FORT PIERCE—Indian River State College (IRSC) women’s swim team member Gina Miller has been named the 2022-23 Betty Jo Graber NJCAA Female Student-Athlete of the Year by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). This recognition is among the highest honors awarded to student-athletes by the organization.
A native of South Africa, Miller excelled as a member of Pioneers’ Women’s Swimming and Diving program for two seasons. Miller found great success both in the classroom and in the pool. During her career as a Pioneer, Miller established new NJCAA records in the 500 and 1000 Yard Freestyle. She was a member of six NJCAA national championship relay teams and won seven individual titles in the NJCAA Swimming & Diving Championships over the course of two seasons.
Miller received Co-Swimmer of the Meet at the 2022-23 NJCAA Swimming & Diving Championships and placed first in the 200, 500, and 1000 Yard Freestyle events. As a freshman, Miller was the Freestyle 2021-22 national champion in the 200, 500, and 1000 Yard Freestyle events. Miller was also a strong performer in the classroom during her time at Indian River State, maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout her career as a Pioneer.
Miller will continue her academic and athletic career at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she will continue to pursue her studies in Psychology.
“IRSC is extremely excited and honored that Gina Miller, a member of our women’s program, has been selected as the 2023 Betty Jo Graber award winner,” shares Scott Kimmelman, IRSC Athletic Director. “To have one of our student-athletes honored as the recipient of such a prestigious award validates not only Gina’s efforts to excel at the highest levels academically and athletically but our mission as a department to instill core values of excellence both on the playing field—or in this case, the pool—and in the classroom. We are proud of her accomplishments and take pride in knowing we have been a part of her growth as a student-athlete.”
During her athletic career at IRSC Miller has earned the following accolades:
- 2022 & 2023 NJCAA Female Swimmer of the Year
- 13x NJCAA All-American
- 13x NJCAA College Swim Coaches’ Association of America (CSCAA) All-American
- 13x NJCAA National Champion
- Broke the NJCAA National Record in the 500 Freestyle in 2022
- Broke the NJCAA National Record in the 1000 Freestyle in 2022
- NJCAA First Team All-Academic
- 2022 and 2023 Southern Conference All-Academic Team honors
- 2022 and 2023 FCSAA / Region VIII All-Academic
- CSCAA Academic All-American
- IRSC President’s List honoree
IRSC head Swim Coach Sion Brinn reflected on Miller’s success during her time with IRSC. “I am very proud of all of Gina’s accomplishments over the last two years, both in the water and in the classroom. She is most deserving of this prestigious recognition, and I look forward seeing what she achieves in her future endeavors.”
Miller will be honored during the NJCAA Foundation Awards event, on Thursday, June 8, at the Hilton Charlotte University Place at 6:30 p.m. The event will recognize the NJCAA Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year, the Lea Plarski Award winner, the Champion Award winners, and the Difference Maker Award winner, in addition to the 2023 class of the NJCAA Hall of Fame.
