Miller finally gets championship ring

Callie Miller never got a state volleyball championship ring while at Hartselle High School.
Tuesday morning, Miller and her teamates at Wallace State Community College were fitted for rings after the Lady Lions swept to their second straight Alabama Community College Conference tournament championship over the weekend.
Wallace State beat Gadsden State 25-16, 25-15, 25-22 to win the state championship to earn a spot in the NJCAA Division I national tournament at West Plains, Mo. beginning Nov. 18.
“Winning the state tournament was definitely awesome,” Miller said this week. “It was just a great year for us and we want to do well in the national tournament.”
Miller, a freshman for Wallace State played several key roles for the Lady Lions this season including libero and defensive specialist. She has played in all 33 of Wallace State’s matches.
An injury to Wallace State’s setter during the season forced head coach Randy Daniel to juggle the lineup and Miller was used as a defensive specialist.
“I just wanted to play wherever I was needed,” Miller said. “Wherever they needed me was fine.”
Wallace State finished with a 52-1 mark setting a school record for wins in a season with a talented lineup featuring three sophomores.
Miller was expected to play in a limited role her first season on the junior college level, though that changed after the freshman quickly adapted to the college game.
She finished the season with 302 digs.
For her, the transition to college volleyball was pretty easy. “The biggest difference between college volleyball is the size of the girls,” Miller said. “Everyone is so big, especially when you’re just 5-foot-1. When you’re that size, everyone is big.”
Daniel gave Miller and her teamates a couple of days off this week before the national tournament. And that means another opportunity for another championship ring.
“I’ve got one for one hand now,” Miller said. “I sure wouldn’t mind one for the other hand.”
With a strong group of returning players for next year, Miller might need a jewelry box for all that hardware.

Sports editor Todd Thompson can be reached at 773-6566 or at todd.thompson@hartselleenquirer.com