Moving the Heidelberg University volleyball team among the nationally ranked and onto the list of Ohio Athletic Conference champions over the last 10 years has been Jason Miller. Success and Heidelberg have been interchangeable under Miller’s guidance which is evident as the Berg is coming off a season that they claimed the program’s second OAC Regular Season crown, as well as made its third consecutive NCAA Regional appearance, all while emerging into the national rankings for the first time in the history of the program.
The 2010 campaign marks the 11th year that Miller has been at the helm and is coming on the heels of a 27-8 season. Aside from its regular season title, Heidelberg appeared in the OAC title match for the third straight season, along with earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year. Heidelberg finished the year with two All-Americans in Morgan Magers and Brittany Donelan. Magers was also honored as the first Heidelberg volleyball Academic All-American. A program-best four earned all-region honors, while five picked up All-OAC accolades, including Miller being tabbed the coach of the year for the second time in three seasons, as well as the Donelan earning Libero of the Year for the second straight year. In the classroom, two picked up all-district honors, along with six Academic All-OAC picks and the AVCA Team Academic Award.
Heidelberg’s sweep of Muskingum University in the quarterfinals of the OAC Tournament marked Miller’s 200th victory. He is the only coach in the history of the program to eclipse the 200-win plateau.
In 10 seasons Miller has amassed a career record of 201-141 and has made eight consecutive trips to the OAC Tournament. Miller has led the Berg to five 20-win campaigns, including four straight. The volleyball team has claimed Heidelberg’s Bill Landess Scholar Team Award in each of the last four years and has placed 21 student-athletes on the Academic All-OAC list, along with 21 earning all-conference accolades during Miller’s tenure. Nationally, Heidelberg has won four GamePlan/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Awards, as well has had four All-Americans, one Academic All-American and eight all-region recipients.
The 2008 season saw the Berg set the record for wins in a season after finishing at 31-8. Aside from its win total, Heidelberg appeared in the OAC Championship match, along with earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year. Miller guided not only the program’s first All-Americans in Emily Hurlburt and Morgan Magers. Three were tabbed all-region honorees, 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 2007, Heidelberg finished at 27-8, which marked a then single season win record. 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. 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 and went on to post a 22-15 overall record. 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.
Over the past seven winters, Miller has doubled up his coaching resume with the wrestling team. In seven years at the helm of the wrestling team, Miller amassed a record of 82-44 and a 37-11 mark in the OAC. Miller produced 24 OAC champions, six All-Americans, along with the Berg’s first national champion in Joe Pfug (2006) at 157 pounds. Along the way, Heidelberg never placed lower than third in the OAC standings and took home the regular season title in 2006, 2008 and 2009, as well as claimed five consecutive tournament crowns from 2006-2010. Miller was tabbed the OAC Coach of the Year in each of his final five years at the helm.
Not to be outdone, Miller coached 20 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Academic All-Americans. Also, in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 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, Emily and Gracie, reside in Sycamore, Ohio.
Miller Year-By-Year
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)
2009: 27-8 (8-1)
Career: 201-141 (43-47)