WASHINGTON (November 18, 2025) - Nothing was ever handed to Nile Miller (Woodbury, N.J.). She built her reputation the long way — through late-night workouts, quiet persistence and a grind that did not need an audience. When most players were fielding calls from coaches, Miller and her mom were the ones sending the emails, attaching homemade highlight videos to anyone who might take a look.
Now, the 6-foot-1 Howard University senior forward moves like someone who earned everything. She is light on her feet and explosive off of them — swatting shots, soaring above crowds for rebounds and scoring with a feathery touch that softens her power.
The results mean more because of where she started. From overlooked recruit to indispensable piece of Howard's machine and the backbone of its blue-ribbon defense, Miller carries the quiet satisfaction of someone who climbed every rung herself — and never stopped rising. She is still soaring, leading, laughing and savoring every moment of Howard's terrific start to the season.
Howard's 4–0 start — capped with a 56–46 road win at Elon (Nov. 15) — is its best since 2004. Miller has been a major part of the Bison's early success, averaging 7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game. She scored a season-high 11 points in a 62-60 win over George Washington (Nov. 11).
"I'm very grateful to be here," Miller said. "When you go to college, you have got to kind of fit in, where you fit in. I obviously was not as efficient at scoring as everybody else, so I just started putting more effort into defense and found what I was good at to get some playing time. I feel like, since my freshman year, I was always doing the dirty work and stuff, praising other people and waiting for my turn."
Her turn arrived. The spotlight found her.
And now, everybody is praising Miller.
After all, she is earned enough accolades to run her own awards shop. Miller was named to the All-MEAC Rookie Team, the All-Defensive Team twice and selected as a MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) Third Team honoree twice. Before the start of this season, Miller was named to the preseason MEAC First Team—proof of what happens with hard work and a humble spirit.
Majoring in sports management, she is having a blast helping Howard's historic start. Miller is more grit than glitter. Her presence alters shots and hinders opponents from finishing cleanly near the basket. Her quickness and instincts — paired with the towering presence of senior teammate Zennia Thomas (Cleveland) — are big reasons why Howard leads the conference with 23 blocked shots through four games.
Howard's defense limited Providence to 56 points and held George Washington scoreless over the final five minutes, 40 seconds, proof of Miller's impact. The Bison also held Elon scoreless for the final 4:21 of the third quarter as it surged in front to open a nine-point bulge. In all four of its victories, Howard has led by double digits at some point in the game, which has been impressive.
"I feel like everybody just has a different mentality," Miller said. "We are all hungry and we all have faith that we can beat any team. We are not scared of any bigger conferences or what people have to say about other schools or about us. I love (how we are winning so far) because I feel like if one part of our team is lacking, we can pick it up on another part."
Believe it or not, there was a time when Miller was not interested in basketball because she did not like sweating. Miller, who loves doing her hair and sleeping, wanted to do fewer physical activities; however, her dad talked her into playing and the rest is history. Miller has the rare gift of sweating but remaining cool under pressure. She fixes her hair, smooths her uniform or calmly listens to instructions from head coach Ty Grace. Never flustered.
"My dad forced me to and then I started liking it," Miller said. "I was just a girly girl and I did not like to sweat. Then, playing high school and AAU, I was scoring, taller than everybody else and played good defense … Now, I feel like I have a good connection with my coaches. I have a good connection with the players and the faculty. I love it here."
That growth did not stop in the offseason. Miller enjoyed a summer to remember.
She attended a transformational weekend experience at the HBCU ELITE Collegiate Women's Basketball Camp in Atlanta (May 28-31). She was one of 22 student-athletes from Division I and II Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who took part in the empowering, four-day experience.
The camp blended skill development with life preparation, offering sessions on mental health, financial literacy, media training and corporate culture — while also creating space for connection, vulnerability and joy. A few weeks later, she was part of Howard's bonding trip to Portugal.
"I was fortunate to experience so much growth," Miller said of her summer experience. "The HBCU Elite Camp was a good opportunity and I met a lot of different people and learned a lot of things. Portugal was a big opportunity to go somewhere that I have not been, learn about their culture and play people that I probably would never have played out here."
Miller's summer only polished what was already there: a worker's spirit, a learner's heart and a belief that effort always finds its reward.
Nothing was handed to her then and nothing is given to her now.
Miller still builds her reputation the same way she always has — with quiet work, steady belief and a spirit that shows up long before the lights turn on. Howard may be soaring through its best start in decades, but the truth is simple: Miller's been climbing for years and now everyone is finally watching the highlights.
Yet, as Howard keeps winning and the enthusiasm around the program builds, one truth remains clear: this rise was built long ago, in empty gyms and unseen moments where perseverance became her superpower.
Rob Knox is an award-winning professional and a member of the Lincoln (Pa.) Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition to having work published in SLAM magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington Post, and Diverse Issues In Higher Education, Knox enjoyed a distinguished career as an athletics communicator for Lincoln, Kutztown, Coppin State, Towson, and UNC Greensboro. He also worked at ESPN and for the Delaware County Daily Times. Knox was honored by CSC with the Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award and the NCAA with its Champion of Diversity award. Named a HBCU Legend by SI.com, Knox is a graduate of Lincoln University and a past president of the College Sports Communicators, formerly CoSIDA.
For more information, visit the official Howard Athletics website www.hubison.com.
