Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Land Transfer Pitcher Ashley Miller
6/15/2023 5:00:00 PM | Softball
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern Head Coach Kate Drohan announced the addition of veteran pitcher Ashley Miller to the Wildcats' 2024 roster on Thursday.
Miller will enroll as a graduate student in the prestigious Kellogg School of Management, pursuing a Master's degree after spending the last three years at Michigan State.
"Ashley's track record as an accomplished pitcher in the Big Ten, and her commitment to excellence, make her a perfect fit for Northwestern," Drohan said. "Her experience and skillset will immediately strengthen our pitching staff and contribute to our success on the field. She is an absolute gamer in the circle, and we are so excited to welcome her as part of our program."
In three seasons with Michigan State, Miller racked up 472 strikeouts in 420.1 innings pitched, the third-most all-time in Spartan history. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2021 before earning an NFCA All-Region selection in her 2022 season.
"I am beyond excited to join Northwestern softball to continue my softball career," Miller said. "Northwestern's commitment to excellence in athletics, academics, and the community is something that I cannot wait to be a part of. Thank you to the Northwestern coaching staff for this amazing opportunity and to my family and friends for the constant support. Evanston is home! Go 'Cats!"
A native of Leo, Indiana, Miller made an immediate impact from the day she arrived in the Big Ten, leading Michigan State in innings pitched in each of her seasons. During her rookie campaign in 2021, she led the Spartans with a 1.98 ERA (32 ER/112.2 IP) to go along with 99 strikeouts and four complete games.
Miller turned in a sensational sophomore campaign in 2022, posting a 1.81 ERA (50 ER/193.1 IP) with 14 wins and 244 strikeouts, the second-highest single season mark in MSU history. She notched a strikeout/walk ratio above 4:1 while limiting opponents to a .208 batting average that year on her way to being named an NFCA Second Team All-Great Lakes Region honoree.
Miller posted double-digit strikeouts in 11 of her team-high 34 appearances in 2022 as she finished the season ranked among the Top-20 in the nation in strikeouts. Her most notable performance came on Feb. 13, 2022 when she recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts and tossed the first perfect game of her career in a win over Akron.
Most recently in 2023, Miller recorded 129 strikeouts across 114.1 innings. In 16 starts, she finished the year with eight complete games including two shutouts.
In addition to her success on the field, Miller was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2022, recognizing student-athletes with a minimum GPA of 3.70 or better in an academic year.
Miller will join a group of eight additional first-year newcomers to the 2024 roster. Northwestern is coming off a memorable 2023 campaign that saw the Wildcats finish 42-13 and capture a Big Ten regular season title for the second-consecutive season in addition to winning the Big Ten Tournament title. Northwestern earned the No. 12 national seed in the NCAA Tournament and secured its third NCAA Regional title in the last four tournaments.
