Being named an all-conference athlete of the year is the kind of recognition that can go to a student鈥檚 head. But for Olivia Miller 鈥�21, being named the 2021 River States Conference (RSC) was a humbling experience, one that caught her by surprise.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 even know I was up for it,鈥� said Miller, a Bolivar, Pa. native and graduate of Carlow鈥檚 human biology program. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor. It鈥檚 awesome to feel that all the hard work you鈥檝e put in has paid off.鈥�
Miller鈥檚 prowess in track and field is well established. She鈥檚 a three-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American, and in 2021 was named the RSC鈥檚 women鈥檚 indoor field Athlete of the Year and won the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) academic all-district award.
Miller, captain of the track and field team, is one of 176 student-athletes at 麻豆精品. While the University does find its student-athletes through the traditional recruitment route, as in Miller鈥檚 case, many other Celtics are encouraged to join on their own or ask that Carlow . Many of Miller鈥檚 teammates found their way to the team in that fashion 鈥� with their captain鈥檚 encouragement.
鈥淪he鈥檚 a very good leader who leads by example,鈥� said Tony Anderson, Carlow鈥檚 track and field coach. 鈥淪he doesn鈥檛 like to get on any of the other athletes, but she does like to encourage them to keep up with her, to do better, to focus. She is a tutor, not just within our team but academically.鈥�
Sydney Seymour, a freshman prot茅g茅 during Miller鈥檚 senior year, echoed that assessment.
鈥淪he was honestly just a big sister on the team,鈥� said Seymour, a nursing student from Allison Park, Pa. 鈥淥livia was always so motivating and hard working. If I was doing something wrong, she wouldn鈥檛 be afraid to step up and help me fix it. It was never in a mean way; she would just step in to help however possible.鈥�
Miller, who maintained a 3.67 GPA, has an additional year of eligibility in track and field due to a season being canceled by COVID-19. That means if she decides to return for graduate school, she will have an additional year as a role model for other student-athletes.
Her advice to them?
鈥淚 would tell them, 鈥楧on鈥檛 be scared,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚 feel like a lot of students are hesitant to get involved. I know that at Carlow, there were a couple teammates who weren鈥檛 originally recruited. Either Coach Tony or myself would reach out, they鈥檇 come out and have success.鈥�
Whatever path Carlow鈥檚 student-athletes take, they are strongly encouraged to get involved.