Miller Excels in Two Arenas for CU

Straddled between the high-impact sports of wrestling and football with the overriding potential to succeed in both, sophomore athlete Lou Miller balances both the pressure and accomplishment of two time-consuming commitments. A two-sport athlete thriving within Cincinnati’s St. Xavier High School’s elevated athletic department, Miller’s career began with a breakout performance in wrestling.

“Initially, I was better at wrestling. By junior year I was a solid wrestler, while in football I still struggled game by game, warming the bench until my senior year,” Miller said. “Senior year, however, brought the strongest football season I could have ever expected and it eventually trumped any of my high school wrestling accomplishments.”

As a high-school senior, Miller was named first team all-league and all-district in football, achievements that would shape his college plans.

“I chose Columbia because I liked everything it had to offer. I could continue playing sports without compromising my academics or my future career,” he explained.

At Columbia, Miller exploded onto the football scene and currently stands as the leading candidate to start at right linebacker. It wasn’t until the second semester of this year that Miller’s decision to further develop his athletic career led him back to the sweaty mats and unitards of wrestling.

“It was something that I had been thinking about doing for awhile, and I really missed the competition,” he said. “I took the time to weigh the positives and negatives and found it to be the right thing to do for me.”

The differences between the two sports have sparked varying obligations and tiring dedication.

“They are both very physical sports, extremely competitive and require a lot of preparation and mental toughness to even withstand a chance,” Miller explained. “The biggest difference between the sports has been the dieting. In football the players try to become as large as possible, while in wrestling it’s often times the opposite.”

Pre-game preparation revolves around similar tactics for both sports. The execution of drills to increase heart rate, stretching and warm up exercises all reflect similar tactics of competition that span the realms of both sports.

With the help of head football coach Norries Wilson, who also wrestled at Minnesota, Lou’s accomplishments on the mats have stemmed from a recognition of what it takes to succeed.

“I think Columbia’s wrestling season looks extremely promising. Everyone seems to be on top of their business and committed to their goals, meaning a lot of good can come within the next two months,” he said.

The Ohio native has started to embrace New York’s feverish pace.

“Coming from Cincinnati, I think it is cool that everything stays open so much later, and that there are so many people walking around,” Miller said. “I miss the suburbs every once in awhile, but I am really starting to feel at home here.”

From the looks of things, Columbia seems more than willing to provide Miller with a place, on the football field, the wrestling mat, and on campus, to call home.