Blake Miller is in his fourth year overall at the Naval Academy and second as a full-time assistant coach. He spent his first two seasons in Annapolis as the Mids’ volunteer assistant coach.
Miller, a phenomenal player in his own right, has helped coach the Mids on the offensive side of the ball since his arrival in Annapolis. Last season, Miller collaborated with offensive coordinator and legendary coach Dave Cottle to lead the Mids’ offensive arsenal. Navy had three players close out the season with 30 or more points, including Xavier Arline (Sr/A), who reached 40 points with 21 goals and a team-high 19 assists. Meanwhile, Henry Tolker (Jr/A) and Max Hewitt (Sr/M) turned in 37 and 32 points apiece with Tolker leading the squad with 30 goals. Hewitt and Tolker became just the 37th and 38th players, respectively, to reach the 100-point milestone in program history. Hewitt, only the 11th midfielder in program history to achieve the feat, scored his 100th point on Senior Night against Bucknell, while Tolker scored his 100th in the Mids’ final game of the season vs. Lehigh in the Patriot League Semifinals.
Hewitt graduated as one of only four midfielders in school history to score 30 points in a season three times, joining Greyson Torain (2017-19), Jamie Slough (1992-94) and Mike Chanenchuk (1977-79). He is one of just eight to do it multiple times.
In 2023, Navy was faced with mounting injuries to several starters, including All-American midfielder Patrick Skalniak who missed 9 games due to a fracture to his spine, and fellow midfielder Dane Swanson who broke his foot for a second time in three seasons. Phipps and Miller were tasked with shuffling lineups (10 in 16 games) and mentoring several young players along the way.
Max Hewitt (Jr/M) emerged the leader of the offense, as the 2023 Honorable Mention All-American paced the team with 36 points on 24 goals and 12 assists. Despite nursing a season-long injury, he became only the eighth different midfielder in program history to score 30 points multiple times in a career (36 points in 2023, 32 points in 2022).
Meanwhile, Navy’s attack line scored 60 goals and added 32 assists. Xavier Arline split his time with football, while Mac Haley overcame inexperience as a freshman to serve as the team’s second and third-leading scorers with 33 (17G, 16A) and 30 (16G, 14A) points respectively. Henry Tolker (So/A), meanwhile, was the team’s finisher, scoring a team-high 27 goals.
A starter in 15 of the 16 contests, Haley closed out his rookie campaign ranked among the top 10 in points (30) and assists (14) by a Navy freshman. He is just the 15th freshman in program history to score 30 points in a season and his 14 assists were the most by a Navy freshman since Tucker Hull and Sam Jones dealt out 15 apiece in 2011.
In his inaugural season, Miller paired up with Brad Ross to help coach the offense. Among his pupils was Patrick Skalniak (Jr/M) who was a First-Team All-Patriot League selection and received All-America recognition from the USILA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse Magazine. Skalniak was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the USILA and is the first Navy offensive midfielder to garner All-America recognition since Greyson Torain in 2017. It is believed Patrick Skalniak and Philip Skalniak (‘83) are Navy lacrosse’s first father-son combination to earn All-America accolades. Philip Skalniak was a third-team midfielder in 1983.
Navy had five players score 30 or more points (48 by Skalniak, 38 by Dane Swanson, 38 by Nick Cole, 34 by Henry Tolker, 32 by Hewitt) for the first time in program history. Skalniak, Swanson and Hewitt became the first trio of midfielders in program history to reach the 30-point milestone this season. Only two previous occasions (Ryan Wade and Greyson Torain in 2018 and ’19) has Navy had two midfielders score 30 points in the same season. Meanwhile, Skalniak’s team-high 48 points (28G, 20A) tied as the third most in school history by a midfielder and the most since Ryan Wade scored 48 points in 2019.
Attackman Henry Tolker finished the season ranked among the top 10 in points, goals and assists by a Navy freshman. His 34 points are the 10th most by a Navy rookie and the most since Tucker Hull and Sam Jones recorded 38 in 2011. Tolker’s 23 goals are tied for sixth on the list and the most since Hull and Jones scored 23 in 2011. Tolker’s 11 assists are the 10th most by a Navy freshman and the most since Hull and Jones dealt out 15 in 2011.
Tolker is the first Navy freshman to record five hat tricks in a season since 1987 when Mike Herger, Navy’s third all-time leading scorer and record holder for points and goals by a freshman, pitched seven hat tricks. Tolker is the first Navy freshman to record hat tricks in three-consecutive games (Hofstra, Manhattan, High Point) since 2003 when All-American Ian Dingman did it.
Miller arrived in Annapolis in September of 2021 after serving as the boys lacrosse offensive coordinator at Manhasset High School since 2012. Under his direction, Manhasset won three Long Island Championships (2015, ‘19, ‘21), made New York State Semifinals appearances in 2015 and ‘19 and punched its ticket to the 2015 New York State Championship Game. Additionally, Manhasset earned appearances in the Nassau County finals in eight of the last nine years (2013-19, ‘21). Miller has also served as the head coach of the New York Athletic Club’s lacrosse team since 2017, leading it to the 2018 and ‘19 American Lacrosse League titles.
Miller was part of leading two programs to the Connecticut State Semifinals in back-to-back years - 2000 as head coach at Greenwich High School and 2001 as offensive coordinator at Darien High School. Additionally, he helped guide Darien HS to the 2001 Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference crown.
As a player, Miller earned All-America honors at Nassau Community College in 1994 before arriving at Hofstra where he would be named an Honorable Mention All-American in 1996. Additionally, he was named the 1996 North Atlantic Conference Lacrosse Player of the Year. A two-time member of the US National Team, he led the United States to gold at the 1998 World Lacrosse Championship and silver at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship. He played professionally for the Bridgeport Barrage (2001-03), Philadelphia Barrage (2004), Long Island Lizards (2005-2010) and retired as a member of the Chesapeake Bayhawks in 2011. A six-time Major League Lacrosse (MLL) All-Star (2001-06), he was named the 2004 MLL Offensive Player of the Year after guiding the Philadelphia Barrage to the 2004 MLL Championship. The two-time MLL All-Pro (2005 and ‘06) holds the league record for most goals scored by a midfielder in a single season.
He also played professionally in the National Lacrosse League, seeing stints with the New York Saints (1997-2001), New Jersey Storm (2001-03), Anaheim Storm (2003-04) and New York Titans (2006-07).
Miller was inducted into the Manhasset Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Long Island Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2011.
Miller and his wife Allison reside in Arnold with their children Blake and Avery.
