Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Track and Field Spotlight: Nick Miller
May 16, 2012 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
May 16, 2012
As just a true freshman, Nick Miller has become a breakout star for the Oklahoma State track and field team during the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Miller, a native of Carlisle, United Kingdom, is fresh off of a Big 12 title in the hammer throw over the weekend. What makes his performance even more impressive is the fact that four of his six attempts went further than the top throw of the second place finisher.
Despite his dominance in the hammer throw at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships, Miller still thought he could have accomplished more, and that is exactly what he is aiming for.
“It's good as a freshman. I was happy with the win,” Miller said. “The performance could've been a bit better. It was a big meet; you're not in your normal situation, so it was a good day.
“Next year, I want to increase (my distance) and take the Big 12 record. Obviously, winning nationals every year is the goal. Every meet, I want to improve, get better.”
With that attitude to constantly improve, throws coach John Baumann said Miller is a great athlete to work with because he is always trying to develop his skill.
“He's a great kid to coach, easy to coach,” Baumann said. “He understands his event, and he's a great student of his event, so it makes it even easier.”
Along with a Big 12 title in the hammer throw, Miller also set the school record in the hammer throw at the John McDonnell Invitational on April 20 when he recorded a throw of 220 feet. He also placed second in the weight throw at the Big 12 Indoor Championships on Feb. 24, which was a completely new event to him.
Miller said he and Baumann have a great relationship, which has been the driving force behind all of his success this season.
“He's basically just an older, crazier version of myself,” Miller said. “He's very easygoing. He just wakes up and wants to help me train and help me throw, and that's all I think about as well. We're just two very similar personalities.”
Track and field director Dave Smith has also noticed how well Miller and Baumann get along, noting their personalities mesh well together.
“They work really well together,” Smith said. “They're both weird guys with strange ideas, but they jell really well together, they're two peas in a pod and they see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. I think that's one of the reasons Nick came here.
“John might be a little unconventional in his thinking and his training, but obviously it's good and it works, and I think Nick liked what John told him on his visit. Those guys just click and it's working very well.”
In fact, Miller said he chose to attend OSU over Nebraska, who also recruited him, because he and Baumann hit it off so well when they first met.
“John, my coach, came and visited my house, and there's just some people you bond with, and I felt like he was the guy for me,” Miller said. “It's turned out he's a good friend, we have a lot of fun training and he's the real reason that brought me here.”
Smith and Baumann are both happy Miller chose OSU because of what the future might hold for the young, budding athlete.
“He's extremely talented,” Smith said. “The hammer is something that you normally get much better at as you get stronger when you hit your physical peak, maybe 21, 22, 23, 24 years old. Nick's competing with the best in the NCAA as a 19-year-old freshman. I think he's come along way this year under Baumann.”
With hard work, Baumann said Miller can be successful in the hammer throw for years to come.
“His ability to accomplish more is still yet to come,” Baumann said. “He just turned 19. If he changes a few things, he's going to go farther again. If he stays in it, he could have a pretty long career in it.”
