Lance Miller ’26, a biochemistry major and German and chemistry double-minor, has rewritten the Prairie Fire record books in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field. He competed in the NCAA Cross Country National Championship Meet, earned  the Midwest Conference’s Elite 20 award, given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the championship finals site, and holds more than five school records.

Three Facts

His hometown, Mascoutah, Illinois, has an annual tractor race and hog raffle.

During the summer, when he is hitting  upwards of 100 miles a week, he will have a pint of ice cream every night to help stay fueled.

He is a huge board game nerd. Once during his preseason, the cross country team spent about 12 hours playing a single game over two days. 

How did you choose your major?

Originally, I was planning to major in chemistry, but biochemistry aligned better with the MCAT material, and along the way, I found myself really enjoying the material and faculty, so I decided to stick with it.

Is there anything in particular you think about when running, whether at a meet, race, or training?

While running, I think about a lot of things. Sometimes in training, I use it to meditate on my day, plan what I need to do, or even study. During races, I focus on being present in the moment and remind myself how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to run at this level, especially with all the love and support I get from friends and family.