Thomas Miller, a 22-year-old senior from Atlanta, Georgia, is bringing quiet confidence to the ETSU men’s track team.

With a 1:49.85 in the 800 meter race and a 48.23 on the 4×4 relay split, Miller has been a favorite at ETSU.

He is ranked within the top 25 NCAA East Region in the men’s 800 meter.

Beginning his track career in middle school, Miller originally only joined the track team to improve on the football field.

Though Miller began to love track, it was not until his mother stepped in that he began to solely focus on track in early high school.

As a freshman, Miller played in a few varsity games on the Lithonia High School football team but was ranked ninth in the state for track and field.

“You have to look at the results,” Emiliy Miller, his mother, urged. “You have got to see that you’re better at track than football.”

While this came as a surprise to Miller, he agreed. Track and field became a part of him.

Recruited to South Carolina State, Miller began his collegiate track career.

When his track coach from South Carolina State left, he made sure Miller would be well taken care of.

He contacted his former coach, George Watts, who is currently the head coach at ETSU, and Watts recruited Miller right away.

Transferring to ETSU from a historically black college has proved to be an adjustment for Miller, but the track team welcomed him with open arms.

“We really are like a family,” Miller said. “We’re like a family that’s from all over.”

For Miller, one of the best parts about being on the track team is getting to know his teammates. Since track is a sport that can be done anywhere, the team has many different races, religions and culture background.

“You have these people from all over who run track, so you get to know them, their religion, how they live, their lifestyle,” Miller said. “That’s what I really like about track and field and this team.”

In his spare time, Miller can be found doing homework, hanging out with his friends or playing video games, but he is usually in the gym practicing with his teammates, helping them — and himself — improve.

In his senior year, Miller is hoping to pursue track and field professionally.

For a few years, he wants to run, but after that, he wants to teach. Putting his early childhood education to good use, Miller sees himself eventually owning his own daycare.

As this is Miller’s final year, ETSU looks forward to what this season and his future holds for him.