The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1493632
MARCH/APRIL 2023 ■ 47 BY MATT HERB rowing up in England, Nell Miller hadn't given any thought to continuing her tennis career in the United States. Then the older players with whom the Kent native was training all began jetting off to their American col- leges, and Miller found herself thinking about a career path she hadn't previously considered. "I was like, 'Oh, what's this?'" she re- called. "They all told me about it, and another English girl who was in the U.S. reached out to me and said, 'I think you should go to America. It's a really good opportunity. You get to train. You get to study.' I was like 'Oh, OK.'" Miller began exploring her options and quickly elicited the attention of Ameri- can college coaches. After visiting Texas Tech and Wake Forest, she decided she would follow her training partners across the Atlantic. It has proved to be a farsighted deci- sion. Now a fifth-year senior, Miller has excelled in both singles and doubles play throughout her college career. In three seasons at Texas Tech, where she began her career, she totaled 45 wins in singles and 48 in doubles. She won a Big 12 title in the former and was ranked as high as 35th nationally in the latter. In 2021, she transferred to NC State and found even more success. In her first season with the Wolfpack, Miller teamed up with senior Jaeda Daniel and surged to the top of the national doubles rankings with a 27-5 record. Faced with high expectations heading into the NCAA Tournament, Miller and Daniel played up to their seeding, claim- ing the national championship with a 6-2, 7-5 win over a team from Miami (Fla.) in the final, resulting in the first NCAA crown in NC State program his- tory. Coach Simon Earnshaw had known about Miller from her time as a recruit and had even seen her in action at Texas Tech during the 2019 and '20 seasons. In a 2020 dual meet, Miller faced off in singles against her future doubles part- ner Daniel, winning 6-0, 6-0. "Nell was a player we looked at prior to college and unfortunately didn't have the opportunity to see her represent the Wolfpack at that point in her career," Earnshaw said. When he learned that Miller was look- ing to transfer, Earnshaw said he and as- sistant coach David Secker didn't think twice about pursuing her, calling the de- cision "a no-brainer for both Dave and I." At NC State, Miller didn't immediately click with Daniel on the court, but dur- ing a match against Georgia, they saved a series of match points and rallied for a 7-5 win. They were ranked 30th nation- ally at the time, and that victory set them on the path to a national championship. The key to their chemistry, Miller said, was the collaborative attitude that they both brought to the court. If one of the two wasn't playing well, the other would step up. When something went wrong, there was no finger-pointing. "We had each other's back on the court," Miller recalled. "There was very open communication, and that's one of the things that definitely helped us to progress so much." With Daniel having since graduated, Miller has primarily teamed with junior (and fellow Briton) Amelia Rajecki this season. The fifth-ranked duo were 15-5 heading into a March 3 match against Georgia Tech. Miller also teamed up with junior Gina Dittmann after coming back from an abdominal injury that kept her out of action for a couple of weeks in early Feb- ruary. The twosome earned a 7-5 victory in the Wolfpack's ACC opener at Wake Forest on Feb. 17. With the postseason approaching, Miller is eager to contribute to what she hopes will be a run at the NCAA team title. The Wolfpack was ranked ninth na- tionally as of late February and certainly looked like a contender in a 4-3 road win over No. 2 Ohio State on Feb. 22. "With our team right now, we have some really good opportunities," Miller said. "We have the possibility of winning the ACC, as well as winning the NCAAs. I think we have a really good shot at mak- ing a massive run and a massive impact. "Simon and Dave have built this pro- gram up over time, and I think this is the time when the possibilities are really endless. The team connects really well. People are playing great, and everything is clicking at the moment. There's the big possibility of lifting the trophy at the end of the day." After her tenure with the Wolfpack ends this spring, Miller will focus on her pro career. A year ago, she achieved a lifelong dream when she and doubles partner Sonay Kartal earned a wild card invitation to compete at Wimbledon. "You grow up and think, 'I really wish I could play here. This is what I want to do,'" Miller said. "And then you get to the moment, and you're like, 'Wow, I've really done it. I'm really here.' "It's just one of those experiences you'll never forget. It was very stressful at the time, but also just amazing and incredible to be a part of." She and Kartal fell 7-5, 6-4 in first- round action, but Miller's professional prospects are bright. She intends to compete at doubles, and possibly at sin- gles if an opportunity arises. She's now 464th in the Women's Tennis Associa- tion doubles rankings, and while she is currently unranked in singles, she was 846th before starting her college career in 2018. Miller also plans to stay around the game in some capacity even after her pro playing career is over. Majoring in sports management, she is looking to eventu- ally get involved in coaching, either as a volunteer or as an assistant. Looking back, she sees her decision to join the Wolfpack as a pivotal step in her journey. "It just felt like everything that I wanted was at NC State," Miller said. "It was a pretty big leap of faith for me. I was quite worried, but I think it worked out all right." ■ G " It just felt like everything that I wanted was at NC State. It was a pretty big leap of faith for me. I was quite worried, but I think it worked out all right. " Miller