Ethen Miller didn’t find himself in many unexpected positions this regular season.

Maryland’s redshirt junior was in control against every opponent on the mat, dictating the terms of his matches on his way to an undefeated regular season — the first for a Terp since Jimmy Sheptock’s 32-0 start in 2013-14.

But the 157-pound wrestler was in an unfamiliar spot heading into the Big Ten wrestling championship. In a weight class filled with elite wrestlers and former All-Americans, Ethen Miller was the top seed.

Ethen Miller finished sixth but qualified for another opportunity in the NCAA championships.

“There’s a lot to prove still,” Ethen Miller said. “I never saw myself in the position that I am at the beginning of the year, but it’s a great one.”

Miller’s statement reflected not only his undefeated regular season, but the weight class he’s competed in.

After a strong redshirt sophomore season at 149 pounds, it appeared Ethen Miller would stay at the weight. Maryland listed him as the team’s projected 149-pounder on August 27, just less than two months before its first dual match.

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His brother, Kal Miller, was listed at 157 pounds but was expected to redshirt and rarely compete. Those plans changed.

Maryland’s coaching staff, with input from both brothers, made the decision to wrestle Kal Miller at 149 pounds and send Ethen Miller up to 157 pounds. Kal Miller said the two discussed the changes before the season.

“I’m not really good at cutting weight like you are,” Kal Miller recalled his brother saying. “It was kind of just a mutual agreement, talking things over, putting it in perspective.”

The weight class increase could’ve turned out poorly if Ethen Miller wasn’t physically ready to compete at the higher weight. It was quickly clear that wouldn’t be an issue.

Coach Alex Clemsen noted at Maryland’s Red vs. Black match in October that Ethen Miller looked like a “full-size [157]-pounder.”

The Missouri native has leveraged the additional weight to dominate opponents with his physicality —  once he gains control, they can’t do much. Ethen Miller took down every single opponent he faced this season, except a match that ended with an injury forfeit, and led the Terps in major decisions with eight.

Kal Miller is familiar with the feeling of being overpowered by his brother, having trained alongside him since they began wrestling.

“I’ve never wrestled anyone stronger than that dude,” Kal Miller said. “He’s more just like hands-on … you don’t really get that feel much, and then when you do, it’s kind of shocking.”

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The redshirt junior’s ascent in the rankings garnered national attention, which drew positive and negative attention from the wrestling community.

Maryland’s social media posts about him include occasional criticism from fans of other programs, notably Penn State. But Ethen Miller said he doesn’t let it affect him.

“When you’re at the top, people want to bring you down,” he said. “This is part of the game. There’s gonna be attention on you when you’re successful at what you do.”

At last year’s Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in the round of 16, Ethen Miller lost a bout against No. 12 Quinn Kinner in sudden victory. He was overwhelmed in the next match by an unranked opponent, losing by a tech fall in the second period — one of his worst losses as a Terp.

But his performance at this year’s Big Ten tournament shows his growth. After an upset loss against Ohio State’s Brandon Cannon, Ethen Miller responded with back-to-back wins against ranked opponents.

“I thought he had a lot of composure, a lot of maturity. He didn’t check out,” Clemsen said. “He bounced back, put his chin high and did what he needed to do for himself and his team.”

Ethen Miller will wrestle with a top-10 seed at next week’s NCAA Championships for the first time in his career. The redshirt junior believes he’s in a good position.

“I know what I need to do to win,” he said. “Just push the pace and gotta score points and have fun.”