Miliaeva Providing Steady Bat For Lady Sharks
Before the season’s first pitch, when the Lady Sharks were hard at work at one of their first practices, each player showed exhaustion as sweat rolled down their faces.
However, outfielder Anastasiia Miliaeva remained calm and cool. She ran as fast as she could through each drill.
Miliaeva, a freshman phenom, has kept that pace throughout the season for the 27-16 (12-4 in Southern Conference) Lady Sharks. She has contributed a home run, 16 RBI, a team-leading nine stolen bases, and a powerful .437 slugging percentage to the Lady Sharks attack.
“She’s very positive and has good work ethic,” said Lady Sharks head softball coach Gina De Aguero said. “She is tentative and holds back in certain situations but she is slowly growing out of it.”
Miliaeva, a Moscow, Russia native, was born with the genetics of an athlete. Her mother was a swimmer and her father practiced mixed martial arts. Her parents encouraged her as a kid to delve into running and other sports.
“When I was young, my dad was a fighter and he would run a lot,” Miliaeva said. “I would be running alongside of him most of the time.”
Miliaeva played volleyball, basketball and practiced gymnastics but none of those sports rivaled softball.
“Softball for me is a more team-oriented sport,” Miliaeva said. “If you are down, there is always someone there to pick you up.”
In 2009, Miliaeva’s team won the 16 and Under European National Championship. She graduated from the Secondary Education School No.375 in Russia in 2014 and decided to continue her studies in the United States.
Her uncle, who had been living in Miami, took her in and soon after she found out about the Miami Dade College softball program. She impressed head coach Gina De Aguero enough that she made the team.
“She’s the type of person that can make light of any situation,” said teammate Greta Longagnani. “She is so passionate about the game and comes in with the attitude that gets the job done.”
———————————————————————————————————————
The Lady Sharks final game of the regular season is a double-header April 25 versus the State College of Florida at the Miami Dade College Softball Field, 11011 S.W 104 St. The time of the first game has not yet been announced.
