Ben Miller, a sophomore at Ferris State University, discussed his development as a member of the men’s golf team in a statement released on May 5. Miller joined the Bulldogs as a walk-on and credits his father for inspiring his passion for the sport.
Miller said, “My dad, Greg Miller, has been my biggest inspiration. He is crazy about golf, with all kinds of golf gadgets and trips, so being around that helped me develop my love for the game.” His path to Ferris State began through research into higher education programs and led him to enroll in the university’s PGA Golf Management program before trying out for the team.
“That’s what initially brought me to Ferris State,” he said. “I enrolled in the PGA Golf Management program first, then eventually tried out for the golf team and was fortunate enough to make it.” Miller described earning a spot on the roster as challenging: “It was a difficult process. Coming into college and going through extended tryouts was tough mentally. But I had the chance to practice, prepare for qualifiers, and learn to trust my game.” Head coach Sam Stark called him a high-quality student who progressed from walk-on status to one of the top two players this season.
Miller reflected on his growth since high school: “Before Ferris State, I did not have a ton of tournament experience,” he said. He picked up golf during his freshman year but became more competitive by junior year. “I played a lot with my dad and competed in high school golf at Paw Paw, but the competition level at Ferris State is completely different.” This season he competed in five rounds with an average score of 77.56.
The Bulldogs recently finished third at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships on April 17 in Augusta; Miller tied for 13th individually after shooting rounds of 70, 73 and 71 over three days. Reflecting on both personal progress and team goals moving forward into next season he said: “This past season, I feel like I played OK, but I still have a lot I want to work on heading into fall… As a team… we have ability to be near top of every leaderboard.”
Ferris State will host its next major event—the NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Regional—at Katke Golf Course from May 7-9. The men’s golf program competes as part of NCAA Division II within both regional tournaments and conference play; it supports student-athletes integrating academics with athletics while contributing broadly to campus life at Big Rapids according to the official website.
