Freshman Kennedy Miller brings big boost to Arkansas offense

FAYETTEVILLE, Ar. (KNWA/KFTA) – The Kennedy Miller experience has been anything but the normal freshman SEC softball route. It’s been a season of awards, starting nearly every game, and finishing top 15 in the SEC in batting average, but the Georgetown, Texas native suiting up in Razorback Red wasn’t a given.

“Through the whole recruitment process, I was set on not leaving Texas. I mean all of my family is within two hours of me, I’m not leaving there’s no way,” Miller said.

However, a Georgetown connection with ties to Arkansas took Kennedy in a different direction.

“I’m actually really good friends with Taylor Ellsworth who played here so she went to University of Texas originally. From my home town, I’ve known her since I was 8 years old, so I was like ok Taylor you obviously like it if you transferred there and she was like let me see what I can do,” Miller said.

And so Ellsworth, the reason Kennedy wears the number 17, played a big role in getting Kennedy connected with Coach Deifel and the rest is history.

“I came up here and immediately once I came here I was like, ok this is it, the coaches are like a second family, yes it’s close to eight hours away from home but it feels like home,” Miller said.

It didn’t take long for Miller’s game to adjust to the SEC level.

“I’m 18 years old, but I belong here like yeah some of these girls might be 23 now that they have their super senior year, but I was made for this,” Miller said.

And yet did she ever really think it would go this well?

“I mean in my dreams and my sleep, but no legitimately I didn’t really, obviously like I said I everybody has that hope and that dream, but going into it, I just wanted the opportunity,” Miller said.

It’s safe to say Kennedy has seized that opportunity. Through it all she credits her family who preseason, 8 hours away in Texas, made it a goal to attend every game home and away.

“I literally can’t put it into words. The amount of Thursday nights my dad will drive after he works an 8 to 5, he’ll drive and won’t even get here until one in the morning. It’s just I can’t put it into this words, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to thank them enough,” Miller said.

Two families, one in Georgetown, Texas, and the other in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In terms of the latter, the mindset right now is simple.

“Everybody has the end goal of being in Oklahoma City in that first week of June, so it’s kind of creeping a little bit closer to where like yeah we could absolutely do this,” Miller said.

If Hogs can get over the hump and make it to OKC, their freshman catcher surely will be a big reason why.

Miller and the rest of the team kick off Regional action tonight at Bogle Park. They will take on Southeast Missouri at 7:30 p.m.