HHS senior golfer Morgan Maddox has committed to Washington and Lee University, where she will continue her athletic and academic career.
Washington and Lee, located in Lexington, Va., is a Division 3 athletics program with an extraordinary golf facility. Recently, the school spent approximately $16 million at a local club to improve their practice facilities. The school also has a $2 billion dollar endowment which greatly facilitates the goals of its golf teams.
“The program has unlimited resources due to the endowment, which is nice because we can play in the best tournaments and travel more,” Maddox said of her new school and team.
Maddox trains at Greystone Country Club with her private coach Brain Speakman, who coaches her on her swing and other golf techniques. She also plays and practices on her own time at Hoover Country Club.
HHS girls golf coach William Garrison admires Maddox’s impressive work ethic.
“I think the beauty of Morgan and her game is she is constantly trying to perfect it to the minute detail,” Garrison said.
Maddox has always aspired to attend a competitive, academic school. While she wanted to pursue golf, education was her priority and she knew that golf would be beneficial in getting her into competitive schools.
“It has always been a dream of mine to go to a competitive school, and I knew golf would help me get there,” Maddox said. “It has always been on the radar for me.”
For Maddox, Washington and Lee has the perfect combination of academics and sports.
Taking guidance from her coaches, Maddox initiated the recruiting process herself by emailing various schools. The Washington and Lee coach Jane Hopkinson-Wood responded and they began discussing the possibility of Maddox playing at the school.
Hopkinson-Wood then watched Maddox compete at the AJGA Atlanta Classic on Aug. 15. After watching her compete, the Washington and Lee coach was sold on her abilities and the value she would add to the program.
At Homewood High School, Maddox was a key player on the girls golf team and has been crucial to the team’s success. Maddox said the golf program at Homewood has a supportive environment where the players encourage and push each other to be their best.
Garrison said Maddox is the type of talent that stands out on her own.
“I cannot tell you how many times some random person comes up to me and talks about how great of a player she is and even more how respectable she is as a player,” Garrison said.
Throughout her golf career, Maddox has had many ups and downs but recognizes that her perseverance has taught her a lot to help her get to this point.
“Endurance through failure has pushed me through all the hard times,” she said.
