Madison Payne

“I chose Carthage because I fell in love with the small school and its feeling of community. My first time on campus, I knew it was somewhere I wanted to be. Because of its proximity to home, I also have the option to see my family whenever I want while still having the space to be independent.”

“My favorite memory with my team is probably the last night of our trip to nationals. After we all finished competing, we spent the night talking and hanging out in the hot tub and the fire pit at our hotel.”

“The student-athlete community is really unique here. With the campus being small, I see a lot of the same faces all the time, and it’s really easy to get invested in the success of your peers when you all have similar goals and experiences. Our teams really do our best to support one another, and it shows.””

“I balance being a student and an athlete by surrounding myself with people who will push me and keep me accountable in all aspects of my life.”

“Coach Greg Raimondi is truly one of a kind. He always knows when something is off and never fails to make me feel seen. The same goes for my professors; they often ask how a meet went or how the season is going, and it’s nice to know they care about me.” 

“My biggest accomplishment at Carthage has been qualifying for a national meet. While I may not have performed as well as I wanted to, I look forward to earning this opportunity again.”

“I love the new throws facility the College has built. It makes it exciting to go to practice every day and gives me another reason to push myself to be better.”

“I’m involved in Pi Theta, a social sorority on campus, and I’m also the president of the Panhellenic Council. Through my Greek life experience, I’ve served in many positions. In Pi Theta, I have held the roles of junior and senior philanthropy chair, service chair, and DEI chair. These roles have allowed me to serve the community and be a voice in the changes I want to see. In my role in the Panhellenic Council, I’ve gotten to plan Greek Week and provide more opportunities for Greek life to give back and spread DEI initiatives to make it a more equitable and inclusive environment for all. I’m proud to say that the people in my community have supported me in these goals.”

“Have fun with it. Don’t ever forget why you started your sport and why you continued it as long as you have. Your love for your sport will carry you further than you can imagine.”