INDIANAPOLIS - The Great Midwest Athletic Conference was ready to send three different student-athlete representatives and one administrator to this year’s NCAA Leadership Forum out in Los Angeles.
 
Cedarville’s Joshua Brown (track and field) and Stephanie Zonars (assistant AD/SWA), Trevecca Nazarene’s Madison Martin (volleyball) and Ursuline’s Bekah Green (women’s basketball) were set to participate in the event that was scheduled to start last Thursday and run through the weekend.
 
Due to COVID-19, unfortunately, the 2020 NCAA Leadership Forum was canceled and the conference was able to catch up remotely with the student-athletes from their respective hometowns.
 
Our first spotlight is with Trevecca Nazarene’s Martin, a sophomore who has been a big part of the Trojans’ resurgence from day one in Nashville. She averaged over 2 kills and almost 3 digs per set while TNU qualified for the conference tournament in the fall season.
 
Madison Martin
School: Trevecca Nazarene University
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Outside Hitter
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Martinsville, IN
High School: Martinsville HS
Major: Business Administration
 
 
Ben (Great Midwest): What were you most looking forward to after being selected to attend the NCAA Leadership Forum?
 
Madison Martin: I didn’t really know what to expect. It was something that Coach (Emily) Moore and I talked about. Since my freshman season, I’ve been a co-captain on the team. I sort of let the senior take over and when Mary (Holmberg) graduated this year, now it is my time to step up to see what I can do to help this team. I thought this would prepare me for the next two years. It was something that I thought would help me out in the long run. I would like to be more vulnerable with my teammates and have the ability able to handle more difficult questions including conflict resolution.
 
Ben: On a team with no seniors for the upcoming fall, how important is leadership to the program’s sustained success?
 
MM: Leadership is huge. There were only two upperclassmen were on the roster in my first year. It has been a growing experience for all of us. This group works together very well and having a more vocal role on the team this upcoming year would be huge.
 
Ben: How would you describe your personality in a nutshell?
 
MM: I’m the type of person who is quiet when it comes to getting a job done. I’m comfortable around my teammates and I like to cheer them on. I like to refer to myself as an extrovert and introvert.
 
Ben: Talk about some of the leadership qualities that you admire from head coach Emily Moore.
 
MM: Coach Moore is very relatable to all of us. She is constantly checking in on all of us. Not just volleyball wise, but how we are doing in the classroom. You can go to her 24/7; I’ve talked to her about jobs. She cares about you just as much as a person as a player in her program.
 
Ben: As you and your teammates have gone your separate ways for the summer, how are you treating this offseason with the unknowns moving forward?
 
MM: Almost all of the students live on campus. It was really weird; we really wanted to use the spring season to focus on the freshmen to help replace Mary Holmberg for the upcoming season. Whenever we came back from Spring Break, we had a scheduled scrimmage that we couldn’t play. Around six preseason games were cancelled. I have access to weights at home, but some of my teammates don’t have that same access. We have a workout plan that kind of revolves around the spring season if we were able to play. We don’t have all of the resources that we are used to. We were supposed to report two weeks before the school year has started. As of now, we are just waiting it out to see what happens.
 
Ben: Talk about the Midwest Region Crossover - TNU arguably had the toughest draw with UIS, UMSL and Rockhurst, last year.
 
MM: From my freshman year, we have come a long ways. We were seeded higher this year in the Crossover Tournament and it was really a test to help us understand what it takes to push our level of play to the next level. It also shows how much that competition can prepare us for the conference schedule.
 
Ben: November was a really good month as you beat Tiffin and Findlay in 5 (sets) and made the conference tournament. How good of a feeling was it to see you make those kinds of strides?
 
MM: In my freshman year, we won the matches we were supposed to win. This past year, we made a statement and it was a feeling of accomplishment. Going in, we knew that a lot of teams overlooked us because of our recent history and it brings us a little more motivation to go out there and compete hard.
 
Ben: Has the game slowed down for you a little bit with more experience and playing time?
 
MM: We’ve adjusted to two different setters in two seasons. We are trying to speed up our offense and get the rhythm and connection between the hitters and passers. In a game situation, I don’t feel overwhelmed at any point and that does come from with experience. It was interesting because I had figure it out really quickly as a freshman. As a group, we had to mature very quickly. As a team, we’ve established that we would like to be one of the top four teams in the conference so we can host a playoff match at Trevecca. It’s a goal that we can get to.
 
Ben: What area have you seen yourself make the most improvement in from your freshman season?
 
MM: Leadership - I think I’m more respected by people because having that role has made me more aware. I’ve learned from past experiences in high school and club volleyball and I understand where people come from. I’ve made more connections and friendships with people because I’ve grown. I would say I’m more of a leader by example - Coach Moore doesn’t need to question that I’m not giving my 110%. I have so many characteristics that define me as a student-athlete. My work ethic has helped be in the role that I am.
 
Ben: What are some activities you’ve been doing to avoid going stir crazy?
 
MM: My dad bought a volleyball net for the backyard. I also have three sisters and horses so I’m able get out of the house to go to the barn and take care of them. I still have schooling and alternate my workouts. My sister is a personal trainer and do it 6-7 days of the week. We also constructed a volleyball board out of wood - it’s about 1.5 months of not playing volleyball and it’s amazing how quick you feel that you can lose your skills.
 
Ben: Favorite things about being at Trevecca Nazarene.
 
MM: My great aunt is a professor and I have two great aunts that live in Nashville. I went to look at the campus around 17 and signed up for one of the camps. I was recruited and went on a visit and I’ve always wanted to go out of the state for college. Martinsville is a small town and a small school and TNU just checked every box that I had on my list. It was a very easy transition when I decided I wanted to go there. I verbally committed going into my senior year when I was 17.