 Media Credit: File Photo by Matt Watras/The Daily Northwestern Though not a fixture in the starting lineup until her senior season, right fielder Jessica Miller is seen by teammates and coaches as a key leader for the Wildcats. No. 2 seed NU begins tournament play today in Columbus, Ohio, taking on No. 7 seed Michigan State. [Click to enlarge]
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By Philip Rossman-ReichThe Daily Northwestern
Senior Garland Cooper has the school and conference single-season and career home run record, holds the school record for RBIs and is the two-time defending Big Ten Player of the Year.
Senior Eileen Canney is second in Northwestern history in wins and one of three players in the team's history to reach 1,000 strikeouts.
Senior Katie Logan is a speedy leadoff hitter that made first team all-Big Ten last season.
No. 6 NU has many accomplished seniors looking for that elusive conference championship in the Big Ten tournament, which begins today in Columbus, Ohio, with NU (43-10, 15-3 Big Ten) taking on Michigan State (33-25, 7-9).
But one senior has had to work her way into the starting lineup to play with her classmates.
Senior Jessica Miller didn't start all four years like the rest of the seniors, but she has had a profound effect on the team.
"Jessica Miller for sure is the hardest working person on the team," Logan said. "She always has great spirits. It's not (what's) on the field or in the record books that really matters. Regardless of whether she's been playing or not these four years, she's had as big an impact as the rest of us with being part of a team."
Miller isn't as visible as her classmates on the field; she earned her first consistent time in the lineup this season. The starting right fielder is hitting .224 with two home runs - including the longest home run in Sharon J. Drysdale Field history - and 10 RBIs.
She has been in and out of the lineup throughout her career, seeing action in 20 games last season, starting eight, and she's never hit over .200 before this season. Miller started a previous career-high 13 games in 2005 and hit .188 with three home runs and 11 RBIs.
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