Ever since his rise to national recognition as a middle schooler, we have long been looking forward to the day rising John Burroughs senior Brandon Miller announced which college he would be attending.
After several years of domination in the AAU and MSHSAA ranks, Miller has announced that he has narrowed down his decision to six schools, in no particular order: Penn State University, Texas A&M University, Iowa State University, Mississippi State University, Clemson University, and the University of Oregon.
After pulling his hamstring in mid-April, Miller was unable to compete in the festivities this spring and summer. Though he missed out on his junior year season, he has still made his mark on several of the nation's top colleges over his illustrious high school career. He was generous enough to provide us with a few words on why he chose each university to be a part of his top 6.
Pennsylvania State University: "I chose Penn State to be a part of my top six because of the culture that is embedded in that track program. The team feels like a family and Coach Gondak is the type of guy who cares for you as an individual first rather than just an athlete. I could see myself running under him."
Texas A&M University: "I chose Texas A&M because they have a rich tradition in my event group, Coach Mallard is a really nice guy, and he cares about me on a personal level. On my home visit, I really 'vibed' with him and I could definitely see myself running under him. He's also stayed in contact with me from the beginning and that has really resonated with me."
Iowa State University: "I chose Iowa State not only because my big brother goes there, but also because Coach Sudberry is very driven man; you can tell he wants to be great. Again, he cares for you as an individual first, but at the same time he wants to win, which I love. The track team [has] a family atmosphere and Coach Sudberry has a vision in what he's trying to achieve with the [mid-distance] program.
Mississippi State University: "I chose Mississippi State because Coach Woods is a great role model. As a young black male, I could relate to him in many ways, and he's very driven. He has a vision and a plan and he made me feel as if I would be a big part [of achieving] that plan. He's also a great coach and has coached tremendous 800m athletes."
Clemson University: "What can't I say about Mark Elliot? He's a legend! But, in a way, he's kind of like family. I could trust him to look out for me and he's a very "real" person. He's not going to change as a person and you can depend on him to help you when things aren't going your way. Oh, and he's a very good 800m coach..."
University of Oregon: Oregon was definitely my dream school growing up. Watching [Steve] Prefontaine movies in my childhood really left a mark on me, [hence why I wore] a model of a Prefontaine uniform in the AAU Jr. Olympics. They just have a huge history in the sport and to be apart of that would be amazing. Also, Coach Henson and Coach Ben Thomas have done a great job in forming a strong relationship with me and my family."
