The Caledonia girls soccer pipeline to the next level just added a new member on Friday afternoon.
Surrounded by family and friends, senior defender Madeline Cowart officially signed her National Letter of Intent to play at Blue Mountain College, an NAIA school located just under 100 miles away in Blue Mountain, MS.
Through the conversations shared in the hallway right next to the main library of Caledonia High School, with medals and club jerseys showcased on the table in front of her, Cowart is beyond excited for the opportunity to continue to play the game she’s dedicated most of her life to.
“I’ve worked so hard for it for the 12 years that I’ve been a part of soccer,” Cowart said. “It just means so much to me knowing that my work had paid off.”
She’s been a staple for Caledonia since seventh grade, playing at the varsity level for the Cavaliers up until becoming a senior leader this season.
Her play on the back line has helped this team stabilize and grow, especially this season, one where Caledonia has jumped out to a 10-3-1 record, including a dominant 12-0 Senior Night victory over Shannon on Friday night.
While seemingly a bit undersized as a defender, Cowart has more than made up the difference as a technically sound player who’s helped eliminate scoring chances and made big plays overall.
“She’s going on six years with us now, so she’s definitely made her mark,” Caledonia head coach Louis Alexander said. “She’s been a great teammate, contributed on-and-off the field. She’s a role model…This shows us how far we’ve come as a program. It gives these younger girls something to strive for.”
The decision to go to BMC was an easy one for Cowart, describing the environment and women’s soccer program as a ‘family’.
Despite the program currently going through a rebuilding phase as new head coach Lauren Lear just finished up her first season for the Toppers, there’s promise for a team that went 7-8-1 in 2022.
Cowart hopes to be an impact player and a big part of that in the years to come.
“They’re looking for defensive players and being with them out on the field, it just felt like a new family,” Cowart said. “…I just loved the campus. It was small and fit me really well.”
There’s still plenty of season left in Cowart’s senior year for her and the Cavs, but as things are going right now, there’s a lot to look forward to after Winter Break.
Friday’s Senior Day signing, before the Senior Night ceremony later in the day, was the perfect way to end an even better week.
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