Madison has many very successful sports programs, highlighted by the talents of numerous student athletes who excel at their sport. But for a select few, high school is only the beginning, and college is the next big frontier. This year some of the student athletes who will be able to play at the next level are Stella Gougoufkas, Breanna McVicker, Emma Hamberlin and Andrew Hall.

Gougoufkas has been playing basketball since the fifth grade, when her dad convinced her to give it a try. She loved it almost immediately and decided to start playing in travel leagues and in tournaments. As the years went on, Gougoufkas was playing in recreational and travel leagues every season. While freshman year of high school brought unexpected challenges, such as online school and a shorter season, she was excited to try out for the team.

“During my freshman year of high school, when everyone was participating in online school, I had a lot of free time and I spent a lot of time outside in my backyard shooting at my basketball hoop, and I think that is where I really found my love for the game,” Gougoufkas said.

She continued to excel through the years, helping Madison’s girls basketball team win multiple state championships in 2022 and 2023. During her tenure at Madison, she has enjoyed the recruitment process through the highs and lows, and all of her hard work has paid off. Gougoufkas has officially committed to play basketball at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.

“If you really want to pursue playing a sport in college, it is worth it in the end,” Gougoufkas said on the advice she would give to athletes interested in committing to their sport in college. “You have to be open to asking a lot of questions—asking coaches, current players, and athletic directors. It is also really important to have a support group.”

McVicker first played lacrosse when she moved to Vienna in the fourth grade. She had never played it before, but when she decided to give it a try, she immediately loved the fast pace of the game. McVicker says that one big challenge of playing lacrosse is comparing herself to other players. She also said that she takes a lot of inspiration from older players on her teams, and tries to be the best leader she can be. Her biggest motivation however, is her family.

“Growing up in a big sports family, I learned to compete at a super young age, making me want to represent my family the best I can when I play,” McVicker said.

On the recruitment side of things, McVicker was unsure of the future and questioned if college lacrosse was really for her. But McVicker realized that sophomore year was the year to put herself out there for college coaches to see her talent and she rejoined her club team.

That decision ended up paying huge dividends, McVicker is now committed to play at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Her advice for any student-athlete looking for guidance on the process is that it is full of ups and downs, but to always focus on the good.

“There is a school out there for anyone; it is just a matter of time,” McVicker said. “Success in sports requires dedication and perseverance. Staying committed to your work and being resilient in setbacks will help you achieve your goals.”

Hamberlin was born to play soccer, as she picked it up fast at an early age. She first started playing at the age of three, and she has been motivated to improve her game ever since.

“There is always a skill or area of soccer I can get better at, so that pushes me to keep working and grow a little each day,” Hamberlin said.

Hamberlin had always wanted to play in college, but started taking the recruitment process more seriously when high school started. Now, Hamberlin has officially committed to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Hall has been playing baseball since he was five years old; it was his grandfather that first sparked the joy of the game for him when he bought him a tee ball set. From there, his love for the game only grew.

Hall works very hard to improve himself and help those around him to be better, but he says it’s hard to control a lot of things in baseball, so focusing on what is controllable is important.

“You can’t control what other people do, or what pitches you get thrown, the only thing you can control is yourself,” Hall said. “It’s up to me to put in the work so that I can help my team win.”

It was always Hall’s goal to play at the next level, but it was some of the older guys last year that inspired him to truly pursue it.

“Nine of our seniors last year committed to play baseball in college, and that really inspired me that it was actually possible to play at the next level, and if I put in enough work, it could happen,” Hall said.

Hall, who has committed to Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, says his advice to all student-athletes looking to get recruited is to talk to coaches. He says that reaching out to a coach can’t hurt your chances of getting recruited and is a positive way to get your foot in the door. He also says to never let the process discourage you.

“Trust the process, keep putting in the work every day, and it will work out for you,” Hall said.