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Another staple to the Kansas soccer coaching staff, Kelly Miller enters his 13th season at the University of Kansas and fourth as the Associate Head Coach under Mark Francis. In 2008, Miller was elevated to his current position after serving as an assistant coach for the previous nine seasons.
In 1999, along with Francis, Miller made the move to KU to train the goalkeepers. He became a full-time assistant the following spring and has since helped the Jayhawks reach the NCAA Tournament four times (2001, `03, `04, `08), and capture KU's first Big 12 soccer title in 2004.
Along with coaching the Jayhawks, Miller is a Region II Olympic Development Program staff coach, a Kansas state ODP coach and holds USSF licensing.
A goalkeeper during his playing days, Miller trains the KU keepers along with the defenders to unite the two into a cohesive unit. His duties also include serving as the programs' recruiting coordinator.
Since his appointment, the Jayhawk defense has showed marked improvements statistically. Miller was responsible for coaching the 2004 squad to the lowest goals against average in program history at 0.55 and fewest goals allowed with 13. As the Jayhawk goalkeeper coach, Miller has developed his keepers to contend for conference and national recognition.
Miller trained one of the best goalkeepers in program history in Meghan Miller from 2001-04. Meghan, who owns a school record 0.98 goals against average, capped an outstanding career earning All-America second team honors in 2004. She was also a two-time All-Big 12 First Team performer and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on five occasions.
In 2006 sophomore keeper Julie Hanley posted a 0.98 goals against average with seven shutouts. Hanley was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks while senior goalkeeper Colleen Quinn earned the honor three straight times in 2007. Miller's back field contingents have garnered conference defensive player of the week accolades 15 times in the 11-year history of the award.
Most recently, Kat Liebetrau led the Big 12 Conference with 113 saves in 2010, while her .796 save percentage was the fifth-best mark in the league (second-best in school history) and her four shutouts tied for eighth. Liebetrau was recognized by the conference on Sept. 14 as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts that included 17 saves in two games.
After just two years under Miller's guidance, Liebetrau already ranks fourth all-time in Kansas history with 160 career saves and a .773 save percentage through two seasons.
Miller also trained defenders Holly Gault and Estelle Johnson during his time at KU. Gault (2003-06) was a two-time All-American and was eventually named to the 13-person Big 12 10th Anniversary Team in 2005-06. Johnson trained under Miller from 2006-09, when she was chosen an NSCAA All-Central Region selection twice. Following her four-year career at KU, which she concluded as the program's leader in career starts with 83, Johnson became the first Jayhawk ever drafted by a Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) team.
Miller graduated with a bachelor's degree in fine arts from The Cooper Union in 1996. He currently resides in Lawrence. |
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