The North Wind

Issue date: 10/11/07 Section: Sports

NMUcaptains T.J. Miller and Billy Smith stand next to teammate Al Dorich before the exhibition game against Toronto.

Returning for his sophomore season, Wildcat defenseman T.J. Miller hopes to keep pace with his own expectations.

When sophomore Wildcat defenseman T.J. Miller came to Northern last season, he wasn't sure what to expect. He was just another underclassman on a team that was dominated by seniors.

Now, a year removed from his freshman season, Miller is one of just four returning NMU defensemen that saw the ice last year.

After emerging as a defensive leader in his first campaign, the second-year player from Placentia, Calif. was recently named an NMU co-captain for the upcoming season.

"It's huge for me," Miller said. "When I came in here last year it was something that I really didn't think would happen for a few years, if it did happen at all. Now that it has happened this year, it's just something that will make me work harder and will motivate me more."

After accumulating two goals and 12 assists in 37 games last season, Miller has nearly as much ice time as any other player on the defense.

The only defenders that have played in more games than Miller are junior Derek May, who has seen the ice in 38 games, and senior Blake Cosgrove, who has skated in 39 contests during his collegiate career.

"He is a sophomore, but the guys look to him in the locker room as a leader," sophomore defenseman Al Dorich said. "He has definitely proved himself over the last year or so. We're looking toward him as one of our leaders and I think he'll do fine."

At 21, Miller may be younger than a lot of his teammates. His youth is representative of the team, on a whole.

Miller feels that, in order to be successful this season, the younger Wildcat skaters will need to step up and perform on defense.

"We definitely have a young team and don't really have a choice this year," Miller said. "Youth is what we are, so basically we have just got to make sure we focus on the little things."

NMU head coach Walt Kyle said that he saw Miller and the rest of the defensive unit make huge strides forward in their play last season. There is still a distance to go, however.

"[Defense] is the single biggest area where we have to continue to make big steps," Kyle said. "I like the talent back there, but the defense position is a much more learned position."

Continued...

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