July 19, 2006
NORMAL, Ill. -
Matt Miller has the commitment and dedication that has made him a leader on the Illinois State men's golf team. A member of the 2006 All-Missouri Valley Conference team, Miller's continued excellence on the golf course has earned him the D.A. Weibring Endowed Scholarship for the 2006-07 school year.
"It is an honor to win this award," said Miller. "I have been working hard, and I think it shows that hard work pays off. It is awesome to see your own progress and has been something I have tried to earn."
Established in 1994 with proceeds from the D.A. Weibring Redbird Golf Classic, the scholarship is named for the former Redbird golfer who later starred on the PGA Tour and is currently on the Champions Tour. It honors a Redbird golf student-athlete who shows performance and dedication. In 1995, it became the first athletics endowment to become fully funded at Illinois State. Miller is the 12th honoree.
Head coach Ray Kralis feels that Miller's passion for the game is the driving force behind his success.
"Matt is passionate about the game of golf," said Kralis. "He wants to take his game to the highest level possible. Following D.A.'s example, Matt is in pursuit of the same type of dream. We are excited to have him back for one more year before he takes his game to the professional level."
Miller, a Bloomington, Ill., native, is excited to be joined on the Redbird golf team by his brother, Drew, who will be a freshman at Illinois State in 2006. Miller also appreciates the opportunities that have been made available to the golf program from the generosity of Weibring.
"I think playing with my brother Drew will be a blast," said Miller. "I see it as a big advantage for the both of us. I'm looking forward to it. I also feel that the contributions by D.A. have been huge because it has allowed us to travel to tournaments and definitely helped our program in recruiting. He has set a great example by giving back to the program."
The D.A. Weibring Endowed Scholarship is one of 14 endowed scholarships available to Illinois State student-athletes that are funded by private donors. Eight of them are already fully funded, including the Weibring Endowed Scholarship. For more information about supporting Illinois State University endowments for student-athletes, call The Redbird Club office at (309) 438-3803.
D.A. Weibring Endowed Scholars
Illinois State University
2006 - Matt Miller
2005 - Matt Maskel
2004 - Denny Bull
2003 - Kyle Vasel
2002 - Brian Anderson
2001 - Nic Baker
2000 - Dan Cerny
1999 - Antonio Olivo
1998 - Keith Ward
1997 - Cory Wells
1996 - Mike Cushing
1995 - Mike Cushing
