Coaching Staff
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Jason Miller
Head Coach / Associate Director of Athletics
(419) 448-2377
jmiller7@heidelberg.edu
Success and Jason Miller are no strangers when guiding the Heidelberg University volleyball team. Miller and the Berg are coming off one of its most successful season’s in the history of the program, but are striving for more in 2009.
The 2009 campaign marks the 10th year that Miller has been at the helm and is coming on the heels of a record setting 31-8 season. Aside from its single season record for wins, Heidelberg appeared in the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship match for the second-straight season, along with earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships for the second-consecutive year. Miller guided not only the program’s first, but first two, All-Americans in Emily Hurlburt and Morgan Magers. Three were tabbed All-Region honorees, the most ever, while five picked up all-league honors. Within the OAC, three were named to the first team and Brittany Donelan was the Libero of the Year and Jackie Reinhart was the Rookie of the Year. It was the first time ever that Heidelberg has claimed a major conference player of the year award.
In nine seasons Miller has amassed a career record of 174-133 and has made seven-consecutive trips to the OAC Tournament. Miller has led the Berg to four 20-win campaigns, including three-straight. The volleyball team has claimed Heidelberg’s Bill Landess Scholar Team Award in each of the last three years and has placed 15 student-athletes on the Academic All-OAC list, along with 16 earning all-conference accolades during Miller’s tenure. Nationally, Heidelberg has won three GamePlan/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Awards.
In 2007, Heidelberg set a new single-season record for wins in 2007 with 27, only to better it at 31 in 2008. Prior to 2007, the Berg had not won a postseason match, but that fact was dismissed following Heidelberg’s 3-1 OAC quarterfinal win over Muskingum College. The Berg went on to take home runner-up honors at the OAC Tournament and eventually earned an at-large bid to the Division III National Championships. For his efforts, Miller was tabbed the OAC Coach of the Year.
Heidelberg started the 2006 season winning 13 of its first 14 matches. The Berg went on to post a 22-15 overall record, which ranks third in the team record book for victories in a season. Miller became just the second coach in the history of the program to post 100 career victories after topping Kalamazoo 3-0 on Sept. 8, 2006.
Miller took over the reigns of a program that won just 10 games in 1999. In his first season at the Berg, the team posted an 8-21 record, but its win total has reached double digits every year since.
During the winter, Miller serves as the head wrestling coach. The 2009-10 academic year marks his seventh year guiding the Berg grapplers. He has led the Berg to four-straight OAC Tournament titles and three of the last four OAC Regular Season Championships, while garnering Coach of the Year honors the last four-consecutive years. Heidelberg has finished in the top-three in the league standings in each of his seven years. Overall, Miller owns a career record of 68-35 and a 29-8 mark in the OAC. Miller has produced 20 OAC champions and five All-Americans, along with the Berg’s first national champion ever in Joe Pflug (2006) at 157 pounds.
Not to be outdone, Miller has coached 14 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Academic All-Americans. Also, in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2009 Heidelberg ranked in the top-20 as a team on the NWCA Academic list.
A native to Tiffin and graduate of Hopewell-Loudon High School, Miller was a three-time national qualifier and a two-time All-American at 158 pounds for Heidelberg. He won the Ohio Athletic Conference 158-pound class at the 1997 championships and was a three-time All-OAC performer. He was team captain during the 1997 season and was a 1996 NWCA Academic All-American. Miller finished his four-year career with a record of 136-38 for a .781 winning percentage. His 136 victories are tops on the college's all-time win list and his 41-2 record in 1997 sits atop the single season win list followed by his 36 wins as a junior.
Prior to returning to Heidelberg Miller spent three seasons as the assistant wrestling coach at Ohio Northern University.
Aside from his coaching duties, Miller serves as Heidelberg’s associate director of athletics. Miller works with director of athletics Matt Palm in directing the day-to-day operations of the athletic department; with an emphasis on facility scheduling, budget management and the annual hall of fame inductions. He also helps to continually develop the successful ’Berg Pride program.
Miller earned his bachelor's degree from Heidelberg in 1998 and his master's degree from the University of Findlay in 2001. Miller, his wife, Jennifer, and daughters, Hannah, Olivia and Emily, reside in Sycamore, Ohio. The family is expecting its fourth child in September.
| Miller Year-By-Year | ||
| Year | Overall | OAC |
| 2000 | 8-21 | 2-7 |
| 2001 | 15-17 | 1-8 |
| 2002 | 15-16 | 2-7 |
| 2003 | 18-16 | 3-6 |
| 2004 | 21-13 | 5-4 |
| 2005 | 17-16 | 3-6 |
| 2006 | 22-15 | 4-5 |
| 2007 | 27-11 | 7-2 |
| 2008 | 31-8 | 8-1 |
| Career | 174-133 (.567) | 35-46 (.432) |
Kiara Ruffing
Assistant Coach
(419) 448-2377
Returning for her second season on the Heidelberg University coaching staff is Kiara Ruffing. Ruffing oversees the setters, while serving as the recruiting coordinator.
In her first year, Ruffing assisted the program to a record-setting 31 wins and its second-straight appearance in the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship match and the NCAA Championships. She worked closely with American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Honorable Mention All-American setter Morgan Magers. Magers marked one of the first All-Americans in the history of the program.
Ruffing joined the Berg staff after a successful four-year playing career at Tiffin University. She was a four-year letter winner at setter for the Dragons. As a junior, Ruffing helped to guide TU to a record-setting 35-10 season and a berth in the American Mideast Conference Tournament and the NAIA Playoffs.
Ruffing attended nearby Seneca East High School and earned four varsity letters for the Tigers. She was a three-time All-Midland Athletic League honoree, garnering first team accolades as a senior. Ruffing was selected to the District 6 Honorable Mention team as a junior and the second team in her senior campaign. She picked up Seneca East Co-Most Valuable Player honors in her final season.
She originally hails from Bellevue, Ohio and graduated in May from Tiffin with a degree in business, sports management and hospitality. Ruffing is currently pursuing a master’s degree from Heidelberg.