West Bladen’s Madden, an all-state catcher at Harrells, celebrates signing with Belmont Abbey

BLADENBORO — Abigail Madden, a three-time all-state catcher who transferred to West Bladen High School, will continue her softball career at Belmont Abbey College.

In an infield signing ceremony Friday afternoon, the senior standout was joined by family and teammates to mark the occasion. She said the game has “never failed me once,” and she is excited to attend her “dream school.”

She gets satisfaction, she said, from “the feeling with my teammates, whether we win or lose — the feeling of being a team.”

Many of them, including some who graduated last year, lined both baselines and took turns in something of a photo parade. The smiles were genuine, the excitement reminiscent of a gameday.

The 17-year-old has been playing competitively since she was 7. Her parents Dawn and Eddie Madden, sister Jacqueline and brothers Elliott and Emory were all there in support.

“It’s a good program,” Madden said of the Crusaders. “They were runner-up in their conference, and they’ve added a lot of new advancements. They’ve got a new scoreboard and new bleachers.”

Madden will play for Tony Mele, who begins his second year at the helm this spring. He’s assisted by Sierra Vanzant and Ashton Whitaker. Vanzant is the catching instructor and pitching coach.

Belmont Abbey competes in the NCAA Division II Conference Carolinas. It split four conference games last spring before the coronavirus ended the season.

Madden joined the Lady Knights’ program of Pam Stephens after spending time at Harrells Christian Academy. She was all-state and all-conference her eighth, ninth and 10th grade seasons, picking up a defensive MVP along the way. In four games before COVID-19 ended last year, she tripled, doubled twice and went 8-for-16 for West Bladen.

She bats left as a slapper, and is otherwise right-handed.

“She was truly impressive the first day she was here,” Stephens said. “I think it really meshed well.”

Madden has played the past two years of travel ball with N.C. Intensity out of Lumberton, and the two before that with N.C. Challengers out of Raleigh.

“I try to always have a positive mindset toward the game,” Madden said, describing how she’s not burned out playing softball year-round for about a decade. “It became a part of my life that I didn’t wish for anything else.”

She’s already secured a job after college, too. An agreement to enter the military will help pay the collegiate way.

“Most likely the Navy,” she says of which branch. She’s choosing that route “for the pride of serving my country. And two, it helped me get in my dream school.”

She plans to major in business at the Catholic liberal arts institution just outside of Charlotte.