PHILADELPHIA – David Miller, a former All-American at Clemson University and Major League Baseball First-Round Draft Pick, has been named head baseball coach at La Salle University, Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw announced on Friday.
Miller, who becomes the 10th head coach in La Salle baseball history, most recently served as head varsity coach at William Penn Charter School. He led the Quakers to a 26-2 record and a USA Today Super 25 ranking this past spring.
“David Miller impressed us with his experiences in player development and as a coach at different levels,” Bradshaw said. “David has a proven track record as an instructor and has shown that he can recruit at a high level. As a coach, he has developed a unique ability to connect with his players as a Division I assistant and head coach of a highly-respected Penn Charter program.”
“Additionally, David had an outstanding playing career at Clemson and advanced to the highest levels of professional baseball,” Bradshaw continued. “I have no doubt that he is the right person to lead the La Salle baseball program.”
Over four years at Penn Charter, Miller compiled an impressive .757 winning percentage and racked up 84 victories – an average of 21 per season. In 2014, the Quakers went 20-6 and won the Inter-Ac League championship, finishing third in the state of Pennsylvania in the final poll.
This past year, the Quakers compiled a .350 team batting average and a miniscule 1.03 team ERA en route to No. 1 rankings at both the state and regional levels and a No. 12 ranking nationally. Overall, 30 of his players have gone on to play collegiate baseball.
“I am tremendously excited for this opportunity to lead the La Salle baseball program in the coming years,” Miller said. “I am looking to grow and strengthen the program, take the team to new heights and make the University and entire Explorer community proud.”
Prior to taking over at Penn Charter, Miller worked as an assistant coach at the Division I level for three seasons including two at Villanova. From 2009-11, Miller worked with the Wildcat hitters and assisted in recruiting efforts.
Miller’s coaching paid immediate dividends, as Villanova improved its batting average by over 20 points in his first season and compiled a .303 team average while also setting a school record for triples in a season with 27.
Among those who benefited under Miller’s tutelage was future Major Leaguer Matt Szczur, who posted an impressive .443 average to win the BIG EAST batting title in 2010. Szczur was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB Draft and would go on to play in 106 games for the World Series champion Chicago Cubs in 2016.
Before his stint at Villanova, Miller spent the 2009 summer season as a coach of the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod Baseball League. The Anglers reached the playoffs and at one point during the summer were the top-ranked team in the country among all collegiate summer leagues. During the spring 2009 season, Miller was the hitting coach at Rutgers-Camden.
A high school standout at Chestnut Hill Academy who was a First Team All-City selection as a first baseman in 1991, Miller went on to star at Clemson where he helped lead the Tigers to national No. 1 rankings in both his sophomore and junior years. Clemson won three straight Atlantic Coast Conference championships during his time with the team.
As a junior, Miller was a finalist for National Player of the Year honors as the Tigers advanced to the 1995 College World Series. A consensus All-America and First Team All-ACC selection, Miller batted .380 with nine home runs, 78 RBI and 27 stolen bases while starting all 68 games. He finished his collegiate career with a .335 average, 143 runs scored and 149 RBIs.
Miller was the 23rd overall selection of the Cleveland Indians in the 1995 MLB Draft and played professionally from 1996-2003. In his second full season of pro ball at Double-A Akron, Miller hit .301 with 27 doubles, nine triples and 61 RBIs while swiping 22 bases. He played two full seasons with Triple-A Buffalo, collecting 189 hits and 40 doubles from 1998-99.
Following his pro career, Miller returned to Clemson and received his bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Social Sciences in 2004.
What They’re Saying About David Miller
Matt Sczcur – Villanova Baseball Player, Member of 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs
“David Miller played a big part in my development as a player at Villanova. He cared about me and about every player he coached. The relationship with his players, along with his baseball knowledge and passion for the game, will make him a great coach for La Salle.”
Mike Katz, William & Mary Baseball Player, Ninth Round Draft Pick by New York Mets (2014 MLB Draft)
“As soon as I stepped on campus at William & Mary, Coach Miller had a huge impact on my career by giving me the confidence I needed to be successful. He has always gone above and beyond for his players and it is evident when you watch his teams play.”
