Aaron Griess (Colorado College ’93) enters his 21st season as the Augsburg University men’s basketball head coach in 2025-26, making him the second longest-tenured coach in the MIAC. In 2024-25, Griess passed Auggie legend Ernie Anderson to become Augsburg's winningest men's basketball coach in history; he now has a 275-226 (.549) overall record
Under Griess’ guidance, the Augsburg basketball program has methodically moved to the upper echelon of MIAC men’s basketball success. Since the 2008-09 season, Griess has led the Auggies to the third-highest winning percentage among MIAC opponents, and has led the Auggies to the conference postseason tournament 11 times in the past 13 seasons. Griess also led the Auggies to the school's first-ever win against a NCAA Division I opponent, as Augsburg defeated Houston Baptist University 74-68 on November 5, 2011. Coach Griess led the Auggies to back-to-back MIAC Championship games, winning Augsburg’s first-ever MIAC playoff championship in 2017-18 and advancing to the NCAA tournament.
No stranger to turnarounds, Griess came to Augsburg from NCAA Division II Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he helped rebuild the Silverswords’ tradition on the hardwood. In his five years as the head coach, Griess became the second all-time leader in victories at the school, and led the Silverswords to a pair of wins against NCAA Division I opponents, including an upset over Big East powerhouse Villanova (Pa.) in the 2003 Maui Invitational.
Augsburg Coaching Highlights:
2021-22: Led Augsburg to an overall record of 17-7 with a mark of 13-4 in MIAC play. The Auggies finished second in the MIAC in the regular season and advanced to the MIAC Playoff Semifinals. Joe Palmer was named MIAC Player of the Year and also earned D3hoops.com All-Region and NABC All-America (2nd Team) honors.
2020-21: Led the Auggies to an overall record of 4-3 with a mark of 3-3 in MIAC play. Season shortened due to COVID-19 Pandemic.
2019-20: Led Augsburg to the MIAC Playoffs for the fifth-consecutive season and 10th time in 12 years. The Auggies finished third in the MIAC regular season standings. Booker Coplin earned D3hoops.com All-American honorable mention honors, D3hoops.com First Team All-West Region honors, NABC All-West District Team, and MIAC Player of the Year honors.
2018-19: Led Augsburg to the MIAC Playoffs for the ninth time in 11 years. The Auggies finished as Playoff runner-ups reaching the championship game for the second year in a row. Booker Coplin earned NABC D-III National Player of the Year and NABC First team All-American honors. Coplin also earned D3hoops.com Second Team All-American, NABC All-West District Player of the Year and MIAC Player of the Year honors.
2017-18: Led Augsburg to its first MIAC Playoff Championship in program history and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1998-99 season. Collin Olmscheid earned MIAC Player of the Year Honors, the second Augsburg student-athlete to claim this honor under coach Griess. Olmscheid also was named an NABC and D3hoops.com All-American.
2016-17: Led Augsburg to the MIAC Playoffs for the seventh time in the past nine seasons. Coached the Auggies to the second-best overall winning percentage (.602) in the MIAC over the course of the last nine seasons. Augsburg has posted four top-three MIAC finishes since '08 (2nd best in the MIAC). Collin Olmscheid earned his second consecutive All-MIAC selection and jumped into the top-10 in the rich history of Augsburg men's basketball with 1,274 career points.
2013-14: Led Augsburg to an overall record of 18-8, including its second third-place finish in as many seasons (MIAC 14-6). The Auggies have now won 104 games in the last six years; only one other MIAC team has won over 100 games since 2008. Griess earned his 200th career victory on February 19 in a 75-67 defeat of Carleton College. MIAC Player of the Year selection Dan Kornbaum was selected to the D3hoops.com and NABC All-American second teams, the first such honor for an Auggie since Devean George '99.
2012-13: Led team to an overall record of 21-7, Augsburg's best record since the 1998-99 season. The Auggies recorded a third-place finish in the MIAC (14-6), the sixth-consecutive .500 or better record in the MIAC, and made the MIAC playoffs for the fourth time in the past five seasons. Griess also led the Auggies to the MIAC championship game for the first time since the 1998-99 season. Since 2008, the Auggies have won 86 games (65%), the second highest win total in the conference. All-MIAC selection Dan Kornbaum was selected to the D3hoops.com All-West Region team, and All-MIAC first-year selection Brett Rasmussen was selected as the D3hoops.com All-West Region rookie of the year.
2011-12: Led team to an overall record of 16-10, including a 4th-place finish in the MIAC (13-7 record), which is the fifth-consecutive .500 or better record in the MIAC. The Auggies made the MIAC playoffs for the third time in the past five seasons. Griess led team to a 74-68 exhibition win over NCAA Division I Houston Baptist University. All-MIAC selection Andy Grzesiak-Grimm was selected to the D3hoops.com All-West Region team.
2009-10: Led team to an overall record of 19-8, a 13-7 conference record, and second-place finish which marked the program's highest conference finish since the 1998-99 season. The Auggies reached the semifinal round of the MIAC post-season playoffs for the second consecutive season. Augsburg improved its win total for the fifth consecutive season. Griess was named MIAC Coach of the Year and senior guard Jon Cassens was selected as College Sporting News Conference Player of the Year.
2008-09: Led team to an overall record of 15-12 and a third-place finish in the MIAC standings, which marked the program's highest conference finish since the 1999-00 season. Defeated Carleton College 65-64 to advanced to the MIAC Playoff Semifinal round for the first time since the 1998-99 season. Griess earned his 100th career win on December 3 in a 76-73 defeat of Hamline University. Senior forward Nate Alm earned All-West Region honors.
Previous Coaching Experience:
Head Coach - Chaminade University (Honolulu, Hawaii), 71-62 coaching record (2000-2005)
Assistant Coach - Chaminade University (1996-2000)
Graduate Assistant - Loras College (Iowa) (1993-96)
Playing Experience/Achievements:
As a player at Colorado College, Griess was a three-year starter at point guard and was a team captain his junior and senior years. In 1991-92, the Tigers won a school-record 22 games (22-5 overall) and won the first NCAA Division III tournament game in school history. Griess finished his career as Colorado College's career record-holder in steals (131), finished fifth in career assists (321) and 25th in career scoring (755 points) in 88 career games. Tiger teams he played on finished 62-41 during his four seasons.
Other Duties/Campus Involvement at Augsburg:
Griess also serves the University as an assistant athletic director.
Personal/Family Notes:
Griess and his wife
Tracey Griess reside in Andover, Minn. with their daughter
Madison and three sons,
McClain,
Makena and
MacIntyre. Griess received his bachelor's degree in political science from Colorado College in 1993, and completed his graduate work in Physical Education with an emphasis in Athletic Administration at Loras College in 1996.
Coach Griess Season Records:
| Year |
Overall Record |
Overall Pct. |
MIAC |
MIAC Pct. |
MIAC Finish |
Notes |
| 2024-25 |
12-14 |
.462 |
8-8 |
.500 |
t5th/11 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2023-24 |
8-17 |
.320 |
6-14 |
.300 |
t9th/11 |
|
| 2022-23 |
8-17 |
.320 |
6-14 |
.300 |
10th/11 |
|
| 2021-22 |
17-7 |
.708 |
13-4 |
.765 |
2nd/11 |
MIAC Playoff Semifinals |
| 2020-21 |
4-3 |
.571 |
3-3 |
.500 |
--- |
Shortened schedule; no MIAC standings or MIAC Playoffs due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2019-20 |
18-8 |
.692 |
14-6 |
.700 |
3rd/11 |
MIAC Playoff Semifinals |
| 2018-19 |
19-9 |
.679 |
13-7 |
.650 |
4th/11 |
MIAC Playoff Runner-Up |
| 2017-18 |
21-8 |
.724 |
13-7 |
.650 |
4th/11 |
MIAC Playoff Champion
NCAA Tournament Qualifier |
| 2016-17 |
12-14 |
.462 |
10-10 |
.500 |
6th/11 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2015-16 |
15-11 |
.577 |
10-10 |
.500 |
t6th/11 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2014-15 |
11-14 |
.440 |
8-12 |
.400 |
7th/11 |
|
| 2013-14 |
18-8 |
.692 |
14-6 |
.700 |
3rd/11th |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2012-13 |
21-7 |
.750 |
14-6 |
.700 |
3rd/11th |
MIAC Playoff Runner-Up |
| 2011-12 |
16-10 |
.615 |
13-7 |
.650 |
4th/11 |
MIAC Playoffs |
| 2010-11 |
15-10 |
.600 |
10-10 |
.500 |
t6th/11 |
|
| 2009-10 |
19-8 |
.704 |
13-7 |
.650 |
t2nd/11 |
MIAC Semifinals
MIAC Coach of the Year |
| 2008-09 |
15-12 |
.556 |
12-8 |
.600 |
t3rd/11 |
MIAC Semifinals |
| 2007-08 |
12-13 |
.480 |
10-10 |
.500 |
7th/11 |
|
| 2006-07 |
10-15 |
.400 |
7-13 |
.350 |
8th/11 |
|
| 2005-06 |
4-21 |
.160 |
3-17 |
.150 |
11th/11 |
|
| 2000-05 |
71-62 |
.534 |
|
|
|
Head Coach at Chaminade University |
| At Augsburg |
275-226 |
.549 |
200-179 |
.527 |
|
MIAC Coach of the Year (09-10) |
| Overall |
346-288 |
.546 |
|
|
|
|
