Nicole Miller Named Head Coach of Field Hockey
8/7/2024 2:00:00 PM | Field Hockey
Miller becomes the seventh head coach in program history
NEW YORK — Columbia University's Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education Peter Pilling has announced the hiring of Nicole Miller as the school's next field hockey head coach.
"We're very excited to introduce Niki as our new head field hockey coach," said Pilling. "She has been successful everywhere she has been as a player and coach. What she was able to do in turning a brand new program at Wagner into a conference title contender was really impressive, and we believe she can do the same in the Ivy League here at Columbia."
Miller arrives in Morningside Heights after six seasons as Wagner's first-ever head coach. She led the Seahawks to three straight Northeast Conference Tournament appearances from 2021-23 and reached the final last season. Miller amassed a 19-8 record in NEC play at Wagner and oversaw 14 Seahawks garner All-NEC recognition.
"I want to say thank you to Peter Pilling, Patrick Desir, and the search committee for providing me with this opportunity," said Miller. "Words cannot express how excited I am to begin my journey as the new head coach at Columbia University. With my previous experience in creating a new DI program, I'm confident we can create a positive culture built around the success of the student-athletes, both on and off the field. It's an honor to be joining such an elite group, and I look forward to working with staff, student-athletes, and alumni this season towards bringing an Ivy League championship to Columbia."
The Washington, New Jersey, native arrived at Wagner from Sacred Heart, where she served as an assistant coach for the field hockey team under head coach Sydney Van Der Merwe for two seasons. During her tenure with the Pioneers, Miller oversaw the teams' offensive development, implementing strategies for practices and games that resulted in a 62.5 percent increase in goals from 2017 to 2018. She also played a pivotal role in recruiting, successfully attracting more than 10 commitments from high school athletes.
At Sacred Heart, Miller was an integral part of a coaching staff that placed heavy emphasis on academics, resulting in a high level of performance by Pioneer student-athletes' in the classroom, achieving the second-highest overall GPA in NCAA Division I Field Hockey. Twenty of her 24 student-athletes earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Academic Team honors.
Miller's field hockey background includes serving as a head coach for both the USA Field Hockey Futures and Fairfield County United Field Hockey Club teams. Her main goal with both of these organizations was to help develop young players and prepare them for the next level of field hockey. Three of her athletes from the USA Field Hockey Futures went on to attend the USA Field Hockey Juniors national camp.
Prior to embarking on her collegiate coaching career, Miller was a standout field hockey athlete at UMass Amherst. In her time there, she helped lead the Minutemen team to three Atlantic 10 Championships and three NCAA Tournament berths, having reached the Sweet 16 twice and the Elite 8 once. She was appointed captain of the team in her junior and senior seasons and was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Tournament team in her final season.
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For the latest on Columbia field hockey, follow @CULionsFH on social media and GoColumbiaLions.com for more updates.
"We're very excited to introduce Niki as our new head field hockey coach," said Pilling. "She has been successful everywhere she has been as a player and coach. What she was able to do in turning a brand new program at Wagner into a conference title contender was really impressive, and we believe she can do the same in the Ivy League here at Columbia."
Miller arrives in Morningside Heights after six seasons as Wagner's first-ever head coach. She led the Seahawks to three straight Northeast Conference Tournament appearances from 2021-23 and reached the final last season. Miller amassed a 19-8 record in NEC play at Wagner and oversaw 14 Seahawks garner All-NEC recognition.
"I want to say thank you to Peter Pilling, Patrick Desir, and the search committee for providing me with this opportunity," said Miller. "Words cannot express how excited I am to begin my journey as the new head coach at Columbia University. With my previous experience in creating a new DI program, I'm confident we can create a positive culture built around the success of the student-athletes, both on and off the field. It's an honor to be joining such an elite group, and I look forward to working with staff, student-athletes, and alumni this season towards bringing an Ivy League championship to Columbia."
The Washington, New Jersey, native arrived at Wagner from Sacred Heart, where she served as an assistant coach for the field hockey team under head coach Sydney Van Der Merwe for two seasons. During her tenure with the Pioneers, Miller oversaw the teams' offensive development, implementing strategies for practices and games that resulted in a 62.5 percent increase in goals from 2017 to 2018. She also played a pivotal role in recruiting, successfully attracting more than 10 commitments from high school athletes.
At Sacred Heart, Miller was an integral part of a coaching staff that placed heavy emphasis on academics, resulting in a high level of performance by Pioneer student-athletes' in the classroom, achieving the second-highest overall GPA in NCAA Division I Field Hockey. Twenty of her 24 student-athletes earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Academic Team honors.
Miller's field hockey background includes serving as a head coach for both the USA Field Hockey Futures and Fairfield County United Field Hockey Club teams. Her main goal with both of these organizations was to help develop young players and prepare them for the next level of field hockey. Three of her athletes from the USA Field Hockey Futures went on to attend the USA Field Hockey Juniors national camp.
Prior to embarking on her collegiate coaching career, Miller was a standout field hockey athlete at UMass Amherst. In her time there, she helped lead the Minutemen team to three Atlantic 10 Championships and three NCAA Tournament berths, having reached the Sweet 16 twice and the Elite 8 once. She was appointed captain of the team in her junior and senior seasons and was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Tournament team in her final season.
Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia field hockey, follow @CULionsFH on social media and GoColumbiaLions.com for more updates.
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