By Nate Perry, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech volleyball has added another piece to its repertoire for the 2019 season, as head coach Jeannette Waldo announced Friday that outside hitter Madeline (Madi) Furtado will join the Golden Eagle ranks as a transfer from Liberty.
"We had been looking for the right transfer to bring in that could add 'umph' to our 2019 roster, and Madi is the exact right fit," said Waldo. "She has experience playing at the Division I level and she will bring great depth to our outside (hitter) position."
"From our first conversation, her passion to excel in every way was very apparent. She is extremely competitive and we anticipate her making a great impact in our gym immediately."
Furtado will have sophomore eligibility status when she arrives in Cookeville, after playing in 26 sets for the Flames during her freshman campaign. She totaled 25 kills, 20 digs, and eight service aces in 2018, with her 0.31 aces-per-set average ranking tied for second on the team.
A Lake Worth, Fla. native, Furtado prepped at The King's Academy in West Palm Beach, where she was a five-year starter, four-time team MVP and two-year team captain.
The 5-foot, 11-inch Furtado was a five-time all-area selection at TKA, and was named a Max Preps All-American following her junior year after amassing a single-season school-record 559 kills. As a senior, she followed up with Palm Beach County Female Athlete of the Year and National Christian School Athletic Association Player of the Year nods.
In addition to her record for kills in a single year, Furtado also bears the TKA standards for career kills (2,024), career digs (974), career aces (297), single-season aces (71) and single-match kills (49).
She was also active in club competition, suiting up for Palm Beach Juniors as well as Boomers Volleyball Academy.
The Sunshine State product comes from a family of athletes, as her father, David, played basketball at Division II Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) and Division I North Florida, while her mother, Ashlei, was both a volleyball and tennis player at PBA.
Photo courtesy of Joe Carmany, Liberty Athletic Communications
