Champion coach and athlete to be inducted into Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame

Lana (Da Silva) Milner is the only Cowley College graduate to win a national championship as a player and a coach. The All-American volleyball standout will be recognized for her accomplishments when she is inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, February 1, inside the Earle N. Wright Community Room.

A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, she came to play volleyball for Cowley College as a middle hitter, a setter, and an opposite hitter.

"I wanted to experience volleyball in another country as well as get a good education, and I saw how competitive Cowley volleyball is on the court and in the classroom," Milner said. "Cowley's tradition of excellence was my chance to get challenged to play at a high level while having high expectations."

As a freshman at Cowley, she helped the team capture the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division title and finish with a record of 35-4 en route to a national title.

As a sophomore, the team nearly duplicated the feat, capturing another conference title and finishing 30-12 on the way to a third-place national finish.

"My team and I learned so much from Coach Jenifer Bahner and Coach Riann Mullis," Milner said. "They taught us how to hold ourselves to a high standard, and anything less than playing Cowley volleyball with excellence and class is not acceptable. For them, it was all about the team and putting the team's needs above the individual. They coached with passion and intensity while having so much knowledge of the game."

Mullis said Milner could not be any more deserving of this honor.

"From day one, Lana has demonstrated strength and perseverance, but most important of all, faith," Mullis said. "Faith in God, faith in her ability, and faith in the Cowley Family. Lana continues to exemplify the tradition of Cowley every day by instilling her faith in her student-athletes. Lana not only made me a better coach but a better person. I am beyond proud of Lana and all she continues to accomplish."

Personally, Milner was awarded NJCAA All-American First Team, AVCA All-American Second Team, All-National Tournament Team, All-District First Team, All-Conference First Team, Tyler Junior College All-Tournament Team and was named a Top Three Athlete of the Greater Wichita Area. Statistically, she finished her career at Cowley with 561 kills, 944 assists, 509 digs, 176 blocks, and a .266 hitting percentage.

"I am so proud of Lana for what she has brought to Cowley College, both as a player and now as a coach," Jenifer Bahner-Hill said. "She is a great example of how hard work, dedication to a program, and love for your sport can allow you to achieve greatness. This greatness is rightfully being acknowledged with her induction into the Tiger Hall of Fame. I am honored to be a member of the Hall of Fame, but even more excited to see one of my players joining such an excellent group of players, coaches, and administration that make up the Tiger Hall of Fame."

Off the court, she was awarded the Student-Athlete Academic Award twice, was named Cowley's Female Student-Athlete of the Year, and was named Cowley's Student-Athlete of the Month.

Following Cowley, Milner transferred to Pittsburg State, where she played the program's middle hitter and opposite hitter. There, she participated in the tough Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association conference in the NCAA DII ranks. She finished her career averaging 1.62 kills per set and 0.66 blocks per set. Off the court, she was awarded the NCAA DII ADA Academic Achievement Award, the Chi Alpha Sigma Class Award, and the Provost Award for Academic Excellence. Milner graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science.

Milner returned to coach at Cowley after a stellar playing career in both indoor and beach volleyball and with experience in coaching, having served as an assistant coach for Quincy University.

"I wanted the challenge of keeping the tradition of excellence at Cowley that my coaches and the coaches before them have started," Milner said. "Cowley has blessed me in many ways, so I wanted to give back to Cowley and the Ark City community."

Along with Bahner and Mullis, Milner credits current Lady Tiger head coach Steven Gream for her success as the duo captured the national championship in 2023 when she was named the AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year. The duo made it back-to-back national championships in 2024 as they finished their second straight unbeaten season.

"Coach Gream is a great mentor who lives and breathes volleyball," Milner said. "He is one of the hardest workers I have ever known which inspires me to push myself out of my comfort zone each day.

Coach Gream and I have very different personalities and coaching styles, but we have been thinking more alike as the years go along. We always joke about how scary it is how we think alike. I have heard from so many people how we complement each other so well, and I totally agree with them."

Milner looks back fondly on her playing career at Cowley.

"My experience playing at Cowley was unforgettable," Milner said. "I remember barely being able to speak English when I first got here. My teammates had the patience to teach me how to speak while giving me grace whenever I messed up. It was special to be a part of a team that cared so much about each other and was willing to do whatever it took to reach their shared goals. We were successful not only because we were talented but also because we loved and respected each other. We played with confidence and class, fighting for each other like a family."

Milner will join her former head coach, Jenifer Bahner, in the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.

"I feel humbled. I give glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for such an amazing honor," Milner said. "I also take this honor as a team accomplishment. I could not have been successful without my teammates and coaches, along with our families and the Ark City community, who have blessed us so much during our journey."