The Air Force women’s swimming and diving team, along with head coach Colleen Murphy, have announced Athena Miller as the new assistant swim coach for the upcoming 2017-18 season.
“I am honored and excited for not only the opportunity to work for and represent the United States Air Force Academy, but to also work with Colleen Murphy,” Miller said. “She has had great success in her past and I am looking forward to being part of that success at USAFA. She is an amazing example for all female coaches, and her cadet-athletes, and it is a privilege to be part of her team.”
A 2008 graduate of the University of Mount Union, Miller spent the 2016-17 season as the assistant swim coach at Dartmouth College, where she helped with the Big Green’s recruiting, fundraising and overall operations of the program. She also helped secure 18 top-10 program times for the men’s program and nine for the women during her one-year stint.
“Coach Miller is one of the best young coaches in the country and I am honored that she is taking her next step at the United States Air Force Academy,” Murphy said. “Coach Miller has shown a unique understanding of our mission at USAFA. She understands that while we are helping our team swim fast, our most important mission is to create leaders of character for our nation’s Air Force. Her background and experience are great additions to our team. Throughout the process she exhibited a passion for recruiting, team dynamics and on-deck coaching. We are so excited to welcome her to our Falcon family.”
Miller spent the 2015-16 season as an assistant coach with Duke University, where she helped seven women and seven men become NCAA qualifiers. She saw the Blue Devils break 33 school records in 18 events and helped Yusuke Legard qualify for the British Olympic Trials during her time in Durham, N.C.
Prior to her time at Duke, she served as the head men’s and women’s coach for Defiance College from 2012 -15. While there, she spearheaded the team’s recruiting, travel, scheduling, budgeting and fundraising.
Miller graduated from Mount Union with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration with an emphasis in management/economics in 2008. She went on to earn two Master’s degrees, first with a Master’s in psychology with an emphasis in sport from Capella University in December of 2012 and next with a Master’s in business administration from Defiance in May 2015.
Press Release courtesy of Air Force Athletics.