Jamie Sale, Trent Miller reflect on milestone marks

By Zach James, Athletic Information Specialist

There's one common denominator among the 800-plus wins between Morningside women's basketball coach Jamie Sale and men's basketball coach Trent Miller: The people who helped get them there.

Both Mustangs basketball coaches reached different victory milestones recently, as Sale earned his 700th victory in West Palm Beach, Florida, while Miller got his 100th after defeating Dordt earlier this month.

Sale became the 52nd coach to reach 700 wins between his time at Briar Cliff and Morningside. Sale's first season with the Mustangs was in 2001-02, and ever since, the Mustangs' track record has been consistent.

"It just means we've had a lot of really good players," Sale said. "I don't know how much the 700 wins means, but the things that happened on the way to getting 700 does. We've had awesome kids that have finished here and went off and we have doctors and physical therapists and lawyers and all sorts of things. So we've had just a lot of kids that have had success coming through there and I'm proud of that a lot."

A four-time NAIA Division II National Coach of the Year, he has guided Morningside to four national championships, including an unbeaten 38-0 season in 2009. Along the way, his teams have produced GPAC titles, deep national runs, and a standard of excellence unmatched in program history.

Even as a boy, Sale knew he wanted to coach. He figured playing pro basketball wasn't in the cards, so he learned about the game so he could be a high school boys' basketball coach. It just so happened he had a connection in the women's basketball coaching field, so he tried that and has stuck with it ever since.

"Coaching is what I always wanted, and I've been fortunate to do it here," Sale said. "Morningside has been great to me, and I don't take that for granted."

To win 700 games, you have to be adaptable. The game of basketball has evolved in multiple ways since Sale took over the Mustangs program on March 26, 2001. When he first arrived, the women's game was all about having forwards and centers to score inside the paint. Over time, guards have established a footprint along with the 3-point line becoming more important than ever.

No matter the change, Sale has been able to overcome it.

"It's amazing how many different stages you go through," Sale said. "You have to find what you're good at and stay true to it, but you also have to adjust. Every team is different, and that changes more than just the strategy."

The hardest difference, Sale said, was bridging the age gap as he gets older. When he was younger, he admitted he could understand his players more. As generations change, so does his approach.

"As I've gotten older, the age gap changes, and you have to adapt," Sale said. "It's generational — not right or wrong — but how you reach players has evolved. What worked 20 years ago doesn't always land the same today, so you have to adjust how you coach."

No matter the era, Sale's players appreciate the passion and approach he brings everyday to games and practices.

"He's the whole reason I came here," said senior Lily Vollertsen. "We have a lot of trust in him. He knows what he's doing. Jamie is super excited about his players, and has confidence in everyone. You don't want to let him down, so you give 100 percent effort everyday."

When the Mustangs defeated Keiser on Dec. 17, 2025, Sale was appreciative of people recognizing the milestone, but treated it as another win. He saw a post on social media acknowledging win No. 700, and let out a grin. But, he focused on the next one.

Miller had the exact same emotion after learning of his milestone. He was appreciative of the players and assistant coaches who helped him get there, and it was just another victory for Miller and his guys.

"We all win as a unit," Miller said. "All the accomplishment means is I have great people around me. It makes this job very enjoyable to work alongside people like the ones I get to. I get the opportunity to coach and challenge and share the highs and lows with."

As a player, Miller was the 2013 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year, and he amassed 235 career steals.

Miller re-joined Morningside in the summer of 2017. He was then elevated to associate head coach under then head coach Jim Sykes before the 2020-21 campaign, and between the time he was associate head coach to head coach, the Mustangs went 105-20.

Sykes then went from head coach to his current role as vice president of athletics, which presented the opportunity for Miller to be elevated to head coach in March 2021.Sykes knew that Miller's dedication, passion and knowledge would help the Mustangs steer in the same successful path.

"Trent's teams didn't have our most successful years in the GPAC, but I loved coaching him because of his energy, work ethic, and character," Sykes said. "He did things the right way. When he moved into coaching, if the job needed to be done, he did it. We accomplished a lot together, and I wouldn't have stepped away if Trent wasn't ready to take over."

Miller said the lessons he learned from Sykes were invaluable.

"I owe a great deal to Coach Sykes for playing and coaching alongside him," Miller said. "I've always been appreciative of his guidance during my coaching journey. Jim always preached a selfless offense and preached buying into something bigger than yourself."

The milestones may be different, but for both Sale and Miller, the milestones reflect years of shared effort. At Morningside, the numbers count, but the people behind them matter more.