Madison Brabham, a native of Kingwood, Texas, was encouraged by a former teammate and good friend to attend Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK). Little did Brabham know her overall career would turn into one for the books. Kingsville was unheard of but after her visit to TAMUK, something “just felt right. I think God was pulling me here, and I am so thankful because I’ve met people here that will be in my life forever, and I’ve been very successful,” Brabham said.
Originally, Brabham was recruited to fulfill the position as a setter and a right-side hitter. Assistant volleyball coach Joseph Morales traveled to Kingwood High School to watch Brabham perform and see if the Javelina volleyball program would be able to utilize her skills and talent. Morales left Kingwood High School thoroughly impressed. “The first thing that stood out was her athleticism,” Morales said. “When I went to watch her, the other setter went down with an ankle [injury] and thus Madison [Brabham] had to run the 5-1. “I had the opportunity to see her in the front row as a setter and although she was still disciplined enough to still set her hitters, she did add a few amazing [hits] where she scored,” he continued.
Brabham became more and more confident on the court and her stats sheets prove it. The athlete exceeded her previous statistic numbers every season. In 2015, Brabham appeared in 34 games and concluded that season with 141 kills and 39 digs. In 2016, she appeared in 36 games and closed that season with 251 kills and 116 digs. But, 2017 was an exceptional year for Brabham and there were many factors contributing to her branch-out in becoming the athlete she is. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey hit the Gulf of Mexico leaving many without a home because of high winds and flooding. Recently, the senior also went on to claim a First-Team AVCA All-American title because of her success on the court.
“I try to always have my athletes grow, and with someone as naturally gifted as Madi, it’s easy. I was hard on her all year because we set a goal for her to be All-American, and I wanted to make sure I pushed her to reach that goal,” Allen said.
Brabham and her family were one of the many families that lost their home to the storm. A total of 33 trillion gallons of water fell onto U.S. soil after Harvey hit. Although the massive hurricane devastated the Coastal Bend and Houston areas, Brabham did not let Harvey win. Instead, she used it as motivation, which carried her all the way to the LSC First-Team. “2017 was a big year… my family [also] lost our home in Hurricane Harvey during [that] season so I was unable to return home to help them…this was a huge motivation for me as well because if I couldn’t be home, I felt like I needed to be doing something good and worthwhile,” Brabham said.
Brabham set herself apart and earned herself 336 kills and 110 digs. Brabham was also placed on the 2017 All-LSC First-Team. “Madison making the 2017 All LSC First-Team was such a joy,” Morales said. “Seeing her in the company of first timers was absolutely amazing and I couldn’t be [more happy] for her.” Brabham could not have achieved all she did without the push from head volleyball coach Tanya Allen every season. “I try to always help my athletes grow, and with someone as naturally gifted as [Madison], it’s easy. I was hard on her,” Allen said. Brabham saw new aspects of herself when she surpassed what she thought was her very best because of Allen.
“She really pushed me to see the athlete I am. “There were times when I thought I was working my hardest and she was able to show me I had more levels of intensity. “That gave me more and more confidence which led to my ability to handle the pressure on the court,” Brabham said.
In 2018 alone, Brabham completely balled out and set a number of records for herself and the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Volleyball program. Her triumph on the court brought her a number of honors like being named the Lone Star Conference (LSC) Player of the Year, LSC Offensive player of the year, LSC All-Tournament selection, LSC First-Team, and being placed on the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association All-South Central Region First-Team. This makes Brabham eligible for a D2CCA All-American spot and being placed on the American Volleyball Coached Associated (AVCA) All-South Central Region First-Team. So, 2018 was quite the highlight of Brabham’s indoor volleyball career. The journey from 2015 to today has left Morales with great memories to reflect on. “Watching her grow throughout the years in all her lows to her highs has been without a doubt one of my highlights,” Morales said.
“Madison is the only player that I know throughout [TAMUK] volleyball that has played every position. She undeniably accepted the challenge and excelled at leading the way in the Lone Star Conference.” Nonetheless, Brabham is especially proud of the person she is today because of achievements on the court. “I feel like I learned so much about myself. The team hit some rough patches and I was able to maintain my success throughout everything going on and off the court. “That meant a lot to me because it helped reassure me that I am becoming the person that I try to be,” she said.
One special memory Brabham is thankful for was having senior middle blocker Haley Hutchinson literally right by her side on the court. The pair has been playing by each other’s side since 2015 and developed an unbreakable bond. “Spending this last season with Haley on the court and having her right by my side was so special,” Brabham said. “We’ve been through a lot together and I am so proud that she received the recognition that she deserved.”