How Razorbacks landed Ryin Miller

TOPEKA — It was an incredible experience for Ryin Miller over the past several months. Colleges from across the country were vying for her commitment to run collegiately. Last week, she made her long-awaited college announcement. 

“The ‘no’ calls through the process were definitely the hardest part,” Miller said. “But, the ‘yes’ call was so much fun.”

Miller said ‘yes’ to the University of Arkansas. 

The senior at Seaman will be joining one of the top programs in the SEC and the country. The Razorbacks women’s track program finished eighth in the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June. Last fall, the cross country team finished inside the top 20. During indoor season, Arkansas secured fourth. 

Safe to say, Miller is joining an elite program.

“I noticed the support and pride for the school with Razorback stuff everywhere,” Miller said. “The facilities there, with their new indoor track being insanely nice. The outdoor track, you can’t get much better than that.”

When Miller met with the team, she loved Arkansas’ focus. The dedication to their craft, along with the team’s comrades, left her feeling comfortable. It’s an environment where she can thrive. 

Miller has been excellent throughout her high school career. She holds the fastest 5K cross country time in Kansas history. She broke the state record in the 1600-meter run with a 4:41.47. The rising senior is also the reigning Class 5A state champion in the 800, 1600 and 3200-meter runs in May. 

The only thing left for Miller to accomplish is to win an individual cross country state title. It’s a big goal of hers and she’s ready to meet the challenge head-on, but this offseason has proved to be a battle. 

She’s dealing with an IT Band issue and her focus has been on recovery and cross-training. 

“I’m hoping to be back soon and I’ll try to be positive about it,” Miller said. “It’s giving me even more of an appreciation for running and I can learn from it. Hopefully, it will help me in the long run.”

After committing, messages began to flood Miller’s phone. Her support system in North Topeka is strong. Family, friends and fellow competitors were wishing her well for her college choice. 

Throughout her career, she can be seen hugging her family post-race and chatting with running friends. 

Those closest to Miller will enjoy another busy year at Seaman. Along with cross country and track, Miller shared she will also continue to play basketball and soccer for one final time.

“People have been so nice throughout this whole process and it’s had a huge impact on me and has influenced my whole journey,” Miller said. “People couldn’t be nicer about it and it makes me want to work harder and to just keep pushing myself. 

Safe to say, Arkansas has an elite runner joining their ranks.

The perfect match.

Liam Keating covers high school sports for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@gannett.com