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Louisburg senior Madilyn Melton signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Benedictine College. Pictured with Madilyn are (in front, from left) her mom, Meghan, little brother, Adly, and her father, Andy; (back row) grandparents, Eddie and Vicki Surrett, brother, Jaymes, and sister, Zyleigh. (Photo by Doug Carder)
LOUISBURG — Madilyn Melton started playing basketball in the third grade and fell in love with the sport.
Melton, a Louisburg senior, will have an opportunity to play a little longer, signing a national letter of intent with Benedictine College.
“It is exciting,” Melton said. “I get to go through college while playing my favorite sport. I am excited to meet new people and make relationships with my teammates and program.
“I am an all-around player, so I will play wherever coach needs me to play,” she said. “I am excited for the opportunity to expand my skills and play other positions.”
When she was in third grade, Melton was asked to join a traveling team. It fueled her passion for the sport, and she has played ever since.
She played for several teams through her elementary years. When the family moved to Kansas, Melton played for a middle school team in Louisburg coached by Jim Foote. She joined the Pride basketball program in high school coached by Mario Washington. She played this past summer with the Kahos coached by Shannon Kite.
Melton is a starting forward for the Lady Cats. She was a first-team Spotlight girls basketball team selection.
Melton was a team leader for the Lady Cats. She averaged 13.3 points and 7.09 rebounds per game. Melton added 2.28 deflections, 1.86 steals and 1.33 blocks per game. She shot 49.3 percent from the floor.
Playing for the Lady Cats and competing on her club teams has given Melton the experience she will need to compete at the next level.
“School ball and club ball are two different games,” Melton said. “I always felt like school ball gave me the opportunity to strengthen my fundamentals. Club ball has a different intensity, which forced me to think quicker in situations.
“I love the strategy of the sport,” she said. “Every game is different. I love the thrill you get when you step onto the court. I love the sense of community and the building of the family. I love the opportunity to be a role model for younger kids.”
Playing basketball at the collegiate level has always been a goal, Melton said. Everyone wants to play and compete at the highest level as long as they can.
“Signing with Benedictine made it very real that my dream is coming true,” Melton said. “All of my hard work is paying off. I know I am not done yet, but it motivates me to keep pushing forward to get better.
“My first experience with Benedictine came through a teammate who currently plays for them,” Melton said. “The way she described the team’s philosophy and seeing her excitement to play for the team is what drew me to their program.”
Melton went on a college visit and knew she had found her new home.
“I had the chance to visit the campus and fell in love with its beauty,” she said. “They went out of their way to make me feel welcomed and part of the team. They made me feel so welcomed, like I had known them forever.”
Melton plans on going through the school’s nursing program.
Madilyn is the daughter of Andy and Meghan Melton.