Aaron Mullens is in his 10th season as the head coach at Murray State College, where the Lady Aggies have started the year 22-0 and are the No. 1-ranked team in NJCAA Division II.

On Monday, Mullens recorded his 400th collegiate coaching victory with a doubleheader sweep of Dodge City Community College. Overall, he has won 565 games, including 165 games over six seasons leading Oklahoma’s Durant High School.

In 2025, Murray State went 62-3 and claimed its fifth consecutive Region 2 Southwest Plains Tournament Championship to earn a fifth-straight berth to the NJCAA Division II World Series, where the Lady Aggies won three games to finish fourth nationally.

The current NJCAA rep on the NFCA Board of Directors took a few minutes earlier this week to answer 20 questions for the NFCA …

What is the very first thing you do with your team when starting a new season?

The first thing our coaching staff does when the team moves in at the first of August is we take the team to Crosspoint Camp in Kingston, Okla., and we do a low ropes course together which is led by Fellowship of Christian Athletes. 

What one characteristic must every person who plays for you have? 

The one characteristic that every player must have is selflessness. 

Why did you get into coaching?

I got into coaching for the pure love of sports and what sports can teach you about life. 

What is the most difficult part of being a coach?

The most difficult aspect of coaching is to get a group of individuals to put their own personal feelings aside and to make every decision and thought about the team first. 

What is the most rewarding thing about being a coach?

The most rewarding aspect of coaching is developing long-lasting relationships with players and coaching colleagues. 

If you could have dinner with three other coaches from any time in history, who would they be?

John Wooden, Casey Stengel, Earl Weaver. 

What is the one thing in life or coaching you won’t compromise on?

The one thing in life I will not compromise on is dishonesty. 

What is the one thing you personally feel you need to have to succeed as a coach?

In order to be successful as a coach, a coach must have support from family. 

How do you define success?

I personally define success with being able to actively and consistently communicate and be involved in former players lives.

What makes a great coaching staff?

A great coaching staff is able to foster and build relationships with all stakeholders involved in their program while also having empathy towards one another along the way. 

What is the most important thing you’ve learned from a loss?

The most important thing I learned from a loss in coaching is that I do not want to experience that feeling again. The fear of losing is what drives me personally. 

What is a goal you have for YOURSELF over the next 12 months?

A goal that I have for myself is to continue to focus on more on the process instead of the results. 

What is an objective you have set for your TEAM this season?

An objective our staff has set for our team is to perform every task with a purpose and to be intentional with everything we do as a team.

What would be an area in your coaching you’d like to improve?

An area that I would like to improve upon is to be able to stop and enjoy moments with our players more. I am very task driven and rarely take the time to celebrate. 

What would you want a former player to say about you?

I would want a former player to say, “He genuinely cared about me, the human, more than he cared about me, the player.” 

What do you feel is the most important thing a coach can provide to their players?

I feel the most important thing a coach can provide to their player is time. 

How would you describe your coaching style/philosophy?

I would describe my coaching style/philosophy as being extremely organized, structured, and detailed with every facet of our program, especially with regard to practice agendas. 

What piece of advice would you give a fellow coach?

Never go to bed at night and think to yourself, “I wish I would have done more today.” 

What do you do for fun in your downtime?

I am an avid Yankees fan and I watch a lot of Yankee games. I also enjoy mowing and gardening. 

What would someone be surprised to learn about you?

I taught Spanish for 10 years and I am bilingual. My bachelor degree is in Spanish Education.