‘FOUR’ THE RECORD BOOKS: Newark’s Madi Malone is four-time Times Volleyball Player of the Year

Urban Dictionary defines a ‘generational talent’ as “someone so good that someone equal in quality only comes around a few times in a generation.”

Newark High School senior volleyball star Madi Malone may have transcended that definition to not only become a generational player in her sport, but the most dominant and currently the most-decorated athlete in Norsemen lore.

“I told her when she was close to getting into high school that she’d accomplish great things in volleyball and she’d better sleep with a Redbird under her pillow and dream about competing for a state championship in Redbird Arena at Illinois State.”

—  Newark volleyball coach Tonya Grayson

Recently, Malone completed her final year on the court for NHS during a truncated campaign in which she competed in only 12 matches. Still, the four-time all-stater produced 164 kills, a career-best 6.6 kills per set and a .516 hitting efficiency. Add to that a sweltering service percentage of 99.1% with only one serving error in 113 attempts, as well as 16 aces.

She leaves Newark as the record holder for single-season kills (506), career kills (1,635) – which ranks her eighth all-time in IHSA history – single-season aces (79) and career aces (198).

Oh yeah, and let’s not forget about Malone helping lead the Norsemen to a Class 1A fourth-place finish as a freshman, followed by back-to-back state championships in 2018 and 2019 before COVID-19 derailed her dreams of trying for a three-peat with her team because of there being no state series for volleyball.

However, Malone shined brightly in her limited time as a senior and is The Times Volleyball Player of the Year for the fourth straight season.

“To have been named Player of the Year in our area for four straight years is such an amazing honor considering all the great volleyball talent I’ve played against and competed with in high school,” Malone said. “I’ve been truly blessed to have had great coaches and teammates, and that has given me the opportunity to grow and accomplish things at Newark that I could only have dreamed might happen entering my freshman year.”

One who knew Malone’s greatness surely would be coming is NHS veteran coach Tonya Grayson, whose 521 wins rank 41st on the IHSA’s all-time list of winningest coaches.

“I always thought when seeing Madi play before high school that she was a truly unique talent and somebody who could really help take us to the next level as a program,” Grayson said. “I told her when she was close to getting into high school that she’d accomplish great things in volleyball and she’d better sleep with a Redbird under her pillow and dream about competing for a state championship in Redbird Arena at Illinois State.

“That’s a moment I will always remember talking with her, and sure enough she delivered big time in leading us to moments in school history that will never be seen again. I believe Madi Malone is a true generational talent and maybe the best that may ever be in a sport at Newark High School.”

It’s hard to argue with that assessment knowing what Malone has meant to NHS and its current dominance throughout the last few years. Unfortunately, Malone and Co. weren’t allowed to compete for a third straight state title because of the pandemic.

Instead, the Norsemen had to settle for a Little Ten Conference Tournament championship victory in April without Malone, who had already committed to playing with her Adversity travel club team in the 18U Open Division of the USAV National Championship Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

There, Malone’s team finished second at nationals, where she was named to an all-tournament team stacked with NCAA Division I volleyball talent.

Malone had reservations before that, finishing her Newark prep career after a dominating 25-9, 25-5, regular-season victory over LaMoille-Ohio in her last performance on her home court.

“Early on, I believed we wouldn’t be able to defend our two state championships, so I made the decision to play at nationals,” Malone said. “It was so hard to decide that, but I was able to watch the girls beat Indian Creek for the championship. I was so proud of them, and I missed so much being there with them, but in the end they didn’t need me because they did it all on their own.

“I was so happy.”

Grayson concurred.

“Madi was where she needed to be and was supposed to be shining on a national stage after all she accomplished at Newark,” Grayson said. “If anybody hasn’t seen her play, it’s hard to appreciate how elite of a volleyball player she is, and she proved that with her club team on the biggest of stages.”

Malone has accepted a scholarship to play at DI University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She will report July 6 and become part of the Panthers volleyball program, where she’ll hope to study either education or business after leaving an amazing legacy as one of the most memorable athletes in Newark history.

“Never in my dreams did I think I could’ve accomplished what I did in high school along with my coaches and teammates,” Malone said. “To win two state championships and get a fourth-place trophy in three years was something I could never have imagined. I hope I’ve inspired younger girls who have watched me play to do their best, and hopefully Newark volleyball can accomplish even more in the future.”