Celebrating The History Of The CAC And NCAA Division III - "40-In-40" Feature On Former CAC Basketball And Volleyball Standout Ronda Jo Miller
NOTE - This story, about one of the most decorated student-athletes in Capital Athletic Conference history, is courtesy of the NCAA Division III website. Ronda Jo Miller was the three-time CAC Volleyball Player of the Year (1996, '97 and '99), three-time CAC Women's Basketball Player of the Year (1997-99), the Rookie of the Year in both sports (1996-97 academic year) and led Gallaudet to two CAC volleyball championships (1996, 1999).
"We are proud to have your institution's membership in NCAA Division III, as the division celebrates the 40th Anniversary of its creation in August 1973. During a yearlong celebration of its anniversary, NCAA.org is publishing 40 weekly profiles of student-athletes who attended member institutions during the past 40 years. Titled "40-in-40," the project seeks to bring to life the philosophy and ideals of Division III by featuring individuals who have exemplified the division's attributes of proportion, comprehensive learning, passion, responsibility, sportsmanship and citizenship - not just during their time on campus, but also in their careers or avocations." - Dan Dutcher, Vice President for NCAA Division III
Written by Jack Copeland. Nominated by GU Sports Information Director Sam Atkinson.
Embracing the silence
However, few student-athletes at any level of competition get to be a role model like Ronda Jo Miller.
Type Miller’s name into an internet search engine, and you’ll find essays written by school children about the three-time Gallaudet basketball all-American who also played volleyball at the school.
Miller wore No. 23, and like Michael Jordan, who also famously wore that number, kids want to be like her. Her coach, Kitty Baldridge, knows.
“There are a lot of accomplishments, a lot of things you’d be astonished to hear about – how she treats children and how they look up to her, and how they talk about her once they realize who she is, and ask for autographs,” Baldridge said during a Gallaudet ceremony in February to retire Miller’s No. 23.
Coaches, knowing Miller is deaf, still saw her potential and sought to recruit her out of high school. But Miller passed up offers from Division I and II programs, and then did what many Division III student-athletes do – she picked the school she believed was right for her academically, socially, and athletically.
In her case, the school was Gallaudet – the nation’s only university for the deaf and hard of hearing and at that time a member of Division III’s Capital Athletic Conference (the university moved its athletics program in 2010 to the North Eastern Athletic Conference).