Chad Miller completed his 15th season as Head Coach of the Catamount women's soccer team in the fall of 2024.
While at the helm of the program, Miller has had 13 SoCon First Team All-Conference selections, nine SoCon Second Team All-Conference, 13 SoCon All-Freshman honorees, 13 SoCon All-Tournament, 25 SoCon Players of the Week, and six SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week selections and has collected two Southern Conference Coach of The Year Honors (2023 & 2024).
Coach Miller and the Catamounts embarked on an incredible 2024 campaign, securing a SoCon record in shutouts in a season with 14, including a program-record nine straight. Additionally, the 2024 Catamounts rolled to an undefeated Southern Conference record (their first such season in program history) while outscoring conference foes 23-1 in the regular season. The Catamounts defended their 2023 regular season title with a 2-0 win at Furman, securing back-to-back championships for the first time in program history.
Double-digit goal efforts from Milla Syska (11) and Naya Marcil (10) led the 2024 Catamounts offensively as they became the first duo to record 10+ goals in the same season since 2001. Isabella Demarco tied for with Marcil for the second-most points on the team with 25 as the standout junior posted nine assists and eight goals in the 2024 campaign. As a team, the Catamounts posted 52 total goals and 152 points, the second-most in a season all-time behind only the 2001 team’s 168.
The defensive backline was led by Leanne Trudel, who posted a single-season record .49 GAA and 14 shutouts (12 solo, 2 combined) while Becca Campbell, Mary Mueth, Abbie Wise, and Samantha Whitaker permitted only 3.5 shots on goal per game.
Additionally, the Catamounts earned a program-record eight postseason conference honors as Ava Robitaille headlined the effort with the Defensive Player of the Year crown. She also garnered first-team all-conference honors along with Leane Trudel, Becca Campbell, Naya Marcill, Isabella DeMarco, and Milla Syska. Malia Roberts was named to the all-freshman team as coach Miller earned his second consecutive Coach of the Year honor.
Isabella Demarco and Naya Marcill both collected United Soccer Coaches All-District Third-Team and USC Scholar All-South Team placements while Marcil, Kirsten Hahn, Leanne Trudel, Samantha Whitaker, Sofia Goclowski, and Ava Robitaille were all named to the CSC Academic All-District Team.
In fall of 2023, Miller directed the Catamounts to their first SoCon Championship since 2008 defeating Samford 1-0 on their home field. Miller became the second WCU coach in program history to earn SoCon Coach of the Year honors. During the 2023 season, Miller claimed his 200th career victory with a shutout over Presbyterian.
WCU was led by SoCon Offensive Player of the Year Isabella DeMarco along with Naya Marcil and Becca Campbell who earned first team honors plus Sarah Engen and Leanne Trudel who claimed second team honors. Sofia Goclowski and Emma Soucy picked up all-freshman team honors.
As a team, WCU scored their most points in a season since 2001 which included 44 goals (third-most in program history). Western Carolina also posted the most shutouts in a season since 1999 when the squad tallied 13.
Isabella DeMarco and Naya Marcil both received United Soccer Coaches Association Honors following the 2023 campaign.
In 2022, WCU was led by Isabella DeMarco who garnered first team all-conference selection along with freshman team selections while Maggie Lloyd received second team honors with Ava Robitaille was named to the freshman team.
To close out 2021, under the guidance of Miller, Natalie McNally was named to the United Soccer Coaches Association's Southeast All-Region third team - the first Western Carolina women's soccer player to do so in program history.
With the guidance of Miller, Western Carolina women's soccer player Emily Zipay became the first Catamount women's soccer player in program history to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team honors to close out 2019.
In two of the last three seasons, 2019 and the fall of 2021, the Catamounts amassed 11 wins - the most under Miller and the most by a Catamount team since 2008 when that club had 18.
Miller helped direct the Catamounts to a No. 3 seed and reached the semi-finals of the 2021 Southern Conference Championship.
In the 2018 season, Miller navigated the team through crucial player injuries to help lead the Catamounts to a No. 4 seed in the Southern Conference Championships for the second-straight season. WCU dropped a tough match to No. 5 Furman 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
In the 2017 season, Miller steered the Catamounts to its best finish since returning to Western Carolina as the head coach. Western Carolina ended 2017 with a record of 9-10-2 in a magical run. As the No. 4 seed in the SoCon Championships, Western Carolina notched shutouts over VMI and No. 1 seed Furman to reach the championship game against UNCG. The Catamounts dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Spartans ending up as the runner-up in the championships.
In 2016, WCU was the No. 7 seed and defeated No. 10 seed Wofford to make it to the SoCon quarterfinals before falling to ETSU 2-1.
In 2015, Western Carolina was the only conference team to score a goal on SoCon regular-season champion Samford.
In 2014, Miller led the team to a sixth seed in the Southern Conference Championships before falling to No. 3 seed Mercer 2-1 in the quarterfinals. Also during the season, under Miller's direction, senior defender Christina White was named to the SoCon second team while Chandler Arrowood was placed on the SoCon All-Freshman team.
In 2013, led the team to its first double-digit win season, 10 wins, since 2008 when the Catamounts amassed 13 victories. Guided the team to a spot in the 2013 Southern Conference Tournament.
In 2012, Miller had the first player in Catamount women's soccer history to earn both Southern Conference First Team honors as well as earn a spot on the All-Freshmen Team in Markie-Lynn Studnicky.In 2011, Miller had an All-Conference performer in Kayla Beauduy and also led the team to its first Southern Conference Tournament appearance since 2008 with a record of 9-10-1 and eighth place finish in the league.
In 2010, Miller returned to Cullowhee and had one player placed on the All-Freshman Team; Brittany Gendron. The team posted a 5-10-4 record and finished 10th in the SoCon.
Miller replaces former head coach Tammy DeCesare, for whom he spent three seasons on the sidelines within Cullowhee before taking the head job at Catawba. During his first stop at WCU, Miller was the recruiting coordinator and was very involved in the academic oversight of the student-athletes and the fund-raising efforts for the Catamounts. He additionally oversaw three graduate assistant coaches and trained the WCU goalkeepers for a program that posted a 32-23-8 overall mark and won the 2008 Southern Conference Tournament title, advancing to the NCAA Tournament. He is also just the third head coach in the Catamount program's following DeCesare (2005-09), and Debbie Hensley, who led the program from its inception in 1999 through the 2004 season.
In 2009 Miller lead the Catawba women's soccer team to a finish ranked sixth in the Southeast Region, just missing out on grabbing an at-large berth into the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Indians finished the season with a 13-5-2 record and were knocked out in the semifinal round of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament. Five Catawba players - including three freshmen - were named to the SAC All-conference team including a pair of first-team selections.
Miller guided his alma mater Pfeiffer University's women's soccer program for seven years starting in 1999. He led the Falcons to an overall record of 80-50-9 and 54-18-6 in conference play during his tenure. Miller directed the Lady Falcons to three consecutive Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference (CVAC) tournament finals appearances and two regular-season titles where he was also named the CVAC "Coach of the Year," in 2000 and 2005. During his tenure at Pfeiffer, the Falcons were honored five-straight seasons, from 2001-05, with the NSCAA & Adidas College Team Academic Award. Miller also coached 36 All-CVAC players and 17 all-tournament acknowledgments, including three CVAC Players of the Year and one freshman of the year. Seven of his players were named National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Southeast All-Region, equaling that number with three NSCAA Academic All-Americans.
Prior to moving to the collegiate coaching ranks, Miller also got his first taste of coaching in Stanly County in central North Carolina, first as an assistant at North Stanly High (1991-97) and then as head coach at West Stanly High in 1998.
Miller graduated from Pfeiffer in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in Sports Medicine and Exercise Science. He was a four-year varsity letter winner and team captain for the Pfeiffer men's soccer program along with assistant coach Todd Herman.
He possesses 21 years of total coaching experience ranging from the high school and club levels to the collegiate ranks. Miller was the Co-Founder and Coaching Director of SC United Soccer Club (1993-2000), and has also been involved with NC ODP over the past 14 years and holds coaching licenses from the NSCAA and USSF.
Miller was married to the former Stacey Radford in January of 2010 and they have two sons Thomas (17) and Carson (13). They reside in Sylva, NC, and Stacey is Director of Alumni Engagement at Western Carolina University.
MILLER'S YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD AT WESTERN CAROLINA
2010 - 5-10-4
2011 - 9-10-1
2012 - 7-10-2
2013 - 10-9-1
2014 - 8-7-4
2015 - 8-8-3
2016 - 8-12
2017 - 9-10-2 (SoCon Tournament Runner-Up)
2018 - 8-8-2
2019 - 11-8
2020 (played in spring 2021) - 4-7-1
2021 - 11-8-1
2022 - 5-8-5
2023 - 13-5-3 (SoCon Championship (Regular Season and Tournament) - SoCon Coach of the Year
2024 - 15-3-3 (SoCon Championship (Regular Season) - SoCon Coach of the Year
MILLER'S OVERALL RECORD AT Western Carolina
131-113-29 (15 Seasons)
MILLER'S OVERALL RECORD AT CATAWBA
13-5-2 (1 Season)
MILLER'S OVERALL RECORD AT PFEIFFER
89-50-9 (7 Seasons)
OVERALL RECORD: 224-168-40 (23 Seasons)
