Ira Miller Steps Down As FDU Tennis Coach
7/12/2012
Hackensack, NJ -- Fairleigh Dickinson University Director of Athletics David Langford announced the resignation of men's and women's tennis coach Ira Miller on Thursday. Miller's resignation comes after 15 seasons of leading the men’s team and 14 in charge of the women’s squad over his three stops at the university. He finshes his career at FDU with an overall record of 206-237.
“We really appreciate Ira’s contributions to the tennis program and the development of the student-athletes,” Langford said. “For the third time he came in and created a championship atmosphere and helped his young players accept the challenges of being the best students, the best athletes and the best people they can be. He goes out on a high note winning both the men’s and women’s Northeast Conference Championships and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament."
Miller, who was inducted into the Fairleigh Dickinson University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004, led the Knights to a combined four trips to the NCAA Tournament including the 2011-12 season where both the men’s and women’s teams qualified. His men’s squads won seven Northeast Conference titles, while adding one on the women’s side.
Last season, Miller was honored as the NEC men’s and women’s Tennis Coach of the Year, bringing his career tally to nine for the award. He also took home the women’s ITA Regional Coach of the Year accolades for the Northeast Region, which was voted on by his peers.
Two of Miller’s men’s players, Philip Stephens in 2006-07 and Arvis Berzins in 2011-12, were named NEC Rookie and Player of the Year in the same season, and women’s player Julija Korshunova also accomplished the feat in 2006-07.
Miller’s teams always excelled in the classroom with both teams earning the highest grade point averages of any school in their respective sports this season. This year, senior Elmine Botes was named NEC Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year to go along with being named to the Capital One Academic At-Large All-America Team. Another senior, Marco Jemersic, was also honored with a spot on the Capital One Academic All-District Team.
During his career, Miller also coached at Division III Drew University from 1998 through 2005, where he compiled an overall record of 139-89.