Sophomore Natasha Miller broke records and made Biola history last week at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Not only did she lead Biola to a strong finish, but she was also awarded NAIA’s Most Valuable Performer Award, which is given to only one female athlete each year.
Miller made her mark by winning the pentathlon with 3,943 points, breaking a 15-year NAIA record and setting a new Biola record. She also won four out of five pentathlon events and achieved her personal best in the 60-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump, and 800-meter run events.
Miller’s win was the first Biola women’s track and field championship title since 1994 and the first championship of any track and field player since 2001.
Along with winning the pentathlon, Miller went on to take fourth place in the 60-meter hurdles, fourth in the high jump, fifth in the triple jump, as well as running on the Biola medley relay team that took second place.
Miller was a driving force for Biola, leading them to receive eighth place out of 39 teams and getting 22 of the team’s 28 points.
This year’s tournament makes Miller a five-time All-American, not including prior success when she took fourth place by winning two out of four of the pentathlon events at last year’s indoor championships and second in high jump at the outdoor championships.
Miller has improved significantly from her already impressive performance last year. This year, she won four of the five pentathlon events compared to two last year, and her high jump has improved from 1.70 meters to 1.75 meters in the pentathlon high jump this year.
Less than half way through her college career, Miller has already become a seven-time All-American – something few athletes achieve in their entire career. Biola has decided to honor her achievement by placing an article about her on the home page of the school’s Web site.
We haven’t heard the last from Miller and can look to see more from her and the rest of the track team as they transition into preparing for the NAIA Outdoor Championships in May. The team will compete next on Friday and Saturday at Point Loma Nazarene and will look forward to their home meet at Biola on March 27.
