Decatur Park District golf courses as Golf Manager. During his career he has also served as the assistant pro at Fairies Golf Course and Hickory Point Golf Course. He is a Class A PGA Professional.
Rogers, Millikin class of 1983, was inducted into the Millikin Athletic Hall of Fame for his excellence in collegiate and professional golf.
Rogers played four years of golf at Millikin, serving as the team's captain during his junior year and co-captain as a senior. Rogers was named most valuable player all four years of his college career: The entire team shared the honor his freshman year, he was named sole MVP his sophomore and senior years, and he shared co-MVP honors with Brad Kay '85 his junior year. He placed fourth his junior year and eighth his senior year on the All-CCIW team. During his sophomore and junior years, he made the cut for the Illinois State Amateur tournament.
In 1985, Rogers joined the Professional Golf Association and went on to play in 21 Illinois Open Tournaments, placing third in the 1998 Illinois Open and finishing ten times in the top 15. In the United States Golf Association U.S. Open, he advanced to the sectional tournament five times and twice was the medalist at the local qualifying tournament with a score of 69 in both 2002 and 2006.
Rogers played on the PGA tour 1991 and 1994 Hardee's Classic tournaments, as well as the Hogan Tour, the Nike Tour, the Nationwide Tour, the Golfweek/Callaway Pro Scratch National Finals in Las Vegas, the Hawkeye Classic in Iowa, the Greater Cleveland Open, the St. Louis Open, the Greater Wichita Classic and the Highland Springs Country Club-Ozarks Open in various cities around the Midwest. In the Illinois Professional Golf Association of America, Rogers won the Assistants Championship in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001; the Chapter Championship in 1997 and 1999; and the Match Play Championship in 1998. He was also five-time consecutive Assistant Player of the Year, from 1998-2002 and Chapter Player of the Year in 1997 and 1999.
Rogers holds the current course records for Decatur's Hickory Point Golf Course with 61, Scovill Golf Course with 59. To date, he has hit 16 holes-in-one.
Rogers earned a bachelor's degree in physical education, secondary teaching, from Millikin.
Job Titles:
- Volunteer Assistant Baseball Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Men 's Basketball Coach
Max Phillips joined the Big Blue coaching staff in August of 2023.
Phillips graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2022 and most recently his Masters in Business Administration in 2023 from Millikin. His 75.11 scoring average in the 2022-2023 season ranks 14 th all-time. Phillips had a career scoring average of 77.55 placing him 17 th all-time. Phillips is also 4-time GCAA Academic All-American. He resides in Decatur, IL and works at S.I.C. Recycling.
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Men 's Soccer Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Women 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Sports Information Director
Job Titles:
- Assistant Women 's Soccer Coach, Recruiting Coordinator and Director of Soccer Strength & Conditioning
Job Titles:
- Head Women 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Football Coach / Asst. a. D. for Events & Facilities
Job Titles:
- Volunteer Assistant Swimming Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of Golf
- Head Men 's Golf Coach
Being a Decatur native, Osborne is a familiar face in the Decatur area golf scene. He has been working for the Decatur Park District since age 16 doing inside and outside golf operations, works with the Decatur Junior Golf Academy, and playing in a number of city championships. Osborne also continues to play competitively in various USGA and CDGA tournaments.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Men 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Football Coach - Offensive Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Faculty Athletics Representative
Job Titles:
- Assistant Men 's Golf Coach
- Volunteer Assistant Golf Coach
Former Millikin standout Wes Hillen has joined the Big Blue staff in August 2014 serving as an Assistant Men's Golf Coach.
As a player, Hillen was a two-time College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Champion and a two-time NCAA Division III National Tournament qualifier. Hillen had 14 career tournament wins and was twice named to the PING All-American Third Team.
Hillen is currently apart of six records at the Big Blue. Individually, he holds the Millikin record for lowest 36-hole score (136) and lowest season scoring average (73.52). His senior year he was ranked number six in the country for scoring average. In 2012, Hillen qualified for and competed in the United State Amateur Championship, the US Public Links Championship, and the Patriot All-American.
Hillen graduated from Millikin in May of 2013 with a degree in Marketing. Wes resides in Decatur, Illinois and is an Associate at Foster Financial Services, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Women 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Head Women 's Volleyball Coach