By Ken Hansard
Madelyn Wilson, senior center for the Chase County Bulldogs, has already compiled an impressive sports resume, but adding to her accomplishments in basketball will have to await her healing process. Wilson, a First-Team All-Flint Hills and an All-State performer, who had already put up 1000 career points by midway through her junior season, tore her meniscus during volleyball and will be taking on a different role early on this year, “Right now my role is to be a mentor and motivator. I am looking forward to playing with all of the new girls that went out this year as well as any returners. I will not be able to play right off the bat but am happy to help out from the sideline.”
The Bulldogs finished second in the Flint Hills League last year, finally ending their season with a first-round loss at the state tournament. With a new cast of players entering this year, Madelyn understands that they will need to reinvent their game, to some extent, to have similar or greater success this year, “I think we may find scoring a challenge at times this year. We are a lot more guard heavy this year and will have to learn to run the court and establish a fast pace. I personally worked a lot on my defense so that I am a threat on both ends of the floor.”
Even though sitting out early this year will be difficult for Wilson, she is intent on keeping her eye on the end game. “Right now, I am focused on recovering so that I can play at the end of the season.”
Madelyn also participates in volleyball, softball and track. She was a first-team All-League and All-Grasslands player in volleyball and owns the Chase County school record in blocks and kills. In softball, she was named First-Team All-League and Honorable Mention All-State. She is also a state champion shot thrower who additionally placed fourth in javelin and was a state qualifier in disc.
Wilson is a 4.0 GPA student athlete who has plans to play basketball at Hastings College in Nebraska following graduation. She currently plans to major in Biology in hopes of becoming a physician.
