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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — Senior catcher
Chloe Miller has her fingerprints all over the Wisconsin softball record book. At various junctures she's led the Badgers in home runs, triples, doubles, slugging percentage, runs batted in, hit by pitch and total bases. She's currently on pace to lead UW in batting average (.440), slugging (.800), on-base percentage (.542) as well as hits (55) and runs (41). Earlier this season Miller, from Bettendorf, Iowa, became the second UW player in history to be named national player of the week. Miller was recently
chosen 11th overall by Akron in the National Pro Fast Pitch League college draft. Prior to a recent hitting session at the Goodman Diamond, Miller talked about her memorable recruiting visit, her gift for the game and what she'd do if she were Wisconsin athletic director for a day.
When you came on your recruiting visit in 2012 you had an extended meeting with Barry Alvarez. What was that like?
"It was an intimidating experience because I was talking to the AD of the school and he wants me to come here. That's not something you see every day. It was like, 'Wow, they think I'm important enough and they want me here enough that they're going to have the AD of the entire school — a very well-known AD across the university and colleges — meet with me. It was one of those things that made me feel really important and wanted here."
Did he walk the walk? Did his recruiting pitch pan out the way you thought?
"It has. It's definitely been a little more rocky than what I'd imagined, but he said we were going to get there and that no matter what it takes, we have a good crew now. It's going to take a lot of ups and downs and we went through the downs a couple years ago when we graduated all those seniors — we had those low points — but ever since then we've been climbing. This climb is what he was talking about."
So you're all good with your legacy right now? If your senior season ended right now, you'd be OK with how your career unfolded?
"There's still time going forward. I have done a lot, not only just for myself, but I think I've done a lot for the program — helping us shape our culture the way we wanted and helping us create a competitive mentality. With my teammates next to me, it's me buying into them and them buying into me and us buying into the coaches all together. We were at rock bottom a couple years ago (21-31 overall, 5-17 in the Big Ten Conference in 2015), we all just needed to have that trust that we're going to be good. Wisconsin's going to be good. I think right now, if my legacy were to end today, I've done a lot, but not just for myself. My teammates have done a lot for me and I've done a lot for them. We've come a long way."
So, getting back to the NCAA tournament is the obvious objective this season?
"That's absolutely the goal. Ever since we went there my freshman year (in 2014), we've always had to make small goals, but that's always been in the back of my mind. I don't want to leave here without going back."
What's more difficult, making yourself a good player or a good leader?
"A leader, absolutely. … You can only do so much on the field by yourself. If I don't take the time to make the girl next to me better, or if they don't invest in me and I don't invest in them, then we're not going to go anywhere and I'm not going to be as successful. … Being a leader and being able to take yourself away from just your statistics and how you're doing — how your image is and stuff like that — and being able to help the girls around you. Everything else kind of builds with that."
What's your gift for softball? A good eye? Twitchy muscles? Arm strength? What?
"I'd just say I'm physical. I have been told that ever since I was a kid and it's gotten me really far. Whether it's taking hard cuts in the (batter's) box or it's making an aggressive slide or tagging a girl out really hard at home, it's always been about being that aggressive, physical player."
Your major and why?
"Kinesiology. Exercise, movement and science. I love sports and played a bunch of sports growing up. I've always been interested in just the human body and anatomy is fascinating to me."
Pitches are signaled in from the bench via UW coach Yvette Healy, but as a catcher, is calling a game more art or science?
"It's definitely more of an art form. There's obviously specific calculations — like if this person is hitting .900 when the ball is middle out in a 2-0 count. You can get into the science of it, but we always preach that the game is the game. The game is going to play and develop with how the game is. In that sense, it is definitely more of an art form. … It's a fluid, almost mosaic type of thing of this is how we're going to play and how we're going to move."
You can attend one sporting event in history. What would it be?
"I would go to game seven of the Red Sox-Yankees (American League Championship in 2004) series when Boston came back from a three-games-to-none deficit. … We finally broke the curse. The Red Sox were the first team I really hopped onto when I first started watching MLB. … Beating the Yankees, being down 3-0 and every game was gut-wrenching, I think I'd want to go to that game seven and just be there and experience that buzz and electricity in the stadium."
You're the Wisconsin athletic director for a day. What's something you'd do?
"If I were Barry Alvarez, I would immediately implement more black into uniforms. I would change up the uniforms a little bit and add a little more edge."
Do you have a must-do recommendation for someone visiting Madison for the first time?
"You should absolutely go down to the Union Terrace, get some ice cream and sit down and watch a sunset in mid-summer. On a week night, I think they have open mic and there's some really good (musical) talent in Madison. The singers are good and some play the guitar."
Ever been tempted to get up and take part in the open mic? After all, you were a musician back in high school.
"I was a musician back in high school. I played the trumpet, but I've not brought my trumpet out (at UW). Maybe I can be convinced. I also dabble on the guitar. I could be convinced maybe."
