ARMY INFANTRY PIONEER AND CROSSFIT ELITE BRING CHAMPIONSHIP MENTALITY TO HOUSTON BANDITS

Ellia Miller placed 16th at the 2024 CrossFit Semifinals — an achievement that put her among the world’s fittest athletes in a field of thousands. What makes that ranking even more striking: Miller isn’t just a competition athlete. She’s a former US Army Infantry soldier, one of the first women to serve in that role, where she physically dominated her male peers. She holds two Fittest Military Service Member titles, including the 2021 Occupational Games Championship. Now, as a Strength Specialist for the Houston Bandits, Miller brings that championship-level athleticism to the Grid.

The depth of Miller’s expertise extends beyond the competition floor. As a Junior Specialist at UC Davis Center for Neuroscience, she authored “Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain,” a book that explores the cognitive science underpinning athletic performance. This background informs her approach to training and competition — she understands not just how bodies perform, but why they do. At 5’4″ and 160 lbs, Miller’s frame packs elite-level strength and conditioning earned through years of dedicated work.

Her CrossFit resume is decorated: three Semifinals appearances, multiple playoff runs, and the kind of consistency that only elite athletes sustain. In 2022 and 2023, she served on the Athlete Advocacy Council, giving her a voice in shaping the sport’s future. She trains at CrossFit Powerstroke, where she’s built the infrastructure for consistent performance. The transformation has been public — Miller lost nearly 50 lbs after starting CrossFit in 2016, a shift that repositioned her entire athletic identity.

Last season, injuries sidelined Miller from Grid competition. But setbacks have never defined her career. An Infantry soldier doesn’t quit. A 16th-place finisher on a global stage doesn’t accept mediocrity. The Houston Bandits are getting a Strength Specialist with military discipline, scientific rigor, and a track record of performing when it matters most. At 30 years old, based in Modesto, California, and training smarter every day, Miller is ready to make her Grid debut count. Follow her progress on Instagram @ellia_miller.