Hardin Valley Academy athletic director Mike Mullins retires

Hardin Valley Academy athletic director Mike Mullins is retiring, effective Jan. 16, according to Knox County Schools.

His retirement comes as the high school is without a football coach and its baseball coach is on paid leave.

Before working at Hardin Valley, Mullins was a longtime athletic director at Oak Ridge. He took the assistant athletic director position there in 2001 and became the athletic director in 2005.

Mullins was named the TSSAA Athletic Director of the Year for the 2009-10 school year, the first year the award was given. He retired from Oak Ridge in 2021 before returning to work with Hardin Valley the following year.

Hardin Valley's baseball coach, Tyler Roach, was placed on paid leave, pending an investigation, Knox County Schools spokesperson Carly Harrington told Knox News on Dec. 7, 2023. The baseball team went 39-7 last season and finished as the Class 4A state runner-up.

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The school's football coach, Jeff Miner, resigned on Dec. 13, 2023, after two seasons. The 46-year-old told Knox News that leaving was in the interest of his long-term health. The Hawks went 4-16 in his tenure.

Toyloy Brown III is a Knox News sports reporter. Email toyloy.brown@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly Twitter, @TJ3rd_.