2 days Ago By Will Reynolds [email protected]
Records are meant to be broken, and so are brick walls. At least that's how Hastings College volleyball coach Alex Allard believes senior Miriam Miller approaches life. "People always say they have kids who would run through a brick wall for them," Allard said.
"I can honestly see Miriam trying to. She's that type pf player. She sacrifices her body every play and just gives it her all.
" Miller on Tuesday was named Co-Defender of the Year in the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The senior from Lincoln shared the award with Northwestern's Zavyr Metzger, a middle hitter who was also co-winner last season. Metzger is leading the NAIA in blocks per set (1.
81), while Miller ranks second in the country with 6.74 digs per set — a single-season HC program record. Miller, whose dad, Josh, quarterbacked Hastings College and was a football captain in the late 1990s, will graduate as the Broncos' leader in career digs.
She finished with 2,150, breaking the previous record of 2,102 held by 2016 and '17 NAIA libero of the year Jill Bax. Allard compared Miller's prowess as a libero to the position her father played. "If she played football, she would be a quarterback," Allard said.
"She can quickly glance at something and know what's gonna happen. Her volleyball IQ is big part of why she is as good as she is. "The other part of it is just athletic ability.
The speed she moves is unmatched in our gym, and she just reads the game better than anyone out there." Miller, who was honorable mention last season and second team all-GPAC as a sophomore, does more than most others, too. For three seasons, she was a dual-sport athlete, jumping straight from volleyball into basketball season.
This year she won't, however, as she plans to start nursing school after the fall semester. "Her commitment is unmatched," Allard said. "To do two sports year-round, and to be as good as she is and never had a regular offseason is insane.
" Miller hasn't really had much downtime, either, working part-time for a lawn care company in town. "She's just one of those who thrives with a lot to do," Allard said. Miller this fall was twice named the NAIA defender of the week.
She posted a career-high 39 digs in her final home match earlier this month, and ended the year five short of the single-season record she set as a sophomore (666). Considering Miller was a libero for just three full seasons, that's not bad, Allard said. Miller split time as a hitter during her freshman year.
"Being able to accomplish what she has the last three seasons and hit her first, is amazing," Allard said. "She's a great role model and leader. Every defensive specialist and libero in this program aspires to be her.
" Joining Miller on the first team was super senior Majesta Valasek, who led the Broncos with 338 kills (3.89 per set). Valasek was a second team selection a year ago.
Twice this year she was GPAC attacker of the week. "She was our go-to hitter," Allard said. "Being the best for our team and one of the best in the conference are two different things.
" On second team were setter Alexis Pontine and freshman Mikah O'Neill. Pontine, a junior transfer who averaged 9.74 assists per set, was setter of the week four times throughout the season yet was not the setter of the year, which Allard found strange.
"Her stats were better than almost all of them (in the conference)," Allard said. "I'm shocked she didn't get first team or setter of the year, but it's a coaches vote." O'Neill, from Sumner, tallied 260 kills during her rookie season.
"Very impressed with her numbers as freshman in GPAC," said Allard, who nominated O'Neill for freshman of the year. "She sets tone for culture and competitiveness in our gym and you don't see tha from freshmen. She knew who she wanted to be and what role she wanted to play coming in.
" Honorable mention for HC were freshman Makenna Sutter and junior Kaitlin Thiebauth..
