INDIANAPOLIS – On Thursday, the Horizon League announced its annual winners of the Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor Awards, the most prestigious individual honor issued by the conference. Milwaukee's Ari Miller from the volleyball and track & field programs was selected as one of the two annual recipients for the 2023-24 academic year.
 
The Coleman Medal of Honor was introduced in 1981 and is presented annually to the top male and female student-athletes that demonstrate outstanding achievement in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities. Ian Cleary of Oakland baseball was named the 2023-24 male recipient.
 
"Thank you to the Horizon League for the recognition and honor of bestowing me this amazing award," commented Miller. "I am truly honored and grateful to have been chosen for this award and could not be where I am now if not for my supportive family, teammates, coaches, and friends who have been in my corner since day one." 
 
Miller recently wrapped up her studies at Milwaukee, earning her master's degree in business administration following the achievement of her undergraduate degree in health care administration. Academically, she was a two-time Fall Scholar-Athlete of the Year in both 2021 and 2023 and was also on the league's All-Academic Team in each of the seasons she was eligible to receive the distinction from 2020-23.
 
Her academic resume also included three College Sports Communicators (previously CoSIDA) Academic All-District honors from 2021-23 while also earning a spot on eight Horizon League Academic Honor Rolls and was also an eight-time Dean's List recipient at Milwaukee.
 
"I have been provided amazing and rewarding opportunities at Milwaukee, through the community, athletic department, academic curriculum, and on my teams," Miller added. "I was able to challenge myself, be involved in communities and clubs that inspire me, and learn numerous life lessons in my time at Milwaukee. I could not have imagined another college experience anywhere else, as I was able to show my passion to Milwaukee athletics and the city through the support that the department provided to me. The lessons I've learned as a student-athlete have given me confidence to believe in myself and instilled in me the understanding that a supportive, empathetic, and passionate work ethic is the true key to success in anything I do in life - professionally, personally, and in the community."

Miller joined the Milwaukee volleyball team in 2019 and began to build her athletic profile with the first of five consecutive All-Horizon League First Team selections, while also earning Freshman of the Year honors following her rookie campaign. In 2021, Miller earned AVCA All-North Region and All-American honors after earning Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year accolades.
 
While finishing her career in the fall of 2023, Miller set the program record in kills with 1,563, attacking percentage at .344, as well as sets played with 499 and matches played with 135. She also finished her career third all-time in blocks with 451, while she also holds the top two spots on the single-season hitting percentage list.
 
In her one season with the track & field program in the spring of 2024, Miller threw javelin and competed in seven events this spring culminating with a sixth-place finish at the Horizon League Outdoor Track & Field Championships in early May.
 
Beyond her academic and athletic successes, Miller has been heavily involved on campus at Milwaukee. She spent the past academic year as the president of Milwaukee's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has been a member since the start of her sophomore year in the fall of 2020. She is also a part of Riverside High School's volleyball volunteer mentorship program and volunteered at Special Olympics in addition to several other clubs and organizations.
 
Miller was Milwaukee's nominee this past fall for the inaugural Horizon League Volleyball Sportsmanship Award and was also a three-year captain with the Panther volleyball program.

With her selection, Miller becomes the 13th Panther in Milwaukee history to earn the Coleman Medal of Honor and is the program's second-consecutive female recipient, following Annie Guerrero, who earned the Medal of Honor in 2022-23.
 
Miller is just the fourth female to be recognized in Milwaukee program history and is the first female from the Panther volleyball program to be selected in the Panthers' history in the Horizon League