WINONA, Minn. - Team USA has secured back-to-back championships at the World Junior Hockey Championship for the first time, and someone close to the Cardinal family played a key role in making it happen. Steven Miller, a 1988 graduate of Saint Mary's University, serves as the assistant coach for the WJC USA team that just achieved Gold after beating Finland in the championship on Sunday, January 5th.
 
It was a dramatic comeback against Finland on Sunday in Ottawa after team USA was trailing 3-1 early in the second period, USA rallied with a fluke goal from Brandon Svoboda and a rush goal from Cole Hutson to tie it. Teddy Stiga then scored on a breakaway at 8:04 of overtime, sealing a 4-3 victory.
 
Miller joined his seventh U.S. National Junior Team in 2025, helping the U.S. win gold in 2017, 2021, 2024, and now 2025.
 
A three-time NCAA national champion assistant coach (Providence 2015, Denver 2004, 2005), Miller's 34-year coaching career, which began in 1989, includes 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, five Frozen Four trips, six conference titles, and six regular-season championships across stints at Saint Mary's, Miami (Ohio), Denver, Providence, Air Force, Ohio State, and Minnesota.
 
Miller played three seasons of varsity hockey with 82 appearances at Saint Mary's before becoming an assistant varsity coach, junior varsity coach, and recruiting coordinator for the Cardinals. He was instrumental in helping Saint Mary's win the 1989 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) playoff championship and advance to the NCAA quarterfinals.