National Stars and Stripes champion announced

July 18, 2019 - By AT Staff

The Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) declared Andrew Miller the winner of the Stars and Stripes contest.

Miller is the program adviser for the Brentsville Turf Grass Management Program in Nokesville, Va. With his “Friday Nights in Small Town USA” field design at Donald Lambert Field, he has won a complimentary pass to the 2020 STMA Annual Conference in West Palm Beach, Fla.

In its fourth year, a record 31 entries were received via social media. The winning submission narrowly won by an even 100 “likes,” selected through Facebook’s voting platform. Miller’s intricate design generated more than 1,600 “likes.”

Stars and Stripes 2019 Winner (Photo: STMA)

“This contest has become a pillar of our organization, and we are always impressed, but not surprised, by the creativity and care our members put into their designs,” said Kim Heck, CEO of STMA. “Andrew embodies what our community stands for — teaching and inspiring the next generation.”

A graduate of Virginia Tech University, Miller has amassed an impressive resume. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree in turf grass management, he worked on the Virginia Tech grounds crew before moving on to the New York Mets. There he met Matt Brown, head groundskeeper of the Pittsburgh Pirates. After a stint at PNC Park, Miller moved over to Heinz Field to work for the city’s football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. He then earned his master’s in agricultural education from Virginia Tech and built the Brentsville program from the ground up.

“Working alongside some of the very best in the business has been a tremendous experience over the years,” said Miller, currently in his second year as program director. “Coming back to Virginia where I got my start and having the opportunity to create opportunities for the next generation of sports field managers is humbling to say the least.”

“U.S.A Sunburst,” “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Red, White and View” and “Est. 1776” were among the 2019 designs submitted by sports field professionals from major sports leagues, NCAA and parks and recreation sectors.