NHS students, Miller and Hitchler, named 2012 student athletes of the year

23 Apr 2012    

A pair of NCAA All-America track and field athletes and team captains were named Nebraska's 2012 Student-Athletes of the Year Sunday night at the school's 22nd annual Student-Athlete Recognition Banquet before 650 attendees at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Ashley Miller, a senior distance and cross country runner from Tipton, Iowa, and Tyler Hitchler, a senior shot put and discus thrower from Fremont, Neb., swept the Athletic Department's top two individual honors, giving Nebraska Coach Gary Pepin's track and field program an unprecedented back-to-back sweep. Track and field All-Americans Nicholas Gordon and Natalie Willer won the same awards in 2011.

"As my academic and athletic careers at Nebraska come to a close, I will cherish this point in my life - from the memories made, the knowledge learned and the friendships built," Miller said. "I vividly remember my entrance interview coming into Nebraska as a freshman. Two of my goals were to become an Academic All-American and an All-American on the track. Both have been achieved, and now that I've reached those goals, I'm anticipating good fortune as I train for my final outdoor season. Nebraska has played a big part in the person I've become."

Hitchler expressed similar gratitude for the opportunity he's used to become an All-American both academically as well as athletically. "When you grow up in Nebraska, every little kid dreams of being a Husker someday, and having been born and raised here, I was no exception," he said. "Instead of viewing my time here as a right that I had earned and that I could use for my own achievement, I now think of being a Husker as an unbelievable privilege that has allowed me to become a disciplined student, a competitive athlete and a valuable member of the Lincoln community through outreach and service to others."

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