1997 Season Highlights: Kalna Miller gained a wealth of experience in the Big Ten run and throughout the NCAA Tournament. 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 1997 National Championship match loss to No. 3 Stanford.
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. 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.
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.
