Jay Miller Joins Softball Coaching Staff
September 13, 2012 | Softball
Sept. 13, 2012
University of Louisville head softball coach Sandy Pearsall has announced that former USA Softball and Mississippi State head coach Jay Miller will join the Cardinals' staff as a volunteer assistant.
"We're very happy to have somebody of Jay Miller's caliber join our staff," said Pearsall. "He brings a great deal of experience not only with the US team, but also has an extensive college background and we are excited to have him join our program."
Miller brings an impressive resume to add to the 2012 BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year. He spent nine seasons (2003-11) as the head coach at Mississippi State where he led the Bulldogs to six NCAA appearances. While at Mississippi State, Miller posted his 1000th career victory, becoming the 13th Division I head coach to do so - he finished with a 1004-668 overall record.
"I'm excited to join the Louisville program," said Miller. "Louisville has a great tradition and a strong background. They have the tools to advance to the Women's College World Series and I look forward to being part of that and helping out any way I can."
Prior to his time at Mississippi State, Miller spent 15 seasons as the head coach at Missouri (1987-2002). There, he led the Tigers to a pair of Women's College World Series appearances (1991 and 1994), five NCAA Regional appearances and compiled a 556-309 overall record. Under his tutelage, Missouri won two overall regular season conference championships and three tournament titles. Miller earned Big Eight Coach of the Year honors twice (1991 and 1992), and when Missouri changed conferences, added a Big 12 Coach of the Year title as well in 1994.
While at Mississippi State and Missouri, 48 of Miller's players earned all-conference honors, and 11 were all-America selections including four-time All-American and USA national team member Chelsea Bramlett. In addition, Miller coached two players - Barb Wright at Missouri and Iyhia McMichael at Mississippi State - to three different conference player of the year accolades.
In 2009,Miller earned a distinguished place among fastpitch softball's coaching greats in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame as part of the association's 18th class.
His success on the collegiate stage helped build an international résumé that culminated with being selected the USA National Team head coach from 2009 to 2010, earning USOC National Coach of the Year honors in each of those years. Miller guided the 2009 USA to gold medals at Canada Cup, the World Cup of Softball and Japan Cup. In 2010, he led team USA to ISF World Championship, a second World Cup gold medal and the Japan Cup championship. His journey to the position started in 1992 when he served on the National Team selection committee that would, ultimately, be in charge of choosing the inaugural USA Softball team to compete in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
He began his educational career at the University of Grenoble in Grenoble, France, completing his international studies program there before obtaining his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Psychology and Sociology from Illinois State in Normal, Ill., in 1978. He completed his Master's Degree in Education with an emphasis in counseling and personnel services at Purdue University in 1979.
