JACKSON, Miss. – Aaron Pelch, interim athletic director and head football coach at Millsaps College, has been formally named as athletic director. Pelch assumed the role of interim athletic director in December 2018. He will continue to serve as head football coach.

"Aaron has proven his ability to succeed on the playing field and beyond," said Dr. Robert W. Pearigen, president of Millsaps College. "He is a strong coach, recruiter, teacher, and mentor who holds athletes to the highest standards in the classroom and on the field. His outstanding organizational skills and discipline will be great assets to his role as athletic director."

Pelch joined Millsaps as head football coach prior to the 2010 season. Under his guidance, the Majors swept both the offensive and defensive player of the year awards during the first two seasons of the Southern Athletic Association (SAA). Pelch himself was named SAA Coach of the Year in both 2012 and 2013 as he guided the Majors to a pair of conference championships.

He had previously served as an assistant coach at Millsaps from 2006-08, and as an assistant special teams coach with the Oakland Raiders during the 2009 season.

Pelch has a bachelor's degree from Weber State University. He has also coached at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Everett Alvarez High School in Salinas, Calif.