Russ Rose Then (1998): “Kalna’s a person that I thought made some nice strides between her red-shirt year and last year [1997].  She’s an experienced player with a good knowledge of the game, she has the courage to go in and serve tough and be aggressive, and I like the fact that she’s willing to tell other people when they’re cutting corners to get back to doing what they have to do.  She’s a natural leader and I look forward to her leading the team during the remainder of her career.”

Russ Rose Now (2025): “Kalna was a really well skilled back row player from the Pittsburgh area, who came from good high school and club programs.  She was somebody that I had confidence that if I put her in to serve and pass, that she would be able to execute those things effectively and give somebody a breather and keep the momentum going.”

1997 Season Highlights: Kalna Miller gained a wealth of experience in 1997 in the Big Ten run and throughout the NCAA Tournament.  She should be one of the Nittany Lions’ top back row players for 1998.  She saw action in 28 matches in 1997 as a defensive specialist, posting 41 digs; she emerged as Rose’s go-to player in the back row at the end of the season, playing in each of the last 13 matches; notched a career-high six digs in the National Championship match loss to No. 3 Stanford.

Before Penn State: Miller was a four-year letterwinner and starter for Mt. Lebanon High School; Miller captured first-team all-section honors her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons; she was a two-year team captain for the Blue Devils, and took home honorable mention All-State accolades in 1994 and second-team honors in 1995; voted team “Most Valuable Player” by her teammates following her senior year; led her team to a runner-up finish in the state tournament and a fifth place finish in 1994; a versatile player as a backrow specialist and outside hitter, she was selected to six all-tournament teams during her high school career; also named an all-WPIAL selection her junior and senior seasons; Miller competed for the Pittsburgh Golden Triangles club team for five seasons and led them to a third-place showing at the Junior Nationals in 1995 before joining the Steel City Juniors club team.

“Miller wins friendly battle,” The Daily Collegian, Sept. 24, 1998