Hall of Fame
Donald N. “Donnie” Miller was the founder of both Raider swim programs and is one of the most successful coaches in the history of Shippensburg University. A four-time PSAC Coach of the Year, Miller served as the men’s swimming coach for 20 years and in 1993 the university’s natatorium was re-named in his honor.
He coached the women’s team for three seasons, giving up the head coaching position following the 1974-75 season in which the Lady Raiders placed second behind Princeton at the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Division I championships.
During his tenure, Miller produced more national champions than any other swimming coach on the East Coast, including Division I competition. Under his guidance, Shippensburg University men’s swimmers won 13 individual national titles, set five national meet records and compiled a graduation rate of 90 percent or higher. All 49 of his All-American swimmers graduated.
Miller started the swimming program at SU in the fall of 1971 as a club team before upgrading to intercollegiate play in 1972. The program’s first season was its only losing season in 20 years under Miller, as Red Raider swimming finished atop the East from 1988-91.
After placing second at the conference meet for 12 consecutive seasons from 1978-1989, Miller guided the Red Raiders to PSAC championships in 1990 and 1991. He was the first coach in PSAC history to earn Coach of the Year honors more than once, achieving the honor in 1981, 1984, 1987, and 1990. He finished with a career dual meet record of 236-69-1 that equates to a .771 winning percentage.
In 1992, his final season as the team’s head coach, Miller helped instruct 12 swimmers to All-American status — the most ever in program history — as Shippensburg placed among the nation’s top five programs for the fourth consecutive year at the Division II Championships.
Miller was a certified level five coach for the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) — the highest level of national certification — and served on the board of directors of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. In 1991, he received the ASCA Award of Excellence for the ninth consecutive year and the College Swim Coaches “Master Coach” Award at the 1990 World Swim Clinic. Miller also received the CSCAA award for outstanding contributions to college swimming.
Miller graduated in 1965 from the Pennsylvania State University and lettered in football. He has a master’s degree from West Chester University in health and physical education and a doctorate in health education from Penn State.
In addition to his role as a head coach, Miller served as a member of the faculty at Shippensburg University for 35 years. He was a professor from 1969 until his retirement in 2005.
