Women's Cross Country & Track
Miller, Jill
Jill Miller
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- jill.miller@northwestern.edu
Since being named head women’s cross country coach at Northwestern in July of 2019, Jill Miller has elevated the program to new heights on both the regional and national scene. Set to begin her seventh season leading the Wildcats, Miller embarks on another new challenge in 2025-26, spearheading the addition of an indoor and outdoor track program.
A native of Dublin, Ohio, Miller piloted the 'Cats to a fifth-place finish at the 2022 Big Ten Championships, marking the program's top showing at the league meet since 1986. Miller's crew raised the bar just two weeks later, placing second overall at the NCAA Midwest Regional to earn Northwestern’s first NCAA Cross Championships berth as a team in 20 years.
During her time at Northwestern, Miller has mentored four All-Big Ten Conference selections and 12 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honorees. Throughout her collegiate coaching career, she has aided in the development of 25 All-Americans and 30 All-Region picks between cross country and track. Additionally, Miller has guided six of her cross country teams to top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Miller's work at Northwestern has been evident in the development of Rachel McCardell and Ava Earl. One of the most decorated Wildcats in program history, McCardell was a two-time All-Big Ten pick and twice qualified for the NCAA Championships. She placed third overall at the 2022 NCAA Midwest Regional, the top individual finish at the event in Northwestern annals. Earl, a three-time All-Region pick under Miller’s tutelage, led a group of three Wildcats to take home All-Region distinction in 2023, placing eighth at the regional meet en route to appearing at the NCAA Championships, where she was the second-highest finisher ever for Northwestern.
Excellence in the classroom has also been a hallmark of Miller's tenure, with 92 Wildcats receiving Academic All-Big Ten honors since 2019. Following the 2022 season, McCardell was tabbed a Second Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).
Prior to her arrival in Evanston, Miller served as the head women's cross country coach at the University of Wisconsin. The Badgers earned four top-15 finishes at the NCAA Cross Country Championships during her tenure, with three of those teams placing inside the top 10.
Miller was instrumental in the ascendence of Alicia Monson, the 2018 Big Ten Champion and unanimous Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year, and an NCAA Indoor Champion at 5,000 meters. Miller also coached Sarah Disanza to four All-America honors, including a National Runner-Up finish at the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championships, a third-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships at 5,000m, and a seventh-place finish at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Under Miller’s guidance, Disanza also broke the United States indoor junior record at 5,000m and holds the Big Ten record at that distance.
In 2019, United States Track & Field (USATF) named Miller as the National Coach for Team USA at the North American, Central American, and Caribbean (NACAC) Cross Country Championships. The senior women’s team garnered the championship title at the event, while the junior women’s team took the runner-up title.
Before joining the Badgers, Miller spent three years at the College of William & Mary, two as the head cross country coach, where she earned a pair of Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year honors. Miller's first season as the head of the women's program was a smashing success, as the Tribe won both the cross country and track & field CAA titles and advanced to the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the first time since 2005. She led the Tribe to a 12th-place showing at the 2013 NCAA Cross Country Championships and 13th-place finish in the Terry Crawford Program of the Year standings. Under Miller’s guidance, William & Mary scored at all three national championships for the first time in program history.
Miller's tutelage was pivotal in the development of four-time All-American and 2013 Southeast Region Athlete of the Year Emily Stites at William & Mary. The 2012 CAA Rookie of the Year claimed the USA Junior Cross Country Championship to secure a spot at the 2013 World Cross Country Championships, where she was voted captain of Team USA. Miller also coached two-time CAA Athlete of the Year Elaina Balouris to a CAA Meet Championship and six All-America honors.
Prior to her successful stint at the helm of the Tribe, Miller spent three seasons at Brown University, one as head coach. In her time with the Bears, she coached six NCAA Outdoor National Championship qualifiers and 23 all-time top-10 performers.
Miller starred as a student-athlete at Wake Forest University, where she helped lead the Demon Deacons to four straight berths to the NCAA Cross Country Championships and the program’s first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title in 2002. A 2003 All-American in the 5,000m run, Miller earned a runner-up finish in the 3,000m run at the 2002 USA Junior Championships.
Miller graduated cum laude from Wake Forest in 2005, earning dual degrees in psychology and political science.
A native of Dublin, Ohio, Miller piloted the 'Cats to a fifth-place finish at the 2022 Big Ten Championships, marking the program's top showing at the league meet since 1986. Miller's crew raised the bar just two weeks later, placing second overall at the NCAA Midwest Regional to earn Northwestern’s first NCAA Cross Championships berth as a team in 20 years.
During her time at Northwestern, Miller has mentored four All-Big Ten Conference selections and 12 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honorees. Throughout her collegiate coaching career, she has aided in the development of 25 All-Americans and 30 All-Region picks between cross country and track. Additionally, Miller has guided six of her cross country teams to top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Miller's work at Northwestern has been evident in the development of Rachel McCardell and Ava Earl. One of the most decorated Wildcats in program history, McCardell was a two-time All-Big Ten pick and twice qualified for the NCAA Championships. She placed third overall at the 2022 NCAA Midwest Regional, the top individual finish at the event in Northwestern annals. Earl, a three-time All-Region pick under Miller’s tutelage, led a group of three Wildcats to take home All-Region distinction in 2023, placing eighth at the regional meet en route to appearing at the NCAA Championships, where she was the second-highest finisher ever for Northwestern.
Excellence in the classroom has also been a hallmark of Miller's tenure, with 92 Wildcats receiving Academic All-Big Ten honors since 2019. Following the 2022 season, McCardell was tabbed a Second Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).
Prior to her arrival in Evanston, Miller served as the head women's cross country coach at the University of Wisconsin. The Badgers earned four top-15 finishes at the NCAA Cross Country Championships during her tenure, with three of those teams placing inside the top 10.
Miller was instrumental in the ascendence of Alicia Monson, the 2018 Big Ten Champion and unanimous Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year, and an NCAA Indoor Champion at 5,000 meters. Miller also coached Sarah Disanza to four All-America honors, including a National Runner-Up finish at the 2014 NCAA Cross Country Championships, a third-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships at 5,000m, and a seventh-place finish at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Under Miller’s guidance, Disanza also broke the United States indoor junior record at 5,000m and holds the Big Ten record at that distance.
In 2019, United States Track & Field (USATF) named Miller as the National Coach for Team USA at the North American, Central American, and Caribbean (NACAC) Cross Country Championships. The senior women’s team garnered the championship title at the event, while the junior women’s team took the runner-up title.
Before joining the Badgers, Miller spent three years at the College of William & Mary, two as the head cross country coach, where she earned a pair of Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year honors. Miller's first season as the head of the women's program was a smashing success, as the Tribe won both the cross country and track & field CAA titles and advanced to the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the first time since 2005. She led the Tribe to a 12th-place showing at the 2013 NCAA Cross Country Championships and 13th-place finish in the Terry Crawford Program of the Year standings. Under Miller’s guidance, William & Mary scored at all three national championships for the first time in program history.
Miller's tutelage was pivotal in the development of four-time All-American and 2013 Southeast Region Athlete of the Year Emily Stites at William & Mary. The 2012 CAA Rookie of the Year claimed the USA Junior Cross Country Championship to secure a spot at the 2013 World Cross Country Championships, where she was voted captain of Team USA. Miller also coached two-time CAA Athlete of the Year Elaina Balouris to a CAA Meet Championship and six All-America honors.
Prior to her successful stint at the helm of the Tribe, Miller spent three seasons at Brown University, one as head coach. In her time with the Bears, she coached six NCAA Outdoor National Championship qualifiers and 23 all-time top-10 performers.
Miller starred as a student-athlete at Wake Forest University, where she helped lead the Demon Deacons to four straight berths to the NCAA Cross Country Championships and the program’s first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title in 2002. A 2003 All-American in the 5,000m run, Miller earned a runner-up finish in the 3,000m run at the 2002 USA Junior Championships.
Miller graduated cum laude from Wake Forest in 2005, earning dual degrees in psychology and political science.
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