The award was made at the annual Athletics Otago awards dinner at the Edgar Sports Centre last night.
Miller (26), a physiotherapy student at the University of Otago, failed in her bid to qualify for the Beijing Olympics but still managed to reduce her New Zealand women's 100m hurdles record on two occasions.
Over the past two years, Miller has become the most consistent record breaker in New Zealand athletics. In the 2006-07 season she broke the 100m hurdles record on three occasions and last season reduced it twice, to 13.13sec.
Miller also retained her New Zealand senior women's title in Auckland in 13.85sec and was third in the 100m.
Just for good measure she raced in Australia and won the Australian women's title in Brisbane in 13.56sec. She also won a Grand Prix in Sydney in 13.30sec.
Miller's most important race of the year was at the 24th World Student Games in Bangkok. She went in ranked 16th and finished seventh and broke the New Zealand record. Miller clocked 13.20sec to break her own national record by 0.09sec.
It was a significant performance, as she was ill in the lead-up to the championships, and was unable to get to the planned pre-event competition in Europe.
Miller was also named the top senior athlete last season, while Kieran Fowler (Taieri), who retained his New Zealand junior decathlon title, was named the top junior.
Fowler also won gold medals in individual events - discus and 110m hurdles - and was second in the shot put at the national championships at Auckland.
The top female winter athlete was Sarah Chisnall (Ariki), who won the New Zealand marathon and mountain running titles and was fifth in the New Zealand cross-country.
The top male harrier was Luke Hurring (Ariki), who was second at the New Zealand road championships and sixth in the New Zealand cross-country.
Tahuna Intermediate School principal and sprint coach Brent Ward was named the Otago coach of the year.
His athletes were in dominant form at the New Zealand championships, with Chris Donaldson winning the senior men's 100m and Todd Mansfield second.
Fiona Hely won the junior women's 100m, Anna Smythe was second in the senior women's 100m and Todd Johnston won silver in the boys aged 16 100m.
Mansfield was named the most improved senior athlete and Guy Woodhouse the most improved junior.
A special award was made to Trevor Bent for a long and successful contribution to coaching athletics in Otago.
Former president Paul Tyson won the award for the most significant contribution to Otago athletics as an official or administrator. He is a senior graded starter for national championships.
The Otago Masters athletes shield was awarded jointly to Malcolm Hammond (Ariki) and Liz Wilson (Hill City). The guest speaker at the awards was triathlon coach John Hellemans.
