Millsaps College Athletics

After leading the Majors on the football field for 10 seasons, Aaron Pelch was formally named the director of athletics for Millsaps College in January of 2020.

He had previously served as the interim director of athletics since December of 2018.

Pelch was hired as the head football coach prior to the 2010 season. He succeeded Mike DuBose, who concluded four years as head football coach before joining the University of Memphis coaching staff in 2009.
 
Under the guidance of Pelch the Majors swept both the offensive and defensive player of the year awards during the first two seasons of the Southern Athletic Association (SAA). Defensive lineman Zach Bell won the defensive player of the year award in both 2012 and 2013. Quarterback Garrett Pinciotti won the offensive player of the year award in 2012 and running back Mike Barthelemy won the award in 2013. He also saw Beau Brady win the special teams player of the year in 2012. 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.

All told, in his 10 seasons at the helm Pelch totaled 49 wins, and coached nine individual conference player of the year winners. Additionally, 125 players earned all-conference recognition, and 218 were named academic all-conference honorees. 
 
In 2009, Coach Pelch made a stop in the National Football League where he was an assistant special teams coach for the Oakland Raiders. 
 
Pelch served as a member of the Millsaps coaching staff as the assistant head coach in 2007-08 and Linebackers coach in 2006. During that time, the Majors won three consecutive Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) titles and made a pair of NCAA Division-III national playoff appearances.
 
During his time as an assistant coach, Pelch coached six All-SCAC defensive line selections, a First Team All-SCAC linebacker, a SCAC co-defensive player-of-the-Year and a defensive All-America honoree. The team’s defense had the second ranked rushing defense in the conference in 2006 and improved to first in 2007.
 
Millsaps gained special teams player-of-the-year nods for three consecutive seasons under Pelch’s leadership, and had the SCAC’s best net punt average in 2007 (8th nationally) and 2008 (5th nationally). The Majors were also the top SCAC punt return team in 2007 and 2008. Pelch also saw his team receive an All-American selection at special teams.
 
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.

Aaron and his wife Gemaa reside in Madison with their daughter Dottie. 

Career Head Coaching Record