Miller off to RIT
Evan Miller, who played for the Thorold Blackhawks in 2018/19, is heading to the Rochester Institute of Technology on a scholarship in 2021. Photo: BILL POTRECZ.
Evan Miller bucked the odds to earn a scholarship to the Rochester Institute of Technology.
The 20-year-old Niagara-on-the-Lake native had his 2019 season cut short when he broke his foot in two places while skating for the Wellington Dukes of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, and this season has been limited to only a handful of non-contact scrimmages due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nevertheless, Miller recently secured “just about a full” scholarship to the Hockey East Association Division 1 school for 2021.
“I’m super pumped,” he said. “I started to talk to them a bit last year. We kept in touch throughout the whole process and I had a good start to the year.
“I had a few offers on the table but this was the best one.”
Miller, who collected eight goals and 21 points in 22 games for the Dukes last year, admitted the timing for his injury couldn’t have been worse.
“I was out almost five months,” he said. “It was really hard. I came back and I wasn’t fully recovered but I made the best out of it.
“It was a big year for me and I was really worried about what was going to happen but I just had to keep a really positive mindset and be a better player.”
Miller is relieved to have his future settled.
“It was going to be a tough year, especially for the older guys to get a scholarship, so for me to get one really early on is a dream come true,” he said. “I couldn’t be more happy.”
Miller wasn’t able to visit the school in person but was impressed with a virtual tour set up by the school.
“I talked to the coaches a bunch and they sent me a video of the campus and the room and the rink,” he said.
Miller is confident he can make the adjustment.
“It’s going to be a jump but I think it will be OK. I can still grow a lot and I think I can hop right in and it will be allright.”
Miller began his junior career with the St. Catharines Falcons before moving to the Fort Erie Meteors and then the Thorold Blackhawks. He joined the Dukes last season.
“My time in junior hockey seems a little short,” he said. “It all happens really fast. You just want to make the most out of it and make every time at the rink the best time. That’s what I tried to do.”
The Dukes are currently playing an eight-game non-contact series with Trenton as they prepare for what they hope is a regular season at some point.
“It’s way better than not playing. It’s all you can really ask for now, to be honest. It’s not as bad as it seems,” he said.
Miller plans to study business finance at RIT. He already has five credits from Brock which will transfer to RIT.
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