Danika Miller and Hayley Temple first met at age 14 when they played on the same team in the Paradise Valley Softball League in Arizona. 

Miller was a skilled and athletic outfielder. Temple could play almost every infield position.

That bond morphed into a close-knit friendship that continues as they play for the Wichita State softball team.

Miller, a junior, was a shy and soft-spoken teenager and meeting people was difficult. She knew no one on that Arizona team. Most of her teammates already knew each other because they were all from Phoenix. As the odd-player out, Miller, who lived an hour and a half away, kept to herself. 

Temple, who was more gregarious, joined the team a little later, and made friends right away, but formed an instant connection with Miller.

“She was a little quiet at first, but once you get to know her she’s not quiet,” Temple, a senior, said. “She’s one of the funniest people I met in my entire life.”

Their friendship went on a temporary hiatus when Miller moved to Dallas and Temple remained in Arizona. Both enjoyed dominant high school careers. Miller was a two-time District 9-4A Defensive Player of the Year and second-team all-District 9-4A all four seasons for her Lake Dallas High School Falcons. The Arizona Republic named Temple the 2009 Arizona Small Schools Player of the Year. She was also named the 2009 Arizona 2A Player of the Year and the Central Region 2A Player of the Year by the Arizona Sports Network. 

Former WSU head coach Mike Perniciaro tried to recruit both star players.

Miller and Temple found this out from each of their fathers who had kept in touch after meeting in Arizona. Miller’s father told Temple’s father how great he thought WSU was and found out that Miller would be playing there.

“Weird connections,” Temple said.

“It was somebody that I knew, somebody that I had something in common with,” Miller said.

They became roommates and rekindled their friendship. Soon, the two of them became inseparable.

“Our friendship has meant a lot—it was a lot easier having her here to lean on,” Miller said. “It would’ve been harder to come here not knowing anybody, being away from home and having to make all new friends. It would’ve been hard, but she really helped me come out my shell, make friends and go do things.”

Together they went everywhere and learned everything they could about Wichita. 

They learned that it is a good idea to drive slower while it is snowing. That harsh lesson came during their freshmen season. Miller and Temple were driving to a gas station in separate cars on a snowy night after finishing up a road game series. Miller pulled into the gas station first. Temple, who was behind her, tried to make a left turn into the gasoline station.

Miller watched in horror at what happened next.

“She did a complete 360 in the middle of the road and I’m just standing there watching and and freaking out,” she said.

But it shortly turned into laughter once Temple whipped around and turned into the gas station like nothing had ever happened.

“I was just thinking it was funny because she doesn’t know how to drive in the snow because it never snows in Arizona,” Miller said.

“We weren’t exactly snow oriented or knew anything about snow or how to drive in it,” Temple said.

The two teammates will cherish those kinds of memories forever, with the comfort of knowing that they have a lifelong friend.

“I’ll probably be friends with her for a long time, even after college,” Temple said.