The RoundHouse | 5/28/2025 11:07:00 AM
By
Paul Suellentrop
While
Farrah Miller's recruiting process unfolded quickly and largely by chance, Wichita State distance running coach
Kirk Hunter saw her future clearly.
Earlier this month, WSU director of athletics
Kevin Saal reminded Miller and Hunter.
Soon after Saal took over at WSU in July 2022, he met Miller in the parking lot by Cessna Stadium. Hunter introduced her as a "future conference champion," before she ran a race for the Shockers. Miller, a transfer from Monroe (N.Y.) University, was new to WSU, as well.
"That was the first time I met Kevin, too," Hunter said. "Kevin and (Farrah's family) bumped into each other. They were having a great conversation. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I knew this girl is really good."
Saal recounted that story at WSU's team dinner after the American Athletic Conference Championships in Charlotte, N.C. Miller, a senior from White Plains, N.Y., did her part by winning the 800 meters in a time of 2 minutes, 04.37 seconds, a WSU record.
Miller needed that time to qualify for the NCAA West Preliminaries, where she is seeded No. 14 in the 48-woman field. She runs on Thursday in College Station, Texas. The top 12 runners advance to the NCAA Championships on June 11-14 in Eugene, Ore.
"It was amazing, my last conference meet, to come out a champion," she said. "I was blessed and honored that I could be able to run that type of time in that type of race, my last go-around."
In 2024, Miller placed second in the AAC outdoor 800 with a time of 2:06.24. She placed 12
th in 2023 at 2:13.05. At Charlotte, she wanted to stick close to Tulane's Janae Dean, who entered the race with a personal-best of 2:03.73 and won the event in 2023.
"I knew I could run with (Dean)," Miller said. "I knew it was going to have to be a perfect race. For me to run a 2:04 outdoors, finally, is like 'It's all there, it's all right there.'"
Although she won the National Junior College Athletic Association 800 in 2022 at Monroe, Miller considers herself a sprinter. She had to adjust to the 800. Hunter's top coaching point with her is to run with the leaders and trust her training to finish strong.
"He always wants me to run fast, get out fast the first lap," she said. "We've discovered it's not in the best choice for me to stay in the pack and then kick. I'm more of 'Get out fast and hold on.' He is right about that."
Miller must fight the natural inclination to start comfortably and save energy for the final lap. At the conference meet, she ran her 400 split in 58.1 seconds. Hunter wants her in that range.
"When she does go, it is fearless," Hunter said. "That is impressive. You're putting yourself out there. I've been more about 'Let's be aggressive.' Every time she's been aggressive, she's done really well."
That parking lot meeting with Saal happened after a chance visit to Wichita State in May 2022. Monroe stayed at the on campus hotel and used WSU's track for a practice session before the NJCAA Outdoor Championships in Hutchinson. That look at WSU's athletic and academic facilities and meeting with Hunter and assistant coach
John Wise started Miller's path to WSU. She had no connection with WSU until that trip and intended to stay on the East Coast.
"It's crazy to think about how that played out," she said. "I would never have thought 'I'm going to school out in Kansas, being from New York.' That's just a crazy thing to think of."
Three years later, Miller's time at WSU is defined by a fortuitous start and a smart strategy blending to create a conference champion.
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
