Chesterton shortstop Lila Miller commits to play softball at Purdue Northwest next year

Patrick Mochen
Onwardtrojans.com

Senior shortstop Lila Miller signed with Purdue Northwest to play softball on scholarship. Miller led the team her sophomore year in runs batted in (20) and doubles (10). Her junior season got off to a rocky start when Miller broke her foot during a preseason practice. Although she missed time, she still accrued 15 RBIs and six doubles.
PNW coach Claire Schapker contacted Miller after an offseason showcase tournament at the end of the summer.
“After a great conversation with her, she invited me on a visit,” Miller said. “Coach Claire played for my travel coach when she was in high school, so she reached out to him about me to see how I was as a person, as well, before offering me about a month after I went on my visit.”
Miller sees PNW as a good fit for her since it is close to home and offers her the chance to play in a highly competitive atmosphere. She also is excited for the opportunities after graduating with a Purdue degree.
“I am majoring in integrative human health,” Miller said, “with a focus in kinesiology. I will be looking to work in the sports medicine field after college.”
Coach Erin Cochran added, “Lila is an amazing athlete and person. She’s the one they all look up to. She’s going to be successful at anything she does, whether it's playing softball or homework, it's just her personality and work ethic with anything she does.”
When she was around 5, Miller’s first t-ball game got her career off to a shaky start in warmups. While playing catch with her father, she missed a catch and got hit in the eye.
“He was terrified I’d quit on the spot and never want to play again,” Lila remembered. “Instead, I went out there with a fresh black eye and finished the game, and I’ve stuck with it ever since. My dad’s a huge baseball and softball guy, so he’s especially grateful that one bad hop didn’t scare me away.”
Miller bouncing back from injury last season was one reason the Trojans won their first sectional title since 2019. Chesterton returns all three of their pitchers from last year: senior Hannah Florian, junior Ava Vagner, and sophomore Payton Cherep. Also returning are the teams’ leaders in batting average, juniors Olivia Milton (.417) and Jilliene Pittman (.413).
Although softball is a spring sport, Miller manages to stay busy year round. She is a member of Sandpipers Show Choir, Red Cross Club (Vice President), National Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Best Buddies Program, Scattergories Club, and is a senior leader for the Gold Standard. The Best Buddies Program is a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The Gold Standard is a club for students to lead school spirit activities, such as student sections or pep rallies. She is also part of the high school internship program for seniors, and interns with the high school athletic trainers.
When asked which three of the lengthy list she was most proud of, Miller said, “Show choir, athletic training, and Red Cross club. Show choir would be because we have been extremely successful in my last three years of competition seasons and are an amazing program all around, thanks to Ms. Morris for keeping us in line, athletic training because I spend a majority of my time there and learn so much from the program as well as interacting with the injured athletes, and Red Cross club because we do so much for the communities in need and it is all for a great cause.”