Courtesy: Missouri State Athletics
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State swimming & diving head coach Dave Collins announced that former Bears swimmer and NCAA qualifier Anna Miller will join the coaching staff starting in the 2025-26 season.
Miller will serve as an assistant coach under Collins and associate head coach Chelsea Dirks-Ham.
“We are thrilled to have Anna join our coaching staff,” Collins said. “Being one of the most decorated swimmers in the history of our program, she knows what it takes to perform at a high level. I look forward to her bringing that competitive mindset to the pool deck and sharing it with our team.”
Miller swam for Missouri State for five seasons. As a freshman in the 2017-18 season, she earned an astounding six gold medals at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships, including individual wins in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles.
In her last three seasons with the Bears, Miller earned 19 conference gold medals. She won the 50 free, 100 free and 100 butterfly in all three of those years. Miller reached a total of 30 career conference medals, 27 of which were gold. Missouri State won the MVC Championship in each of her five years on the team.
“I am incredibly excited and honored to be back at Missouri State in a new role,” Miller said. “My five years spent here as a student-athlete shaped me in so many ways, and it means the world to me to have the opportunity to give back as a coach. I am looking forward to helping our current student-athletes grow both in and out of the pool, and continuing the tradition of excellence that defines Missouri State swimming & diving.”
Miller made the All-MVC first team in all five of her years at Missouri State, including being named the MVC Swimmer of the Year in 2021. She was also a six-time MVC Swimmer of the Week, half of which she earned in her final season.
In 2022, Miller became the first female in program history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Miller competed in the 50-yard freestyle, where she put up a time of 22.29 to finish 35th in the event. She also qualified for the 100-yard freestyle championships that year.
She won the Missouri State Outstanding Female Athlete Award in 2022 for her national meet efforts.
The St. Louis native graduated from Missouri State in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing management, while also minoring in business analytics. Miller earned her master’s degree in business administration (MBA) in December 2022.
Miller started her coaching career with Rockwood Swim Club in St. Louis while working on her master’s degree.
“Anna’s ability to connect with student-athletes is going to be a big asset to us as we continue to provide a top-notch experience for our current team as well as recruiting future bear greats,” Collins said.
Miller’s hire is contingent upon formal approval by the Missouri State University Board of Governors at its next scheduled meeting.
I remember during the Covid years, she first qualified for the NCAA meet at her conference meet which was moved to April. The only problem was that the NCAA already happened in March. Luckily she made the meet for real the following year
Great hire! Congratulations, Anna