Miller Time

Not all that long ago, Kathleen Miller didn't always know what to do.

Even as she blazed her way to Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors, she sometimes found herself so caught up in game situations that she froze in the middle of the lacrosse field. Her teammates would literally pull on her jersey, sending her to a specific spot on the field and putting her in position for certain plays.

These days, Miller is the one doing the pulling. Then again, she doesn't have much of a choice.

In a year when eight of the 27 players on the women's lacrosse roster are freshmen, experience is held at a premium. It's why head coach Chris Sailer approached her at the beginning of the season, suggesting that Miller — now a sophomore — take an active role in bringing this year's freshmen up to speed.

"I have a lot more experience than a lot of other people out there [this season]," Miller said. "I know Coach Sailer wanted me to not play such a typical sophomore role."

As her words — and her statistics — suggest, Miller is not your typical sophomore. Last season, the midfielder tallied 32 goals and 44 points. This year, she leads the team in assists and is third in points, behind only senior attack Lindsey Biles and senior midfielder Elizabeth Pillion, both of whom she also played with on the U.S. developmental team.

The developmental team itself has been an essential part of Miller's growth. The Under-19 team, which is composed of the top collegiate lacrosse players in the nation, was a great experience for Miller.

"Everything you do rubs off on you, and you bring that back to your college team," Miller said.

The team gave Miller an opportunity to work with some of the best coaches in the nation alongside the best players in the nation, allowing her to strengthen aspects of her game that she otherwise might not have even known needed improvement. Her newfound appreciation of the game's many elements makes her a great asset on her young team.

"I'm just so excited for each day of practice to see what new thing clicks ... which new player steps up," Miller said.

Her teammates aren't the only ones benefiting from Miller's experience. Miller herself has become more of a student of the game this year. She has taken a much greater interest in the tactical side of lacrosse than ever before.

"One of the best feelings is knowing that you were one of the ones who set up the situation," Miller said. "It's a great feeling to get that assist."

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Miller feels that she can read the field and the opposition much better this year than last, and she better understands how the game develops.

With Miller's help, the team has been able to gel. She admits, though, that this gelling process may have been more difficult this year than last, not because of too many freshmen, but because of too many seniors.

"I think last year's team had one single leader on the field, who was Theresa Sherry," Miller said. "Everyone would look to her on the field for an answer, and I think this year we don't just have one, we have a handful."

Ironically, this team unity comes at a time when Miller's own body is getting itself together. She woke up Wednesday morning with no pain in her back for the first time all season. The pain has been a hindrance to her performance all year, preventing her from doing some of the things she would like to be achieving.

"I'm hoping to bring everything together I've tried to do all season," Miller said, now that her back appears to be better.

But if Miller and the rest of the team are to take Sailer's advice, that the journey is more important than end result, then these kinks are just parts of the learning process.

There has not been a game where everyone has brought their top games to the field, Miller said. The Tigers may have had some games in which many players have played impressively, but the team still lacked perfect execution. Still, Miller can feel it happening.

"If we all bring our A games, we are absolutely unstoppable," Miller said. "We have the ability to be the best team in the NCAA. Attack, midfield, transition. I think if we all bring our A games, we'll be unstoppable."

If that happens, the journey Sailer and the team seek may just produce an end result that isn't so bad either.