EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern senior goalkeeper Tyler Miller has been named to the 2014 Scholar All-America First Team, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced this week. The senior goalkeeper is the only player in the nation to earn both All-America and Scholar All-America honors, and be invited to the upcoming MLS Combine.
The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, is the first NSCAA Scholar All-American in Northwestern program history. Wildcats Carl Pett and Matt Eliason earned CoSIDA Academic All-America laurels in 2008.
"Everything we talk about in terms of Northwestern Soccer being `Something Special' has been put on display with Tyler Miller," said Wildcats head coach Tim Lenahan. "He is a tremendously successful goalkeeper, an outstanding student and also a very good person and teammate. Everyone at Northwestern is very excited about his future be it in the MLS or Europe"
The Scholar All-America honor is the latest addition to a lengthy list of accolades for Miller. He was previously a unanimous choice as Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten First Team, and named to both the NSCAA All-Midwest Region First Team and All-America Second Team. He is projected to be a first round selection in the MLS SuperDraft on January 15th.
A Communication Studies major, Miller led the Big Ten in goals against average (0.56) save percentage (.853) and shutouts (9) this season. The Woodbury, N.J., native was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in both 2011 and 2012 before injury cut short a 2013 campaign where he still ranked second in the league with eight clean sheets. The Wildcats career shutout record-holder earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors this year on Sept. 22 and Nov. 6.
Miller was part of a senior class recruited by head coach Tim Lenahan that led Northwestern to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and three pieces of Big Ten hardware.
The goalkeeper was announced earlier this week as one of 55 NCAA Division I college seniors invited to showcase their talents at the 2015 adidas MLS Player Combine Jan. 8-13 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.The coaching staffs from all 20 MLS teams will be on hand to scout talent for the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, scheduled to take place on Thursday, Jan. 15, in Philadelphia.
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