After more than a decade of building one of the most successful junior college softball programs in the region, Lake-Sumter State College head coach Jay Miller announced this week that the upcoming 2026 season will be his last at the helm of the Lakehawks.

The decision comes less than a year after Miller stepped into the role of executive director of athletics at the college in mid-2025, a position he assumed following an interim stint that began in the summer of 2024. While continuing to guide the softball team through its final season under his leadership, Miller says the time has come to focus fully on broader responsibilities within the athletic department and the future of the program.

“I am a big believer that everything happens for a reason, and this is one of those moments,” Coach Miller says. “This is an amazing opportunity to go from impacting the softball program to all twelve sports.”

“Coach Miller has proven to be an exceptional leader who brings energy, vision, and heart to everything he does,” Dr. Laura Byrd, Executive Vice President of Operations & Executive Director, LSSC Foundation says. “His commitment to student-athlete success and his ability to lead with both strategy and compassion make him the ideal person to guide Lakehawk Athletics into the future.”

Miller’s softball coaching career started in Citrus County where he was the head coach for the Citrus Chaos travel ball team. He got his start at the collegiate level while at Oklahoma Panhandle State University as the recruiting coordinator for the Aggie softball program.

Miller attended NCAA DII affiliate Northwest Missouri State University where he was the Assistant Softball Coach and the Graduate Assistant to the Sports Information Director. 

Before working with the NWMSU, Miller was a collegiate baseball player at the University of Rio Grande in Ohio and Oklahoma Panhandle State. As a pitcher, Miller earned Academic All-Conference honors for both schools he played at, finishing his career at OPSU as a catcher, hitting over .300.

He completed his undergraduate degree at Oklahoma Panhandle State in Exercise Science in 2012 before finishing his Master’s in Applied Health and Sports Sciences at Northwest Missouri State in 2014.

Coach Miller arrived in Leesburg in 2015 to take over a Lakehawks squad that had struggled mightily, finishing his inaugural campaign with a 13-46 record. What followed was a steady climb that eventually placed the program among the elite in the (FCSAA) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

In 2018, Miller guided Lake-Sumter to its first 30-win season. Five years later, in 2023, the Lakehawks reached new heights with a program-record 43 victories and captured their first FCSAA championship. Coach Miller compiled a 279-271 overall record, good for a .507 winning percentage, an amazing resume in his 10 completed seasons.

Beyond the win column, Miller’s tenure was defined by player development, both on the field and in the classroom. His teams produced one NJCAA All-American, one NFCA Gold Glove award winner, and two FCSAA Players of the Year. The program also earned consistent academic recognition, including seven NJCAA All-Academic Team selections and more than 30 individual NJCAA All-Academic honorees. Perhaps most importantly, more than 40 Lakehawks softball players under Miller’s guidance went on to continue their careers at four-year colleges and universities.

Miller credited the transformation to the dedication of his players and assistant coaches.

“I cannot thank my players and assistant coaches enough for what they have turned this program into over the last decade,” he says. “The goal should always be: wherever you go, leave it better than how you found it, and I believe they did that.”

He described his time coaching at Lake-Sumter as the most enjoyable chapter of his career in college athletics.

“Coaching softball at Lake-Sumter has been the most fun I think I will ever have in my career in college athletics,” Miller added, “but after 11 years, it is time to turn my attention toward the future and some of the most important and impactful things I can help the athletics community achieve.”

“Coach Miller’s impact on our student-athletes and the overall athletics experience at LSSC has been remarkable,” says Dr. Joseph Mews, Vice President of Enrollment & Student Affairs. “He leads with integrity, a student-first mindset, and the competitive spirit that defines what it means to be a Lakehawk.”

“Lakehawk Athletics is committed to doing things the right way and that means developing student-athletes into great people,” Miller says. “Winning is a result of that purpose. I’m excited to build on the strong foundation and help every Lakehawk program reach its potential.”

Lake-Sumter State College athletics officials have stated that a nationwide search for the next head softball coach will begin immediately, with the new leader expected to take over ahead of the fall 2026-2027 season.