Texas A&M University-Commerce Announces Brittany Miller as Head Softball Coach
COMMERCE – Texas A&M University-Commerce has announced the hiring of Brittany Miller as the third softball coach in school history, said Interim Director of Athletics Eric Coleman on Friday.
“Brittany Miller checked every box we were looking for when we started our search for the next leader of the storied Lion Softball program,” said Coleman. “Her experience as a pitching coach along with her deep roots in the Texas and California softball circuits are going to be extremely valuable at A&M-Commerce, as we transition into Division I and the Southland Conference.”
“We are looking forward to welcoming Brittany, her husband Thavis, and their children to the Lion family.”
Bringing over 13 seasons of coaching experience at the Division I level, Miller was a pitcher at the University of Iowa, earning the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year award twice and being named to National Fastpitch Coaches Association Second Team All-America. She takes over the Lions program after spending the last two seasons in Lubbock as the pitching coach at Texas Tech.
In her two seasons at Tech, the Red Raiders’ pitching staff recorded 518 strikeouts, including 290 in 2021, which was third in the Big Twelve Conference, behind Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. She mentored NFCA All-Region pitcher Kendall Fritz as well as Erin Edmoundson and Missy Zoch, who finished top five in the conference in strikeouts for the 2021 season.
“I want to thank Dr. Rudin and Eric Coleman for the opportunity to lead the A&M-Commerce softball program,” said Miller. “After spending time with everyone on campus, I can see that our values and vision of the softball program are in alignment. The enthusiasm surrounding the athletic department and university is contagious. My family and I are excited to be a part of this great community. Go Lions!”
Prior to her time in Lubbock, Miller was the pitching coach at Loyola Marymount for four seasons. The Lion pitchers led the West Coast Conference in earned run average during both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In 2019, LMU pitchers Samantha Manti and Hannah Bandimere pitched to ERAs below 3.0 and combined for 254 strikeouts. Bandimere was named the 2018 WCC Co-Pitcher of the Year under the mentorship of Miller and named to all-WCC teams twice.
Miller arrived in Los Angeles at LMU after four seasons at Iowa State. She guided the pitching staff to three no-hitters and tutored Katie Johnson to one of the best freshman campaigns in Cyclone program history. In 2015, pitcher Stacy Roggenstein struck out 111 batters, after punching out just four the season prior.
Before her time at Iowa State, Miller was in Fargo, North Dakota at North Dakota State for three seasons, two as a graduate assistant coach and one as an assistant coach on the Bison staff. NDSU won three straight Summit League Tournament Championships, advancing to the NCAA Tournament in each season.
At North Dakota State, she mentored Krita Menke, who received the honors of Summit League Freshman of the Year and Summit League Pitcher of the Year in 2012 as well being named to second team NFCA All-Midwest Region team.
Miller (neé Weil) is the only pitcher in Iowa History to earn the team’s Most Valuable Player award in all four seasons of her career. She was a four-time all-Big Ten selection, three-time NFCA All-Region honoree, two-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, and a NFCA second team All-America in 2009.
She set the Hawkeye career marks in strikeouts (1,083), complete games (110), innings pitched (1,011.2), and games pitched (183), as well as the single-season strikeout mark (339) in 2009, which all stand to this day. Following her storied career in Iowa City, she was the No. 7 overall draft pick by the Akron Racers in the 2009 National Pro Fastpitch staff.
Coleman added, “I want to thank Dale Brown for his tireless efforts in chairing the search and to all of the members on the search committee for their efforts during the selection process.”
A native of Garden Grove, California, Miller was inducted into the Orange County Softball Hall of Fame in 2020. She was a standout pitcher at Pacifica High School, receiving first team all-league, all-county, and all-California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) honors all four years on the varsity team. She set the CIF record with 102 victories in the circle.
Miller received her bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Iowa in 2009. She and her husband Thavis have seven children – Amilyon, Zatyvion, Lataviah, Tajavis, Tryce, Tytan, and Tazzy.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT COACH MILLER
“What a great fit for coach Miller to be the next leader of the A&M-Commerce softball program. I am incredibly happy for both her and her family. Coach Miller has the ability to uphold a competitive program, create a positive atmosphere for her student-athletes, and recruit top-level talent. I am looking forward to watching her lead those women to new heights.”
– Cindy Ball, Head Softball Coach, Central Florida (UCF)
“I am very excited for Brittany to being named head coach of the Lions. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to a great program. I know Brittany is the right person to build off this program’s success into the Southland Conference.”
– Darren Mueller, Head Softball Coach, North Dakota State
“Brittany is a great hire for A&M-Commerce. She has the experience and background to continue to build on the foundation that has been established. I have had the unique opportunity to see Brittany develop and grow from an All-American student-athlete at Iowa to working with her on the same coaching staff at Iowa State, and to competing against her as a coach at LMU and Texas Tech. In that time, I have seen her as a competitor that does it the right way. She is family oriented, has a growth mindset and builds relationships with the players that will lead the program to success. I am very excited for Brittany, her family, and A&M-Commerce.”
– Jamie Pinkerton, Head Softball Coach, Iowa State
“What a great hire A&M-Commerce has made in Brittany Miller! She is battle tested and more than ready to lead her own program. Not only is she a phenomenal coach and leader, but she is also even a better person. Brittany is one of the most caring and loyal people that I have had the privilege of knowing. Brittany, Thavis, and the Miller family will immediately add value and make a positive impact on the Commerce community!”
– Sami Ward, Former Head Softball Coach at Texas Tech, Loyola Marymount, Academy of Art, North Dakota, and Dakota Wesleyan