Pioneer Athlete Spotlight on Ava Miller and Lincoln Adams -

Ava Miller

Grade: Senior, School: Berean Christian, Sport: Tennis

Miller went to her neighborhood tennis courts over 10 years ago to get coaching from Rick Ortega at Oakhurst Country Club. Their collaboration seems to have paid off as she recently won her fourth successive league MVP award as the singles champion of the Diablo Athletic League Valley Division to complete her senior season at Berean Christian High. Miller never lost a league match in four years; in fact, she didn’t lose a set until this year’s league tournament quarterfinals when she won an 11-9 tiebreaker over Sophia Woolard of Clayton Valley Charter after dropping the first set.

She finished with a 58-0 league record since 2016, winning 88% of her games in those matches. Those results put her in the North Coast Section tournament every year. She took third at Section as a sophomore and was twice an NCS Scholar Athlete. Miller has played in USTA tournaments as well, including taking second in a junior tournament in Lafayette. She’s been on the Berean Christian school choirs all four years and has also been on the high school’s worship team as a singer in both her junior and senior year. She participates in a number of community service projects including as a camp counselor at North Creek Church, various Oakhurst charity events and at her alma mater’s Mt. Diablo Elementary Kinder Olympics throughout high school.

The Pioneer congratulates Ava and thanks Athlete Spotlight sponsors Dr. Laura Lacey & Dr. Christopher Ruzicka who have been serving the Clayton and Concord area for 25 years at Family Vision Care Optometry. www.laceyandruzicka.com

Do you know a young athlete who should be recognized? Perhaps he or she has shown exceptional sportsmanship, remarkable improvement or great heart for the sport. Send your nomination for the Pioneer Athlete Spotlight today to sports@pioneerpublishers.com.