Madison Hammill made quite a splash in her first year as a setter with the Center Grove volleyball team.
The ripples from that splash are still being felt nationwide.
On Wednesday, Hammill was named as a freshman All-American by MaxPreps, one of 25 ninth-graders selected from across the country.
She was one of seven setters selected and one of three Indiana players. Molly Hunt of Delta was picked along with New Castle’s Melani Shaffmaster, who was chosen as the national freshman of the year.
“She’s excited, but she’s not going to let it get to her head,” Center Grove coach Maggie Harbison said of Hammill. “She’s still got a lot of things to accomplish in the upcoming year.”
Still, Hammill acknowledged that “it definitely gives you that reassurance that you’re doing something right.”
Hammill was an All-County and All-Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference pick after a rookie campaign that saw her total 1,163 assists, 305 digs, 148 kills, 64 blocks and 25 aces while helping the Trojans to a 26-10 record and county, MIC and sectional championships.
College recruiting interest, not surprisingly, is high, but Hammill already is off the market, having given a verbal commitment to the University of Wisconsin.
During Center Grove’s offseason, Hammill plays club volleyball for Circle City’s 16 Purple team, where she is currently the lone freshman on the roster. She was also part of USA Volleyball’s Select A1 National Training Team Program.
Next fall, she’ll be quarterbacking a loaded Trojans team that graduated just one senior. Center Grove returns three other all-county players in seniors-to-be Emma Jones, Ellen LeMasters and Devynn Merriman, and four of Hammill’s freshman classmates got extensive varsity action as newcomers.
“I’m definitely super excited about next year,” Hammill said, “and I think we have a really good chance if we keep working hard.”
