Isabella Miller

Isabella Miller knows what it means to run down a dream. Ever since she was a little girl, she has been running with her family.

“My whole family runs, especially my dad,” she said.

Even though Miller has been running 5Ks with her family for along as she can remember, she also grew up using her endurance and speed on the soccer field. Finally, in seventh grade, Miller’s father suggested she give cross country a try.

“That’s when I fell in love with it,” Miller said.

She eventually became a year-round athlete at Fonda-Fultonville competing in cross country in the fall, indoor track in the winter, and outdoor track in the spring.

Coming into her senior season, Miller set a goal of reaching the New York State meet in cross country. It was an ambitious goal for any runner, but for Miller specifically, it would mean overcoming years of disappointment.

“Year after year, injuries and untimely illnesses crept up and derailed her efforts to qualify,” said Fonda-Fultonville Cross Country coach Joseph Geniti. “To Isabella’s credit, she consistently demonstrated resilience, determination, and an unyielding commitment to success. Most impressive, she always found a way to stay positive and celebrate her teammates’ successes, despite her own individual disappointment. “

Miller committed to this goal with Geniti. She said he was integral in the planning and execution of her cross country season.

 “Coach Geniti has been amazing,” she said. “I was coming off a hip injury, and he made sure to regulate my milage and work me into the right training.”

After fighting through the hip injury, Miller would suffer an ankle injury while warming up for the Western Athletic Conference meet. However, she persisted through the injuries to race in sectionals and finally claim her spot in the state meet.

“To accomplish this as a senior made the feat even more impressive, considering the meet is historically dominated by underclassmen,” Geniti said. “She finished 39th overall at the state meet, and impressively, was the sixth senior across the line in her race. It was the culminating moment to what had been an inspiring journey. “

As exhibited in her cross country career, Miller knows work hard towards a goal that matters to her. That’s why in school, Miller took some of the most challenging classes and excelled in them, earning the third-best GPA in her class and an internship at the Neural Stem Cell Institute in Rensselaer, New York.

“It was an amazing opportunity,” she said. “I got to create antibodies in the lab so that the lab techs could use them in their research.”

That research meant a lot to Miller, who said her family has had a lot of experience with cancer. It was that experience that got her interested in the field of oncology.

“My aunt passed away from cancer when I was eight years old,” Miller said. “That’s what made me want to go to medical school and eventually study oncology.”

While she made her way towards her goal of medical school, she spent time volunteering at her local Ronald McDonald House serving families of children that are in the hospital.

“I like to go in and cook meals for the families staying at the house or make baked goods,” she said.

Chasing down her goals is what Isabella Miller does best. Amongst all her achievements, she says earning the Capital District Sports Woman of the Year award is one of her most memorable achievements.

“I’m very honored to receive the prestigious Capital District Sports Women of the Year award,” Miller said. “It is such an accomplishment to be valued among these amazing young women. It was a defining moment in my high school career to receive this award and goes to show that all your hard work and dedication pays off.