Steve Miller, Beloved Cal Poly Track Coach, Dies From Cancer At 78, Leaving Behind His Family And Legacy
Emma Payne
Published May 15, 2026
Steve Miller, Beloved Cal Poly Track Coach, Dies From Cancer At 78, Leaving Behind His Family And Legacy
Steve Miller lived in Las Vegas with his wife, and they have two children.
June 17, 2026
This article was last updated by Manoj Gadtaula on June 17, 2026
Steve Miller, a respected coach and sports executive, has passed away, leaving behind a legacy in college sports.
Steve,78, began his coaching journey at Cal Poly in 1976, after moving from Bloom Township High School in Illinois.
At Cal Poly, he led the track and field and cross country teams to great success.
Under his leadership, the Mustangs won five NCAA Division II national titles, three in track and field and two in cross country, as well as eight conference championships.
He coached many top athletes, including Hall of Famer Jim Schankel and record-setter Joe Siai.
Steve was honored five times as NCAA National Coach of the Year for his outstanding work.
Family And Friends Mourn The Loss Of Steve Miller
Rod Murrow shared a heartfelt tribute following the passing of his former Kansas State coach, Steve Miller, who had battled cancer for a long time.
Rod recalled their first meeting in 1984. At the time, he had just decided to transfer to Kansas State from Pittsburg State and was invited to meet Coach Miller in person.
As a broke college student working as a janitor, he reluctantly made the trip, unsure of what to expect. When the meeting turned out to be brief and direct, Rod still young and bold expressed frustration, not knowing who Coach Miller really was yet.
The room went tense, but instead of reacting harshly, Coach Miller turned to his assistant and said, “I like him,” showing his appreciation for Rod’s honesty and fire.
That moment became Rod’s first lesson in Coach Miller’s strength and competitive spirit.
…In the summer of 1984, I made the abrupt decision to transfer from Pittsburg State after turning in my scholarship (for some very good reasons) and running on my own for a semester. I won a road race in late May where I met a KU grad assistant who recommended me to K-State after hearing my story. This was decades before the transfer portal and we had to scramble because transfer student enrollment was in three days. Throughout all of this, all of my contact was with K-State assistant Manny Bautista. In July, Manny calls to tell me that Coach Miller wanted to meet me before I got on campus because we hadn’t yet met. I was working as a janitor at the FAA facility in Olathe and as a broke college kid, I didn’t want to miss a days work, but I knew I needed to so we planned a day for me to make four-hour round-trip drive to Manhattan…
Donna McCoy described him as a top coach in both football and track and field.
She said Steve often credited his time at Bloom as the foundation of his success and remained connected to the school, always offering his support.
She remembered him as a dear friend, as he was to many, and said his presence will be deeply missed.
Words cannot express my sadness of the passing of Coach Steve Miller. This incredible man touched people all over the world with his charisma, great entrepreneurship, and his dedication to students and athletes. Steve came to Bloom as a teacher and coach in 1966 after getting injured in pro football. For 10 years he strived as being one of the best coaches in football and track and field. He went on to coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Athletic director at Kansas State, head of the United States Track and Field team, and CEO of Aggassi Graf Holdings to name a few. Coach Miller attributed his building blocks from Bloom as part of his success and always came back to help. He was my dear friend as he was to many and his absence will definitely be felt. Rest well Coach Miller,
He later became head coach at Kansas State University, where he also served as Athletic Director.
After his time in college athletics, Steve moved into the business side of sports.
He worked at Nike as Director of Global Sports Marketing before assuming the role of President and CEO of the Professional Bowlers Association in 2000.
In addition to his professional career, Steve was involved in charitable and educational efforts.
He served on boards like the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation and the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.
Since 2011, he has led Agassi Graf Holdings, overseeing several business ventures and a non-profit foundation focused on education.
Rest in peace, Coach Steve Miller!
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