Former UVA standout tight end Heath Miller has been named to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2019.
A native of Honaker, Va., Miller earned All-America honors at UVA in 2004 when he was named the John Mackey Award winner as the best tight end in college football.
As a freshman in 2002, he had 33 receptions, 327 receiving yards, nine touchdown catches and one touchdown pass. He led all ACC tight ends in touchdowns and receptions. His nine touchdown catches were an ACC record for tight ends. He was voted second-team All-ACC and first-team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News. Miller finished the 2003 season with an ACC record of 70 receptions and 835 receiving yards. He was voted second-team All-America by and earned first-team All-ACC honors.
Miller was named unanimous first-team All-American in 2004, ending his college career with ACC records for most career receptions (144), yards (1,703) and touchdowns (20) by a tight end.
A 2005 1st round draft pick of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, Miller played significant roles on two Super Bowl championship teams (2005 and 2008 seasons). He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2009 and 2012. During 11 seasons in the NFL, he appeared in 168 games, caught 592 passes for 6,569 yards and 45 touchdowns. He is one of only 12 tight ends in NFL history with over 6,000 career receiving yards.
Joining Miller in as members of the Class of 2019 are former NFL offensive lineman Ruben Brown, NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, women’s basketball coach Wendy Larry, Olympic gold medalist diver Mark Lenzi, University of Richmond quarterback Buster O’Brien, ODU athletics administrator Debbie White and former Colonial Athletic Association Commissioner Tom Yeager.
The eight-member Class of 2019 was selected by the Hall of Fame’s 30-member Honors Court, after reviewing a host of nominations from among the ranks of athletes, coaches, journalists and other contributors, who either were born and/or raised in Virginia or achieved their fame playing in the state.
The induction ceremony, taking place Saturday April 6 at Zeider’s American Dream Theater in Virginia Beach will be the culmination of a weekend filled with events to honor the Class of 2019, including a VIP reception Friday April 5, and a breakfast event the morning of Saturday, April 6.
Share
Contributors
