Nate Miller II

I met my husband in 2006 while we were working in athletics at Bowling Green State University. And, while I am sure sparks would have flown on their own (maybe), our relationship was truly cemented by our work with a rascally young group of Falcon men's basketball players.

The group was young, inexperienced, a little wild, somewhat reckless and prone to impulsivity. But they were and still are among the very sweetest and most genuine men I've had the pleasure to be around. Very talented athletically and a bit uninterested academically, they required a lot of attention. A lot of attention. And so, it came to be that an Assistant Men's Basketball coach and an Athletic Academic Advisor were forced to share many communications, many meetings and much time together.

At the center of this group of misfits was a transfer from UNC Wilmington. A native of Springfield, Ohio, he was a sophomore among almost all first-year students, starting on the same footing on a new campus. He was a premier athlete and a legend before even arriving on campus. Recruited in both football and basketball out of high school, his true love was hoops, but that didn't stop football coaches from trying to coax him onto the field every Fall. He took advantage of his size on the court to push many less powerful players around. However, it was not just his athletic prowess that set him apart. It is rumored that he might still be the biggest baby ever born in Springfield, OH, at a whopping 11lbs. Despite his size, he was just a teddy bear.

He was a charmer. High-spirited, charismatic and boyish, he had a good nose for mischief but was a great storyteller and could usually weave his way out of trouble. It was obvious he was surrounded by strong women in his life. He was a smidge spoiled but fiercely loyal, gentle when he spoke and not quick to rise to anger. And let me tell you, if he did stray from the path, you could count on a threat to call his Momma Dukes, Mrs. Janine Miller, to square him up quick because you've never met a man who loved his momma more than Nate Miller, II. His father, Nate Sr., was also a pivotal and beloved figure in Nate's life. It was obvious that Nate was raised in a loving and supportive environment that encouraged his talent and taught him the strength of love and community.

To know Nate was to love him. He graduated from BGSU and still sits firmly on the Falcon leading score list as a member of the prestigious 1,000 point club. He led his team to a MAC championship and narrowly missed taking BGSU to the NCAA DI tournament. But his basketball career was not over, he would play overseas for many years where he would bring two sweet boys into this world and grow into a caring and dependable father. He would mentor youth as a coach himself, and he would bring his love of hoops to many other children in Springfield through his Millerz Elite Basketball program.

Nate's light was unexpectedly extinguished from a health-related condition on June 4th, 2022. He was only 34. His children, ages 6 and 11, will know his legacy from the friends and family who surround them, but they will grieve, as we all do, his bigger-than-life personality.

I am asking for my friends', families' and Falcon Nation's support in helping Nate's mother, father, sisters and extended family buffer Nate's fall. If you ever cheered Nate from the stands of the former Anderson Arena, if you ever shook hands with him after a game or took home an autographed poster, if you ever met him on campus or shared a good laugh or know a good story about him, please consider giving. Any support you can provide to build a stable future for his sons would be greatly appreciated.

Nate was laid to rest on June 12th in his hometown. You can find more about his passing and celebration of life at: https://www.pressreader.com/usa/springfield-news-sun/20220612/282316798692634.

Forward sweet falcon onto God's glory.