Marshall University Athletics
2022 Softball Roster
Roster
Whitaker, Madison
C/INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballP
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballP/UT
/ SoftballINF
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/ Softball
Jersey Number 77
Madison Whitaker
- Class:
- Fifth Year
- High School:
- New Palestine HS
- Hometown:
- New Palestine, Ind.
Bio
2022 (Fifth Year Senior)
2022 Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll: GPA 3.00 or better
GP/GS: 39/34 … Came back for her fifth year after being granted the additional year of eligibility due to the 2020 COVID season … Rebounded from early season injuries to appear in 39 games with 34 starts … 28 starts at second base including final 27 games of season, four starts at shortstop (first four games played of season), two starts at third base … Finished season with career-high .337 batting average … Recorded 31 hits, 13 runs scored, seven doubles, one home run, nine RBI, slugged .446 and had a .430 on base percentage … Nine games with two hits … Reached base in 34-of-39 games played including 29 of the last 30 … Reached base in career-high 19-straight games, March 11-April 23, tied with Mya Stevenson for the second-longest streak of the season by a Herd player … Also reached base in final 10 games of the year … Had 5-game hitting streak March 26-April 3 … Recorded 52 putouts and 49 assists … Involved in six double plays … Opened season with a 2-run homer against Saint Joseph’s (Feb. 11) as Herd hit five in the game to tie program single-game record yet again … Suffered minor knee injury versus Villanova (Feb. 11) and missed the next two games to finish the Buzz Classic (Feb. 11-12) … Back at shortstop against South Carolina (Feb. 18) at Battle at the Beach, had one hit, one walk and scored once … 2-for-2 with a walk at Coastal Carolina (Feb. 18) … Had first start of season at second base in second game versus South Carolina (Feb. 19), and tweaked knee again in play at second … Missed final two games of Battle at the Beach (Feb. 18-20) and did not play at Camel Stampede (Feb. 25-26) … Returned as a pinch hitter in first two home games against Purdue Fort Wayne (March 3-4) … Subbed in at shortstop versus Maryland Eastern Shore (March 4) and had one RBI … Started at third base against Norfolk State (March 11) had RBI double, one walk, scored a run and recorded season-high five assists, also started 5-4-3 double play that ended the game in 7-6 win … Final start at third versus Fairfield (March 13), one putout and two assists … Came in for pinch hit late in game three at UAB (March 20) and was hit by a pitch to lead off inning to start comeback, Herd took lead and then lost on a walkoff … Returned to starting lineup and stayed there for the rest of the season at second base in game two of Middle Tennessee series (March 26) … Had a double, two putouts, two assists and one double play against Middle Tennessee (March 26) … RBI double, one run, and one walk in game three versus Middle Tennessee (March 27) … Cleared the bases with a double in the fifth inning of game one against Charlotte (April 1) that gave Herd 8-4 lead on the way to 11-4 win … Recorded two hits, one sacrifice, two putouts and three assists in game two eighth-inning walkoff win over Charlotte (April 2), sacrifice bunt came in the bottom of the eighth, took part in key wild double play that ended inning in the top of the sixth and prevented a run from scoring … 2-of-3 with a double and scored a run in game one of doubleheader at Northern Kentucky (April 12), middle of 5-4-3 double play to end the second inning … Drew a walk, one hit-by-pitch, a sacrifice bunt and scored a run in game two win over FIU (April 15), totaled four putouts and four assists on defense … 2-of-3 at the plate in game three against FIU (April 16) to finish sweep … 2-for-2, a double, one walk and one run against Morehead State (April 20), added four putouts and three assists … Had the final out on double plays started by Grace Chelemen in center in games one and two at North Texas (May 6-7) … 2-of-3 and one run in game two at North Texas (May 7) … Base hit and scored a run in the fourth inning of comeback win in game three at North Texas (May 8) … Tied season-high with five assists in Conference USA Tournament opening day win over Florida Atlantic (May 11), drew two walks and scored one run … 2-of-2 with a run and one RBI against No. 1 seed Louisiana Tech (May 12) in C-USA Tournament … 2-of-3 with one walk in elimination game versus Charlotte (May 12) in C-USA Tournament, second hit came in bottom of the seventh that moved Lauren Love to third base and then Katie Adams scored Love with walkoff single … Scored a run and had two putouts in final collegiate game against No. 3 seed WKU (May 13) at C-USA Tournament … Over whole collegiate career (Wright State and Marshall) appeared in 170 games with 153 starts, bat .265, 126 hits, 62 runs, 27 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 68 RBI, 201 putouts and 264 assists … In Marshall career appeared in 65 games with 48 starts, bat .280, 40 hits, 19 runs scored, 11 doubles, two home runs, 15 RBI, slugged .399, 85 putouts and 71 assists.
2021 (Senior)
GP/GS: 26/14 … Split time with Armani Brown at second base during first season with Marshall … Nine starts at second, also had three at shortstop and two at third base in abbreviated season due to COVID-19 … Tied Herd single-game record with eight assists at Middle Tennessee (April 9), and first Herd player with eight assists since 2012 … Finished season hitting .176 (9-of-51), scored six runs, had six RBI, four doubles and one home run … Recorded a .948 fielding percentage with 33 putouts, 22 assists and just three errors … Made Herd debut with start at second base in season-opener against Akron (March 3), had one walk … Scored first Marshall run versus Bowling Green (March 5) … Helped outstanding relay against Saint Francis (March 6) from right-center, to second (Whitaker) to third that took away a potential triple in the second inning, Herd won 2-0 … First Herd hit came at Longwood (March 10) with a single, also had RBI on a ground out earlier in the game … Had season-best performance of 3-of-5, two RBI and a double in game two at Chattanooga (March 20) … Scored season-high three runs as well as hit first Marshall home run (and ninth of collegiate career) versus Bellarmine (March 28) … In record-tying game at Middle Tennessee, started at second base but moved to shortstop after injury to Sierra Huerta in the first, along with eight assists also tallied six putouts and zero errors, started a double play in the eighth inning … Came in for pinch hit in the sixth at FIU (April 24) and delivered with RBI double … Drew a walk and was hit by a pitch at Charlotte (May 8), also had three putouts and two assists while playing third base.
Prior to Marshall: 2018-20 at Wright State
2020 (Junior)
Played in four games with three starts … Had one hit in six at bats … Tallied three assists and one putout against Mercer (Feb. 7) … Finished Wright State career with 86 hits, 43 runs, 16 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 53 RBI.
2019 (Sophomore)
Played and started in 49 games … Finished third on the team batting .278 with 44 hits … Led team with five home runs, 30 RBI, 69 total bases and slugged .437 … Second with 27 runs scored … Opened season with a six-game hitting streak (Feb. 8-21) totaling nine hits, five runs and five RBI … Had 12 multi-hit games … 2-for-2 with one RBI against UAB (Feb. 8) and then 2-of-3 with a run scored versus UAB the next day … Scored a season and career-high three runs against Louisiana Monroe (Feb. 10) including stealing home in the fifth, was also 2-of-3 at the plate with a double and two RBI … Scored two runs and drove in three off two hits versus Valparaiso (Feb. 24) … Season and tied career-high four RBI with one home run and scored twice in win over South Carolina State (March 2) … Had three RBI versus Maryland Eastern Shore (March 2) … Hit lone triple of the season driving in two runs in win over Dayton (March 20) … Scored twice in victory over Youngstown State (April 16) … Recorded a two-run single to bring Raiders within one run in comeback win against Oakland (April 20) … Scored a run in six-straight games (April 23-May 3) … Tallied season-high seven assists playing third in extra-inning win versus Saint Louis (March 9).
2018 (Freshman)
Horizon League All-Freshman Team
Played and started in all 53 games … Bat .244 but finished second on the team with 41 hits, eight doubles, three home runs and 23 RBI … Struck out only 9-percent of at-bats (15-of-168), the fewest of regular starters and best rate on the team … Scored 16 runs and tallied one triple … 10 games with two or more hits … Led team with 100 assists … Made collegiate debut versus DePaul (Feb. 9) … Earned first collegiate hit and RBI against Loyola Chicago (Feb. 9) in the first inning and tallied a season-best six assists … Hit first collegiate home run versus Stony Brook (Feb. 25) … Hit a double and a home run, scored twice and drove in a season and career-high four runs in win over Central Michigan (March 3), home run was a two-run shot that put team back up by one in the fifth … Was 2-of-4 and drove in the first run of the game in victory against College of Charleston (March 10) … Collected three RBI and had a two-run triple in dominant win over Green Bay (March 23) … Career-high three hits against Northern Kentucky (April 5) … Tied career-high with three hits at Detroit Mercy (April 7), drove in two runs and hit third home run of the year … Had two RBI, scored once and collected two hits in win versus UIC (April 27) … Scored the final run of a five-run explosion in the top of the seventh to help team complete comeback 6-4 win over Youngstown State in Horizon League Tournament (May 10).
High School: Attended New Palestine High School … Helped lead team to State Championship title in 2017 … Four-year varsity starter … Honored as an All-Conference player … Bat over .400 and an on base percentage over .400 as well … Several former teammates playing collegiately including Emily O’Connor playing at the University of Indianapolis for former Marshall softball player Melissa Frost.
Personal: Born Aug. 5, 1999 … Daughter of Brad and Cynthia Whitaker … Has twin siblings Bailey and Brock … Father played nose tackle and defensive tackle at Indiana State (1985-88) finishing with 53 tackles and one sack … Chose to transfer to Marshall because, “of how beautiful the campus and facilities are. It is the perfect fit for me personally and I love how involved the community is with sports.” … Majoring in criminal justice.
2022 Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll: GPA 3.00 or better
GP/GS: 39/34 … Came back for her fifth year after being granted the additional year of eligibility due to the 2020 COVID season … Rebounded from early season injuries to appear in 39 games with 34 starts … 28 starts at second base including final 27 games of season, four starts at shortstop (first four games played of season), two starts at third base … Finished season with career-high .337 batting average … Recorded 31 hits, 13 runs scored, seven doubles, one home run, nine RBI, slugged .446 and had a .430 on base percentage … Nine games with two hits … Reached base in 34-of-39 games played including 29 of the last 30 … Reached base in career-high 19-straight games, March 11-April 23, tied with Mya Stevenson for the second-longest streak of the season by a Herd player … Also reached base in final 10 games of the year … Had 5-game hitting streak March 26-April 3 … Recorded 52 putouts and 49 assists … Involved in six double plays … Opened season with a 2-run homer against Saint Joseph’s (Feb. 11) as Herd hit five in the game to tie program single-game record yet again … Suffered minor knee injury versus Villanova (Feb. 11) and missed the next two games to finish the Buzz Classic (Feb. 11-12) … Back at shortstop against South Carolina (Feb. 18) at Battle at the Beach, had one hit, one walk and scored once … 2-for-2 with a walk at Coastal Carolina (Feb. 18) … Had first start of season at second base in second game versus South Carolina (Feb. 19), and tweaked knee again in play at second … Missed final two games of Battle at the Beach (Feb. 18-20) and did not play at Camel Stampede (Feb. 25-26) … Returned as a pinch hitter in first two home games against Purdue Fort Wayne (March 3-4) … Subbed in at shortstop versus Maryland Eastern Shore (March 4) and had one RBI … Started at third base against Norfolk State (March 11) had RBI double, one walk, scored a run and recorded season-high five assists, also started 5-4-3 double play that ended the game in 7-6 win … Final start at third versus Fairfield (March 13), one putout and two assists … Came in for pinch hit late in game three at UAB (March 20) and was hit by a pitch to lead off inning to start comeback, Herd took lead and then lost on a walkoff … Returned to starting lineup and stayed there for the rest of the season at second base in game two of Middle Tennessee series (March 26) … Had a double, two putouts, two assists and one double play against Middle Tennessee (March 26) … RBI double, one run, and one walk in game three versus Middle Tennessee (March 27) … Cleared the bases with a double in the fifth inning of game one against Charlotte (April 1) that gave Herd 8-4 lead on the way to 11-4 win … Recorded two hits, one sacrifice, two putouts and three assists in game two eighth-inning walkoff win over Charlotte (April 2), sacrifice bunt came in the bottom of the eighth, took part in key wild double play that ended inning in the top of the sixth and prevented a run from scoring … 2-of-3 with a double and scored a run in game one of doubleheader at Northern Kentucky (April 12), middle of 5-4-3 double play to end the second inning … Drew a walk, one hit-by-pitch, a sacrifice bunt and scored a run in game two win over FIU (April 15), totaled four putouts and four assists on defense … 2-of-3 at the plate in game three against FIU (April 16) to finish sweep … 2-for-2, a double, one walk and one run against Morehead State (April 20), added four putouts and three assists … Had the final out on double plays started by Grace Chelemen in center in games one and two at North Texas (May 6-7) … 2-of-3 and one run in game two at North Texas (May 7) … Base hit and scored a run in the fourth inning of comeback win in game three at North Texas (May 8) … Tied season-high with five assists in Conference USA Tournament opening day win over Florida Atlantic (May 11), drew two walks and scored one run … 2-of-2 with a run and one RBI against No. 1 seed Louisiana Tech (May 12) in C-USA Tournament … 2-of-3 with one walk in elimination game versus Charlotte (May 12) in C-USA Tournament, second hit came in bottom of the seventh that moved Lauren Love to third base and then Katie Adams scored Love with walkoff single … Scored a run and had two putouts in final collegiate game against No. 3 seed WKU (May 13) at C-USA Tournament … Over whole collegiate career (Wright State and Marshall) appeared in 170 games with 153 starts, bat .265, 126 hits, 62 runs, 27 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 68 RBI, 201 putouts and 264 assists … In Marshall career appeared in 65 games with 48 starts, bat .280, 40 hits, 19 runs scored, 11 doubles, two home runs, 15 RBI, slugged .399, 85 putouts and 71 assists.
2021 (Senior)
GP/GS: 26/14 … Split time with Armani Brown at second base during first season with Marshall … Nine starts at second, also had three at shortstop and two at third base in abbreviated season due to COVID-19 … Tied Herd single-game record with eight assists at Middle Tennessee (April 9), and first Herd player with eight assists since 2012 … Finished season hitting .176 (9-of-51), scored six runs, had six RBI, four doubles and one home run … Recorded a .948 fielding percentage with 33 putouts, 22 assists and just three errors … Made Herd debut with start at second base in season-opener against Akron (March 3), had one walk … Scored first Marshall run versus Bowling Green (March 5) … Helped outstanding relay against Saint Francis (March 6) from right-center, to second (Whitaker) to third that took away a potential triple in the second inning, Herd won 2-0 … First Herd hit came at Longwood (March 10) with a single, also had RBI on a ground out earlier in the game … Had season-best performance of 3-of-5, two RBI and a double in game two at Chattanooga (March 20) … Scored season-high three runs as well as hit first Marshall home run (and ninth of collegiate career) versus Bellarmine (March 28) … In record-tying game at Middle Tennessee, started at second base but moved to shortstop after injury to Sierra Huerta in the first, along with eight assists also tallied six putouts and zero errors, started a double play in the eighth inning … Came in for pinch hit in the sixth at FIU (April 24) and delivered with RBI double … Drew a walk and was hit by a pitch at Charlotte (May 8), also had three putouts and two assists while playing third base.
Prior to Marshall: 2018-20 at Wright State
2020 (Junior)
Played in four games with three starts … Had one hit in six at bats … Tallied three assists and one putout against Mercer (Feb. 7) … Finished Wright State career with 86 hits, 43 runs, 16 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 53 RBI.
2019 (Sophomore)
Played and started in 49 games … Finished third on the team batting .278 with 44 hits … Led team with five home runs, 30 RBI, 69 total bases and slugged .437 … Second with 27 runs scored … Opened season with a six-game hitting streak (Feb. 8-21) totaling nine hits, five runs and five RBI … Had 12 multi-hit games … 2-for-2 with one RBI against UAB (Feb. 8) and then 2-of-3 with a run scored versus UAB the next day … Scored a season and career-high three runs against Louisiana Monroe (Feb. 10) including stealing home in the fifth, was also 2-of-3 at the plate with a double and two RBI … Scored two runs and drove in three off two hits versus Valparaiso (Feb. 24) … Season and tied career-high four RBI with one home run and scored twice in win over South Carolina State (March 2) … Had three RBI versus Maryland Eastern Shore (March 2) … Hit lone triple of the season driving in two runs in win over Dayton (March 20) … Scored twice in victory over Youngstown State (April 16) … Recorded a two-run single to bring Raiders within one run in comeback win against Oakland (April 20) … Scored a run in six-straight games (April 23-May 3) … Tallied season-high seven assists playing third in extra-inning win versus Saint Louis (March 9).
2018 (Freshman)
Horizon League All-Freshman Team
Played and started in all 53 games … Bat .244 but finished second on the team with 41 hits, eight doubles, three home runs and 23 RBI … Struck out only 9-percent of at-bats (15-of-168), the fewest of regular starters and best rate on the team … Scored 16 runs and tallied one triple … 10 games with two or more hits … Led team with 100 assists … Made collegiate debut versus DePaul (Feb. 9) … Earned first collegiate hit and RBI against Loyola Chicago (Feb. 9) in the first inning and tallied a season-best six assists … Hit first collegiate home run versus Stony Brook (Feb. 25) … Hit a double and a home run, scored twice and drove in a season and career-high four runs in win over Central Michigan (March 3), home run was a two-run shot that put team back up by one in the fifth … Was 2-of-4 and drove in the first run of the game in victory against College of Charleston (March 10) … Collected three RBI and had a two-run triple in dominant win over Green Bay (March 23) … Career-high three hits against Northern Kentucky (April 5) … Tied career-high with three hits at Detroit Mercy (April 7), drove in two runs and hit third home run of the year … Had two RBI, scored once and collected two hits in win versus UIC (April 27) … Scored the final run of a five-run explosion in the top of the seventh to help team complete comeback 6-4 win over Youngstown State in Horizon League Tournament (May 10).
High School: Attended New Palestine High School … Helped lead team to State Championship title in 2017 … Four-year varsity starter … Honored as an All-Conference player … Bat over .400 and an on base percentage over .400 as well … Several former teammates playing collegiately including Emily O’Connor playing at the University of Indianapolis for former Marshall softball player Melissa Frost.
Personal: Born Aug. 5, 1999 … Daughter of Brad and Cynthia Whitaker … Has twin siblings Bailey and Brock … Father played nose tackle and defensive tackle at Indiana State (1985-88) finishing with 53 tackles and one sack … Chose to transfer to Marshall because, “of how beautiful the campus and facilities are. It is the perfect fit for me personally and I love how involved the community is with sports.” … Majoring in criminal justice.
Marshall Softball Class of 2025 Graduates
Friday, May 02
Marshall Softball: Kaleea Washington & Brooklyn Ulrich (Post-Radford)
Tuesday, April 22
Marshall Softball: HC Morgan Zerkle, Haleigh Adkins, Paige Maynard (Post-Coastal)
Friday, April 18
Hype and Harmony: the Team Personality Fuels Success #softball
Thursday, April 17
