Mill ‘Kills’ Outside the Net

Alexander Mill ‘13

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Alexander Hugh Mill '13 started playing volleyball at Timberlane Regional High School in Danville, New Hampshire "as a joke," he says. Once he'd been named 2008 New Hampshire Player of the Year, however, the joke was soon on his opponents. Watching his strapping 6'3" frame dominate the collegiate net, it's hard to imagine Mill was a mere 5'1" as a freshman high school player. His diminutive size forced him to "constantly adapt" his playing style, he says, making him the flexible, confident outside hitter he is today.

The senior Marketing major, with a minor in Law and Business, is captain of the Varsity Men's Volleyball Team for the second year in a row. A serious team player, his personal athletic successes have been numerous: He has twice been a member of the GNAC All-Sportsman Team, named 2011 GNAC Player of the Week, named to the 2011 MIT Invitational All-Tournament Team and received the TOP GPA award in the NECVA Conference Tournament in 2011.

Coach Tom Olson praises Mill as "a true leader," and goes on to say, "I have known Alex since he joined the team as a freshman, and he has grown in his leadership roles both on and off the court." The coach adds he was not surprised Mill was named captain of his Lasell team for two consecutive seasons.

Mill cites as the most valuable lesson he's learned as a Lasell student-athlete to be "that you can't always please everyone," which, he adds, "is hard for me because I don't enjoy disappointing people." He admits he holds high standards for himself and others but emphasizes that having high standards helps "push the team to constantly improve."

Coach Olson concurs. "I know he will excel in whatever he decides to do after graduation." And what might that be? "Travel to different parts of this country and other countries," Mill tells Leaves, "to experience difference societies and what they value."

And while he's soaking in other cultures, maybe get in some digs, kills and hits along the way?