With most of her final season still remaining to play, senior goalie Courtney Miller of the UC San Diego women's water polo team has already amassed more honors and gaudy statistics than most players could wish for over an entire career. The lithe, 5-foot-10 native of Honolulu, Hawaii, came into her senior year as a three-time first-team All-Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) selection, the 2015 WWPA Player of the Year, UCSD's all-time saves leader (now up to 1,169), and has the three best single-season save totals in school history. She's been the backbone of three teams that went to the NCAA Championship, and Triton head coach Brad Kreutzkamp knows that mentoring Miller has been a unique opportunity. "What can I say that hasn't already been said," laughs Kreutzkamp. "One of the things I appreciate most about Courtney is that she just continues to develop as both an athlete and a leader. She's a team captain this year, and it's impressive that no matter how good she is, she still gets mad at herself and thinks she should be better. She holds herself to a really high standard. I'm not looking forward to having to replace her next season." Miller took time recently to talk about her position, her teammates, and what's in the future.
Q: What's your biggest fear in the cage?
MILLER: Missing a block. There are certain things that every player is responsible for. As a goalie, when your defense has done its job and you're in position to stop a shot, you really feel like you've let the team down when you don't do it.
Q: Have you ever taken a shot in the face? What's that like?
MILLER: Yes, pretty frequently. More so in practice than in a game, just because of the sheer number of shots. Some definitely hurt more than others, with square in the nose being the worst. I've never had a broken nose, but I did get elbowed there once and looked like a unicorn for a while.
Q: Do you like getting offensive statistics, like assists?
MILLER: Yes, because counterattacks are easy, quick goals and that helps the team.
Q: Could you score a goal if the situation presented itself? Is that the dream of every goalie?
MILLER: I'm working on being able to make a full-court shot if the other goalie is cheating out on a counterattack. I tried one in our first tournament of the season and got blocked. I don't know if it's the dream of every goalie, but it's definitely not something you see often.
Honestly, it's not super realistic, so it's probably not the best shot to take unless you're at the end of the quarter. Trying to make a good pass on the counterattack is a better percentage play, so I would opt for that in almost any situation.
Q: From your perspective, what are the key skills needed to be a successful collegiate goalie?
MILLER: I think a strong mental game is one of the most important skills for a goalie. It's what I've struggled with most, and I think your mindset in goal has a direct impact on your game. Other key skills are an ability to read the game, and obviously quickness and explosiveness.
Q: How do team defense and goaltending intersect?
MILLER: A lot of times my defense tries to funnel the shot to me by covering my corners and forcing shots from bad angles. Also, our team is always working on communicating more in order to run a better coordinated defense.
Q: If Coach Kreutzkamp threw you into the field, could you be a starter on this year's Triton team?
MILLER: Not a chance. I got a few minutes in preseason and racked up some serious negative stats. I think playing in the field is tons of fun though.
Q: What is something that the average Triton water polo fan would be surprised to know about you?
MILLER: One of my favorite parts of team travel trips is the continental breakfast. You can't beat the bacon and muffins.
Q: Which person on your team would best exemplify each of the following phrases? "Walks softly but carries a big stick," "Brains over brawn," and "Miss Clutch."
MILLER: "Walks softly but carries a big stick" – Lani Tittle because she dominates all the setters she guards (using some sort of underwater martial arts) without ever changing her calm facial expression. "Brains over brawn" – Laurel Kistler has all the brains and the brawn. She rises above the competition because she's such a smart player and also one of our strongest. "Miss Clutch" – Alexis Wieseler because her long arms are deadly for steals, shot blocking, and of course, shooting.
Q: If you had to name one game or contest that you would give yourself the best chance of winning against all comers, what would it be?
MILLER: I'm not sure. I'm pretty good at ping pong and spend a lot of time playing when I'm at home. Against a tennis player, I might not win, but I like my chances against the average person.
Q: You're a native of Hawaii. How do you like living in San Diego? What is the thing you like most about your collegiate home? What is the thing you miss most about your home state?
MILLER: In terms of climate, I think San Diego is the closest that I can get to Hawaii. The thing I like most about San Diego is the Mexican food and having french fries in my burritos. The thing I miss most about Hawaii is the warm-water surf, hikes, local food, and family/friends.
Q: When visitors come to Hawaii, what are a few things that they should be sure to experience that they might tend to miss out on?
MILLER: Definitely the food. Just eat every type of local food you can get your hands on and don't be afraid to try it all. Also, visiting the beaches away from Waikiki and hikes that lead to waterfalls are good go-to activities.
Q: You're hoping to attend medical school after graduating with your cognitive science degree from UC San Diego. What's the end goal in that pursuit?
MILLER: I don't have a solid plan or a specific end goal. I am interested in applying to physician assistant programs, but I also have other interests that I may want to pursue. I also want to experience living in some other places and traveling before I move back home for good.
Q: In one sentence, what would you like your personal legacy to be as a UCSD women's water polo player?
MILLER: I hope that in my time at UCSD, I have worked toward being a well-rounded student, athlete and teammate.
Previous Triton Q&A Features
Megan Gesner (Women's Fencing) January 29, 2016
Tanner Syftestad (Men's Volleyball) January 4, 2016
Grant Jackson (Men's Basketball) December 18, 2015
Stephanie Sin (Women's Swimming & Diving) November 25, 2015
Beth Mounier (Women's Basketball) November 17, 2015
Nick Alexander (Men's Water Polo) October 21, 2015
Myles Cooper (Strength & Conditioning) October 6, 2015
Jordyn McNutt (Women's Soccer) September 8, 2015
Cameron McElfresh (Men's Soccer) September 1, 2015
Daniel Franz (Men's Cross Country) August 17, 2015
Meagan Wright (Women's Volleyball) August 10, 2015
Chase Cockerill (Men's Water Polo) August 3, 2015
Kelcie Brodsky (Women's Soccer) July 27, 2015
Kuba Waligorski (Men's Soccer) July 20, 2015
Nate Garcia (Cross Country) July 13, 2015
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