Diane Miller

June 4, 2008

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State softball assistant coach Diane Miller accepted a position as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska on Wednesday.  Miller will work with the Cornhuskers' hitters as well as assisting with recruiting and developmental camps.

"I am very fortunate to have been able to spend the time I have at Colorado State University," said Miller.  "It has been such a positive environment in which to succeed as a coach.  I am so thankful that Coach Yori gave me this opportunity to grow in this profession.  She has entrusted me with the responsibility to help her propel this program forward and for that I am very grateful.  It has been such a great experience being a part of the CSU softball program as well as the athletic department and university."

Miller, who came to Colorado State in 2001 as a member of Head Coach Mary Yori's original staff, has spent the past eight seasons mentoring the Rams hitters during what has become one of the most explosive eras in CSU softball history.  Under Miller's guidance, Rams hitters have completely rewritten the all-time Top 5 lists in  doubles, home runs and slugging percentage.   The Rams have also posted four of the top five seasons in program history in batting average, runs, hits and RBI.  Individually, three players - Lauren Cusick (38, 2005-08), Brittany Huerta (33, 2004-07) and Jessica Strickland (32, 2004-07) - matched or surpassed the Rams' career home run record that had stood since 1998 (Sarah Fredstrom, 32).

"Diane has been an outstanding and loyal assistant coach," said Yori.  "Her commitment and dedication have been instrumental to the success of Ram softball and her contributions to the program will be missed.  We all wish Diane the best in her new position at Nebraska."

Miller also worked closely with the CSU catchers, developing such players as 2004 Easton first-team All-American Kerry Farrell and 2007 MWC Freshman of the Year Ashley Munoz.

Administratively, Miller headed the Rams' recruiting efforts, attracting top student-athletes to Colorado State's campus, including two MWC Players of the Year (Stephanie Roberts, 2002, and Cusick, 2008).

A three-time All-American catcher at Missouri Southern State University, Miller led her team to a national championship in 1992 and 10 years later was inducted into the school's hall of fame as a member of the team.  One year later, Miller was inducted as an individual athlete.  After graduating from Missouri Southern, Miller earned a master's degree from Nebraska-Omaha, where she served two additional seasons as an assistant under Yori before rejoining her at CSU in 2001.

"This was an unexpected professional opportunity that I was not looking for or pursuing, but when presented with it I felt like it was a good decision for me professionally," added Miller.  "It has been a difficult decision to leave a place that I have called home for eight years.  I will always cherish the experience with the players and the opportunity that I have been given here."

Yori will begin a national search to replace Miller, who will begin work at Nebraska on June 6.