Madison Merritt has always balanced a love for athletics with a commitment to academics. A Dean's List student with plans to pursue graduate studies in physical therapy or sports medicine, she didn't initially plan to compete in college sports.Â
That changed when her Franklin County High School teammate, Daniella Bulach, joined the inaugural Crimson Pride Women's Soccer Team—prompting Madison to reconsider her path and join her friend at IUC.
Now the soccer team captain and one of only three women to have played all three years of the team's existence, Madison is leaving her mark on the program. Plus, last year when her physiology professor Paul Hafen (also 
the inaugural head track coach) asked her to consider running again, Madison took on the challenge of becoming a dual-sport collegiate athlete – and a very successful one!
She says she struggled her freshman year, coming from a small program into a more competitive collegiate environment. At the same time, she quickly realized she had chosen the right school. The close-knit environment at IU Columbus allowed her build relationships with her professors and develop a support system.
"It's been amazing to see how the community has come together," Merritt noted, saying how much the addition of NexusPark has added to the program, as well as the team's soccer camps for area kids and teens.
She's also seen the soccer program itself grow and mature significantly in three years. "Our team has gotten drastically better! We have more players, better drills and conditioning, and a lot more structure. It's exciting!"
Director of Soccer Kevin Nolan describes Madison Merritt as "the hardest working player on our team and fearless on the field!"
However, she entered the track season with some hesitation after not running for an entire year. Nonetheless, 
her first college race yielded the same exact time as her last high school race, and she only went up from there.
"Madison Merritt is an extremely humble and gifted athlete," said Coach Hafen. "The entire season she was sharpening up her speed and getting faster. By the time conference champs rolled around, she ran two great races and ended up finishing seventh in both to score some of our first points for the women's track and field team at our conference championships."
When asked how she manages school and two college sports, she noted with a laugh that she prefers to be busy —even though it's hectic sometimes! In fact, she also works at an assisted living facility in Columbus and at a restaurant in her hometown of Brookville, Indiana!
Her coaches agree that her dedication, whether in the classroom, in competition, or in the community, makes her a dependable leader and a model student-athlete. As she looks ahead to graduate school, her experience at IU Columbus will continue to shape her path and set an example for future Crimson Pride athletes.
