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Jaice Miller, seeking to keep playing quarterback, commits to U of Sioux Falls

By Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune, 02/04/20, 3:11PM CST

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The Champlin Park senior, who passed up Division I offers, is expected to sign a letter of intent Wednesday as the NCAA regular signing period opens.


Champlin Park’s Jaice Miller, seeking a chance to play quarterback in college, has commited to the University of Sioux Falls. Photo: ANTHONY SOUFFLE • anthony.souffle@startribune.com

Jaice Miller waited and, eventually, got what he wanted.

The Champlin Park senior, who quarterbacked the Rebels to the Class 6A championship game in November, committed last week to the University of Sioux Falls, a Division II program in the NSIC.

He’ll sign his national letter of intent Wednesday morning at a signing day ceremony at Champlin Park High School. Wednesday is the first day of the NCAA Division I and II regular signing period. Many football players already signed during the NCAA’s early signing period in December.

“It felt good right away,” Miller said. “We went and visited and on the drive home, I called and committed.”

Miller had offers from Division I programs Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota and a preferred walk-on offer from Minnesota. All projected him as a tight end or receiver. The athletic 6-5 Miller had been a standout at wide receiver in his junior season.

He said in December that he fell in love with playing quarterback last season and was holding out for a program to give him the opportunity to play the position in college.

Enter Sioux Falls, which went 8-4 in 2019, losing in the first round of the Division II Central Regional playoffs. Minnesota-Duluth had also offered Miller a chance to play quarterback, but he preferred the opportunity presented by Sioux Falls. The Cougars’ starting quarterback had graduated and, while there are three other quarterbacks on the roster, Miller was the only recruit at that position this year.

“And I liked the offense,” he said. “They run the RPO (run-pass option) pretty much the same way we did at Champlin Park.”

It didn’t hurt that Champlin Park teammate and linebacker Obi Evuleocha was also heading to Sioux Falls. “On a visit down there, Obi told them he was going to try to get me down there. Maybe we’ll room together as freshmen,” Miller said.

Among other notable names expected to sign Wednesday are Lakeville North defensive lineman Landon Carter (Minnesota-Duluth), Prior Lake lineman Blake Whaley (Minnesota State Mankato), Coon Rapids quarterback Jake Van Hulzen (Winona State), Hopkins tight end Jimmy Murphy (VMI) and Woodbury defensive backs Drew Bramlett and Joe Frommelt (Drake).

Vasser expected to sign

— Wayzata running back Christian Vasser, who ran for 285 yards and five touchdowns in the Trojans’ Class 6A Prep Bowl victory over Champlin Park, had committed early last fall to Mankato. He reopened his recruitment after the Prep Bowl and is expected to announced his decision at Wednesday’s signing ceremony at Wayzata. Mankato is still a likely option, but word is Vasser is also giving strong consideration to Concordia-St. Paul.

— Three other notable locals have yet to announce their college plans. The Armstrong duo of quarterback Jake Breitbach and receiver Thai Bowman haven’t made college football commitments but are still being actively recruited. And Minneapolis North defensive lineman Quientrail Jamison-Travis, one of the state’s top defensive prospects, recently took a recruiting trip to Iowa State, where he impressed the Cyclones’ staff but has yet to receive an offer.

Expected signings on Wednesday

Wednesday is the first day of the regular-signing period for prospective NCAA Division I and Division II athletes. For Division I, the period runs through April 1. For Division II it runs through August 1. Wednesday is also the day that athletes in other sports can continue to sign letters of intent.

BASEBALL
• Jacob Contreras, Osseo: Mo. Southern
• Austin Gordon, Prior Lake: Minn.-Duluth

BASKETBALL • GIRLS
• Lydia Haack, Elk River: Upper Iowa
• Abi Schulte, Maple Grove: North Dakota St.

CROSS COUNTRY • BOYS
• Patrick McLean, Maple Grove: Arizona State

CROSS COUNTRY • GIRLS
• Emily Lindell, Champlin Park: Dallas Baptist

FENCING • GIRLS
• Gwen Nelson, Mpls. Washburn: Cleveland St.

FOOTBALL
• Dylan Bair, Prior Lake: Minn.-Duluth
• D.J. Barber, Eastview: MSU Mankato
• Ethan Beffert, Hutchinson: Minn.-Duluth
• Joe Buelow, Maple Grove: SW Minnesota State
• Anthony Campbell, Hopkins: Bemidji State
• Caleb Carlton, Park of Cottage Grove: Concordia (St. Paul)
• Landon Carter, Lakeville North: Minn.-Duluth
• Jac Carver, Wayzata: Concordia (St. Paul)
• Troy Davis, Edina: Augustana
• Joe Demro, Wayzata: Winona State
• Nicholas Dengler, Mahtomedi: Northern State
• Obi Evuleocha, Champlin Park: Sioux Falls
• Cole Fredrickson, Champlin Park: Bemidji St.
• Cyrinus George, Spring Lake Park: MSU Moorhead
• Max Giannini, Park of Cottage Grove: Concordia (St. Paul)
• Dejon Hall, Roseville: Winona State
• Myles Hawthorne, Osseo: Winona State
• Jake Hill, Osseo: Bemidji State
• Marcus Holasek, Chaska: Minn.-Duluth
• Brock Johnson, Champlin Park: U. of Mary
• Trevor Johnson, Buffalo: Northern State
• Stevo Klotz, Chaska: Iowa State
• Carson Kons, Park of Cottage Grove: Sioux Falls
• Will Lemire, White Bear Lake: Bemidji State
• Max Lommel, Chaska: MSU Mankato
• Ian Miller, Park of Cottage Grove: Concordia (St. Paul)
• Jaice Miller, Champlin Park: Sioux Falls
• Nick Moen, Chanhassen: Minn.-Duluth
• Brayone Murff, Hopkins: Minn.-Duluth
• Jimmy Murphy, Hopkins: VMI
• Jordan Nolan, Coon Rapids: SW Minnesota St.
• Wyatt Olson, Buffalo: Bemidji State
• Max Otto, Delano: Northern State
• Brice Peters, White Bear Lake: Bemidji State
• Sam Robertson, Wayzata: North Dakota
• Loshiaka Roques, Wayzata: North Dakota St.
• Nick Ruhland, Orono: Minn.-Duluth
• Dustin Sarvie, Buffalo: Wayne State
• A.J. Scaife, Roseville: Winona State
• Johnny Shabaz, Lakeville South: MSU Mankato
• Jack Sharon, Andover: Bemidji State
• Myles Taylor, Coon Rapids: Augustana
• Trey Toner, Spring Lake Park: Tarleton St.
• Jake Van Hulzen, Coon Rapids: Winona State
• Luke Weierke, Farmington: MSU Mankato
• Blake Whaley, Prior Lake: MSU Mankato

GOLF • BOYS
• Jack Hebrink, Elk River: Minn.-Crookston
• Cooper Markham, Wayzata: Montevallo

GYMNASTICS • GIRLS
• Elena Deets, Maple Grove: Arizona

HOCKEY • GIRLS
• Chloe Corbin, Maple Grove: Lindenwood
• Grace Glasrud, Delano: Post

LACROSSE • BOYS
• Talon Heath, Elk River: Lewis

LACROSSE • GIRLS
• Clara Johnson, Champlin Park: N. Michigan
• Josie Kropp, Prior Lake: Marquette
• Mckenzie Mohlencamp, Coon Rapids: Upper Iowa
• Nina Polk, Prior Lake: Marquette

ROWING • GIRLS
• Helena Gutzmer, Mpls. Washburn: Tulsa
• Reinnen Pfleider, Wayzata: Central Florida

RUGBY • GIRLS
• Abbey Terpstra, Wayzata: Quinnipiac

SOCCER • BOYS
• Jameson Charles, Mpls. Washburn: North Carolina

SOCCER • GIRLS
• Austyn Findley, Osseo: St. Cloud State
• Clare Gagne, Orono: Brown
• Abbey Radermacher, Maple Grove: Northern St.
• Luca Ralph, Maple Grove: Kent State
• Jessie Ryman, Maple Grove: Northern St.

SWIMMING • BOYS
• Kelby Modene, Maple Grove: Denver U.

SWIMMING • GIRLS
• Susanna Fish, Hopkins: Minnesota
• Anika Johnson, Mpls. Washburn: Colorado St.

TENNIS • GIRLS
• Paige Anderson, Elk River: MSU Mankato

TRACK AND FIELD • BOYS
• Niko Schmanski, Hopkins: MSU Mankato
• Dante White, Wayzata: North Dakota St.

VOLLEYBALL
• Lauren Link, Holy Angels: Loyola (Md.)

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