Lauren Miller (’94)
Lauren Miller was a soccer superstar, a fact that was notably recognized by The Bergen Record when she was selected for its All-Century Team; she was also a much honored athlete on Glen Rock High School’s basketball, softball and track & field teams.
In soccer, Lauren’s best sport, she was a four year starting center midfielder and a leader of four successful teams. She was an extremely skilled player, who was both a scoring threat and an expert passer. She was ideally suited for her position, speedy and relentless.
In her freshman year, Lauren scored 11 goals and delivered 19 assists to help lead the 1990 team to its fifth consecutive Group, Sectional Championship. Unfortunately, Glen Rock was defeated in the subsequent Group 1, North Jersey Championship game by Morris Catholic, the subsequent Group 1, State Champion. Glen Rock ended the season as the #1 ranked Group 1 & Group 2 team in Bergen County (in The Bergen Record). Lauren was named to the Second Team, All-County (by The Bergen Record) and to the First Team, All-League.
In her sophomore year, Lauren scored 15 goals to lead the 1991 team to its sixth consecutive Group, Sectional Championship before, unfortunately, again being defeated in the subsequent Group 1, North Jersey Championship game by Morris Catholic, the subsequent Group 1, State Champion. Glen Rock ended the season as the #2 ranked Group 1 & Group 2 team in Bergen County (in The Bergen Record). Lauren was again named to the Second Team, All-County and to the First Team, All-League. She also received All-State honors, being selected for the Top 17 Players in Section 1 of New Jersey.
In her junior year, Lauren scored 25 goals and delivered 8 assists to lead the 1992 team to the semifinals of the All Group, Bergen County Tournament and to a #1 seeding for the Group 2, Sectional Tournament before they were upset 1-0 in the semifinals by Wallkill Valley. Glen Rock ended the season as the #1 ranked Group 1 & Group 2 team in Bergen County and their coach, Tracy Trobiano, was named Coach of the Year (in The Bergen Record). Lauren was named to the First Team, All-County and to the First Team, All-League. She also again received All-State honors, being selected for the Top 17 Players in Section 1 of New Jersey.
In her senior year, Lauren scored 28 goals and delivered 10 assists to lead the 1993 team to another successful year. In the Group 2, Sectional Tournament, she scored two goals in the team’s 4-0 victory over Sparta before the team suffered a repeat loss to Wallkill Valley (in a shootout). Glen Rock ended the season as the #2 ranked Group 1 & Group 2 team in Bergen County Lauren was again named to the First Team, All-County and to the First Team, All-League. She also again received All-State honors, being selected for the Top 17 Players in Section 1 of New Jersey and also being selected for the North 1 Regional Team. Finally, she was named to the First Team, Group 2, All-State.
In 2000, Lauren was named to the Bergen County All-Century team.
In basketball Lauren was a defensive gem who was responsible for leading a pressure defense that produced four very successful seasons. Lauren was named to the Second Team, All-B-PSL Carpenter as a sophomore, as a junior and as a senior. In her junior year, the Bergen Record recognized her as one of six players in the Bergen and Passaic counties that displayed “outstanding determination.” That paper also awarded her Honorable Mention, All-County. Lauren was team Co-Captain as a senior.
In the spring Lauren started on the softball team during her first three years and was named to the Second Team, All-B-PSL Carpenter as a freshman and to the First Team All-B-PSL Carpenter as a sophomore and as a junior. She also received Honorable Mention, All-County. In Lauren’s senior year she joined the 1994 track & field team and was a Co-Captain and an important member of that Hall of Fame inducted team. She learned to throw the javelin so well that she finished first at the B-PSL Carpenter meet, second at the Group 2, Bergen County meet and first at the Group 2, Sectional meet. Her throw of 119’1” at that last meet was the second best throw in Bergen County that year and set the school record for that event.
In June 1994, the administration and coaches of Glen Rock High School recognized Lauren as the top female athlete in that year’s graduating class and gave her the esteemed Athlete of the Year Award. Lauren then went on to Penn State on a full scholarship in soccer, and, if possible, had even more success there. She was a 4 year starter and started every game of her career. She was chosen Outstanding Freshman Athlete (all sports) and was chosen the Penn State defensive player of the year as a freshman, sophomore, and senior. Lauren was team Co-Captain as a junior and senior and Academic All Big 10 as a sophomore, junior and senior. As a senior, Lauren toured in Europe with the Penn State team, on a tour where Penn State played the English National Team and became the first American women’s team to play a game in Wembley Stadium