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Kotzebue college wrestler nationally ranked

January 6th 7:41 pm | Van Williams Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

After winning 16 of 25 matches in the first half of the college wrestling season, Montana State University-Northern sophomore Jared Miller of Kotzebue enters the second half full of optimism.

He will also be nationally ranked.

Miller is ranked No. 7 in the NAIA Coaches Poll at 174 pounds for the eighth ranked MSU-Northern Lights.

"Things are looking really good for me," he said. "I'm really excited for the rest of the year."

After an eight-day holiday break, the team is back on the mat for two-a-day practices.

Miller is coming off his vacation with family in Arizona.

"It was my first 65-degree Christmas...pretty interesting," he said with a laugh.

Miller did a little running during the break but mostly rested and relaxed during the down time.

He wished he had done more.

"It's surprising how fast a person can lose their conditioning," Miller said.

Now that he's back on campus, though, he's back to his routine.

"It comes back to how hard you want to work," he said. "My practice partners are great; real scrappers. Every day we go head to head. We're always battling. It makes me a better wrestler."

The MSU-Northern wrestling season picks back up this weekend with the NWCA National Duals in Springfield, Ill.

The prestigious tournament features wrestlers from NCAA Division I, II, IIII and NAIA schools.

No doubt his national ranking will be tested.

At the same time, Miller will be studying the best of the best, picking up tips that will help him on the mat.

"It's really exciting watching the big [names] wrestle," Miller said.

Even though he's a big shot now, he will never stop learning how to be better at his craft. It's not in Miller's nature to settle.

"It's an ongoing process," he said. "I've been wrestling since kindergarten and I'm still learning stuff, little things. It's crazy how much you can learn. It's really fun."

 

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