IUP Athletic Hall of Fame
Jim Mill, who wore many hats during his 32-year association with IUP, is being honored in the coach/administrator category. He excelled in both capacities.
Mill came to IUP in 1970 as defensive coordinator under first-year head coach Bill Neal. He remained in that position through the 1981 season.
The Indians, as they were then known, went 67-44-3 in his 12 seasons, highlighted by an 8-1 record in 1972, an 8-1-1 mark in 1975 and a memorable upset of Youngstown State and future NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski in 1972. Mill coached two first-team All-Americans during his time at IUP—defensive end Jim Haslett, who went on to play eight seasons in the NFL, and defensive tackle Joe Cugliari—and second-team linebacker Gregg Schmidt.
Mill had himself been a distinguished football player, at Slippery Rock. He played on both the offensive and defensive line for the Rockets and as a senior co-captain was voted the team’s MVP. He earned first-team All-Pennsylvania State College Conference and Pittsburgh Press Small College All-District honors in 1964 and played in the Gem City Bowl, an all-star game that included Division I players. Mill was inducted into the Slippery Rock Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
He graduated from Slippery Rock in 1965 with a degree in health and physical education, earned a master’s degree from Temple in therapeutic physical education in 1968 and added a doctorate in physical education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981.
After serving as a professor on IUP’s health and physical education faculty, Mill was promoted to department chair. He also served as associate athletic director from 1980 to 1983.
His lifelong dedication to fitness prompted IUP to name the workout facility at Zink Hall the James G. Mill Fitness and Wellness Center, affectionately known as Jim’s Gym.
Mill passed away in 2023 at the age of 82. He is survived by wife Bonnie, four children—Shannon, Jodi, Jim and Mark—and 12 grandchildren.
Personal Reflection:
As we reflect on the 32 years Jim Mill spent at IUP as a football coach, assistant AD, professor and department chair, we believe the thing he would be most proud of is the relationships and friendships he made and carried with him throughout his life.
The men he coached with became some of his closest friends and remained that way long after their coaching days. Their wives and kids became our friends and support network. These relationships established our family’s foundation within the Indiana and IUP communities.
The players he coached, his first “kids,” were incredibly important to him. He taught them the game of football, but also mentored them in the tougher game that is life. When he knew his time was limited, his wish was to spend time with his family, his friends and his players.
On behalf of our husband, father and grandfather, we would like to express our gratitude for the opportunities, experiences and support received from the IUP athletic and academic community.
—The Mill family
