Veteran Collegiate and PDL Coach to Lead Inaugural Season
LANSING, Mich. – On Wednesday, Lansing Ignite Vice President and General Manager Jeremy Sampson announced the hiring of veteran collegiate and Premier Development League (PDL) coach Nate Miller as the first head coach in the club’s history.
“It is an honor to be selected as Lansing Ignite’s inaugural Head Coach,” said Miller. “I am looking forward to working with this strong ownership group who has a proven track record of building a successful sports franchise here in Lansing. We are bringing elite professional soccer back to Michigan, and I am prepared to do that at the highest level.”
In 2018, Miller led the Spring Arbor Cougars to one of the most successful seasons in program history and was named the 2018 Crossroads League Coach of the Year. Over six seasons, he has accumulated an overall record of 86-32-15 and won both the Crossroads League regular season title and tournament championship. As head coach and general manager for Lansing United, Miller led the team to an overall record of 20-13-12.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Nate for the past three years and there is no question that he is ready to take this next step in his coaching career,” said Sampson. “Nate is driven to be successful and I’ve never been around a coach who is so diligent in his preparation for every match, I know that our team will be ready each and every time they take the field.”
Prior to his coaching career, Miller was a standout midfielder at Taylor University in Upland, IN. He was selected to the Mid-Central Conference all-conference team in 2005 and 2006, and was named to the all-region team in 2007. Following his playing career, he spent time as an assistant coach at his alma mater, where he helped guide the program through the most successful period in school history.
Miller holds a USSF “A” Coaching License and possesses the NSCAA Premier Coaching Diploma. He also earned his Master’s in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine in 2016. Additionally, In 2016, Miller was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) NAIA Mideast Region Coach of the Year. He and his wife, Darcy, have two sons, Cohen and Elias, and a daughter, Stella.
As the club’s inaugural head coach, Miller is now tasked with structuring the team with players and staff. “I am excited to build a team that our community will be proud of and will love to watch. We are going to play a winning brand of soccer that will be entertaining for our supporters” Miller said. “We will be recruiting players and staff who will energize our fans from their role on the field, but also engage residents with their love of the game and through the team’s outreach into the community. We are identifying the key players for us and anticipate player signing announcements in the coming weeks.”
About Lansing Ignite
Lansing Ignite is a Founding Member of USL League One launching in the spring of 2019. Led by Majority Owner Tom Dickson, President Nick Grueser and Vice President and General Manager Jeremy Sampson, the club becomes the only professional outdoor soccer team in Michigan. The club will play its home games at Cooley Law School Stadium located in downtown Lansing.
About USL League One
USL League One is shaping the future of the game in the United States, uniting passionate fans in new markets with the thrill of a proven professional soccer experience. League One submitted its sanctioning application to the U.S. Soccer Federation on Aug. 14. South Georgia Tormenta FC, FC Tucson, Greenville Triumph SC, a Madison-based team, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, Toronto FC II, Orlando City B, the Richmond Kickers, Lansing Ignite FC and a Dallas/Fort Worth-based team are set to compete in the inaugural 2019 season.
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