GREENFIELD — After classes end, Maddie Wise heads straight for the weight room on campus.
Once her strength and conditioning coach pushes her through a grueling lifting regimen, she’s off to a three-hour practice on the court, practicing drills, passing and shooting until she can barely stand. After an ice bath and a recovery meal, she meets with some of her teammates in their practice facility to catch up on homework, making sure they’re ready to do it all again tomorrow.
Playing for a Division I school is an experience unlike any Maddie Wise ever had in her basketball career. And she’s absolutely loving it, she said.
The Iowa State forward and former Greenfield champion just wrapped up her first season as an NCAA athlete. While the Cyclones had a modest season at 14-17, Wise said she’s had an incredible experience kickstarting her college career.
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Wise, who graduated from Greenfield-Central High School in 2017, was listed as Iowa State’s “Freshman player of the week” three times over the course of the season, she said. The detail-intensive approach required for college basketball players has been an adjustment for her, she said. But the freshman is growing accustomed to the extra hours spent studying scouting reports, analyzing film and competing against bigger, stronger, more athletic opponents, Wise said.
Another aspect of NCAA life Wise is still getting used to is the sheer amount of food she has to eat every day, she said. The hundreds of extra hours in the gym demand she consume plenty of extra fuel to keep her body moving.
“I’ve never lost so many calories in a practice until I got there,” Wise said.
“I’m well past my freshman 15,” she joked, laughing about the amount of muscle she’s put on since she started playing for the Cyclones.
Wise is studying business and is considering going into sports marketing. Balancing her studies with her athletics endeavors is a challenge made easier by a supportive safety net. Throughout the season, her family spent hours on the road to watch her compete across the country. Iowa State has the best fan base in the country, averaging more than 10,000 fans per game, she added with a smile.
And some among them are the very folks who cheered her on at Greenfield.
In 2017, Wise was named All-County Player of the Year after she beat at least seven school records. In her high school career, she averaged a double-double at 20.9 points per game and 10.8 rebounds. The sum of her consistency led to 2,109 points in her career and 1,091 rebounds, making her just the fifth girls player in Indiana history to surpass both milestone marks.
And she’s still trying to climb higher, she said. Her experience on a D-I court has improved her outside shot game tenfold, she said.
In her very first season, Wise led the Big 12 Conference in 3-point percentage.
“I shot way better from the 3-point line then I ever have in my entire life,” Wise said.
“It was about time,” she added with a giggle.
It’s a different experience watching Wise dominate a court besides the one in Greenfield-Central’s gymnasium, said Madeline Gibson, Wise’s close friend and former high school teammate. Watching Wise play D-I basketball is a thrilling experience; she’s proud to be on the sidelines seeing her friend thrive in such a competitive atmosphere, Gibson said.
Gibson remembers Wise as a player who knows her team; she memorizes her teammates’ strengths and capitalizes on them. She always had the strongest work ethic of anyone on the court, Gibson added.
“She’s always in the gym, like 24/7,” Gibson said.
Wise’s high school basketball coach, Doug Laker, said he still keeps in touch with Wise to stay tuned into her collegiate career. It was a privilege and an honor to coach such a tough and dedicated athlete, he said.
Laker recalled one of the most memorable moments from Wise’s high school career occurred during the game when Wise scored the 2,000th point of her career. Wise is Greenfield’s No. 2 all-time leading scorer in boys or girls basketball, taking second place to Mike Edwards, who graduated in 1969.
The referee stopped the play, and Laker presented a game ball to Wise to congratulate her on the milestone. She was honored, of course, but it was obvious Wise was more focused on winning the game at hand, Laker said. It was fitting, he added, to see her prioritize her team’s success before her own accomplishments. She’s always doing whatever she can individually to contribute to the group as a whole, he said.
“She loves to compete,” Laker said. “She just ascribes to be the best at everything she does. That’s Madison Wise.”
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In this series, the Daily Reporter checks in with some of the county’s athletic greats from over the years. Have a standout you’d like to see profiled? Send us a note at [email protected].
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Name: Madison Wise
Age: 19
Graduate: Greenfield-Central class of 2017
Sport: Basketball
High school highlights: Averaged 20.9 points per game and 10.8 rebounds. She scored 2,109 points in her career and 1,091 rebounds.
Where she is now: Iowa State University. Named “Freshman Player of the Week” three times. Led the Big 12 conference in 3-point percentage.
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