Updated 11/2/08

In 16 seasons as the Blue Hens' head coach, Carol Miller has brought her alma mater, the University of Delaware, back to field hockey prominence.

Since returning to Delaware as head coach in 1993, Blue Hen field hockey teams have enjoyed outstanding success, culminating in the Blue Hens' first-ever Colonial Athletic Association title in 2004 when Delaware posted a 15-7 record, earned a No. 14 final NCAA ranking, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988.

Miller has been a consistent winner throughout her collegiate coaching career. In 16 seasons at the helm of Delaware, she has led the Blue Hens to 10 winning seasons and an overall record of 172-144 (.544). The Hens have won 10 or more games nine times, including 15-win campaigns in both 1998 and 2004. Her 162 victories at Delaware are second only to her former coach, Mary Ann Hitchens, who posted a record of 196-76-30 in 1973-88.

In league play, Miller's teams have been .500 or better in all but three seasons and have a combined mark of 65-48 (.586). Her teams advanced to the league semifinals or finals nine straight years between 1996-2004 and have finished lower than fourth in the league regular season standings just five times. The Hens have advanced to their league championship game three times, in 2001, 2003, and 2004.

The 2004 season was one to remember. The Blue Hens posted a record of 15-7 - their highest win total since 1998 - and went 5-2 in league play to finish third in the regular season standings. Delaware then put it all together in the CAA Tournament at William & Mary, upending eight-time defending champion and No. 2 seed Old Dominion 2-1 in overtime before trouncing Hofstra 5-1 in the championship game.

Delaware then moved on to the NCAA Tournament for the first time where they fell to host and No. 2 seed Maryland 5-2 in the first round. The Hens were ranked No. 14 in the final regular season National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll and placed two players on the All-American team (Amanda Warrington and Leah Geib) and five on the All-Region squad. Geib went on to be named the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Delaware and was one of 10 finalists for the national award.

In 24 years of head coaching experience at the collegiate level, which includes an eight-year stint at NCAA Division II Millersville, Miller has posted an impressive overall record of 258-195-18 (.567), including a mark of 100-68-4 (.593) in regular season league games. She reached the impressive 200-win plateau in Delaware's 4-1 win over Drexel Nov. 3, 2002.

Miller took over the reigns of the Delaware field hockey program in 1993 and instantly build the Blue Hens into a winner after two straight losing seasons.

The Hens posted consecutive records of 9-8, 14-6, 11-8, 13-6, 13-7, and 15-6 as members of the America East conference, winning the league regular season title in 1994 and advancing to the league tournament four of those seasons. She earned America East Coach of the Year honors in 1994 when she led her squad to a 14-6 record and a berth in the league semifinals.

Delaware struggled to marks of 9-12 in 1999 and 8-12 in 2000 but still advanced to the league semifinals each seasons. In 2001, the Hens improved to 13-8 and advanced to the America East title game before falling to Northeastern in the finals.

The Hens moved up to the stronger Colonial Athletic Association beginning with the 2002 season but the winning continued. In the first four seasons as members of CAA, Miller led her teams to a combined record of 47-35 overall and 16-14 in regular season league play. The Hens advanced to the semifinals in 2002, lost in the title game to Old Dominion in 2003, and won it all in 2004.

Miller's tenure has been marked by consistent Top 20 ranking and outstanding individual accomplishments. Her teams have been ranked in the Top 20 at some point in 11 of the last 12 seasons, including a final ranking of No. 14 in 2004. Delaware enjoyed its highest ranking under Miller in 1998 when the Blue Hens were picked No. 6 during the season.

Individually under Miller, Blue Hen players have earned All-American notice seven times, All-Region laurels 43 times, and all-conference honors 38 times. In addition, Jodi Byrd was named the 1998 America East Player of the Year.

Her athletes have also been outstanding students with numerous NFHCA All-Academic and CAA Academic Honor Roll award recipients. Kim Wagaman was the inaugural CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2002 while Geib won the award in both 2003 and 2004 while also earning CoSIDA All-District Academic honors. Kelly Cawley was a two-time CoSIDA All-District Academic selection in 1997 and 1998 and was named the 1999 NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Delaware. Geib was the NCAA Woman of the Year for the state in 2005 and became the first UD student-athlete to be a top 10 finalist for the national NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Miller, a native of East Petersburg, PA and a 1982 University of Delaware graduate, returned to her alma mater after a successful eight-year stint as head coach at Millersville (Pa.) University where she led the Marauders to a record of 86-51-18, including seven winning seasons.

She also guided Millersville to consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships in 1985 and 1986 and two second place finishes and five NCAA Division III tournament appearances. Her teams were also consistently ranked in the top 10. She coached 11 All-Americans, 15 All-Region players and three Academic All-Americans.

While at Millersville, Miller also coached the Marauder softball team and was an assistant with the women's track and field team. She received Millersville's most prestigious athletics honors in October, 2004 when she was inducted into the Millersville Athletics Hall of Fame.

Miller starred in both field hockey and track and field at Delaware, earning All-American honors three times and playing five years as a member of the U.S. Field Hockey squad as well as a five-time USOC Olympic Festival participant. At one point, Miller was the youngest participant on the U.S. squad, having achieved the honor directly out of high school.

She led the Blue Hens to a second place finish at the AIAW national championships in 1978 and a third place finish in 1980. She served as captain of the Delaware field hockey team in 1980 and 1981, and in 1982 was a member of the Under-21 National Team.

Miller still ranks third on the career goal list at Delaware with 46 and is tied for the fourth spot in career points with 100. Mitchell & Ness named Miller to its All-American team in 1978, 1979, and 1981, making her the only three-time All-American in Blue Hen field hockey history. She was honored for her outstanding playing career in November, 2001 when she was inducted into the University of Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame.

Miller also was a two-year letterwinner for the Blue Hen track and field squad and still holds the school record in the javelin with a toss of 143-9 in 1980. She was ninth in the javelin at the AIAW national meet in 1981.

She served as chairperson for the NCAA Division III National All-American Field Hockey Committee from 1987-1990 and vice-president of the College Field Hockey Coaches Association in 1990-91.

She has previously served as chairperson of the Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year committee, as the NFHA regional chairperson, as a member of the Mid-Atlantic Region All-American Committee, and as the chairperson for the Mid-Atlantic Region Polling committee.