By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The record-shattering dominance of Madolyn Isringhausen's senior campaign on the volleyball court came full circle for the Tennessee Tech star on Wednesday morning, as the Ohio Valley Conference announced the Golden Eagle outside hitter as the league's Female Athlete of the Year for 2024-25.
Isringhausen became the first Golden Eagle to capture OVC Female Athlete of the Year honors since Bonnie Bynum earned the honor in 2005-06. She joins an elite club of seven other Tech winners that includes Bynum, Janet Holt (2000-01, 2001-02), Diane Seng (1997-98, 1999-00), Roschelle Vaughn (1992-93), Angela Moorehead (1990-91), Cheryl Taylor (1985-86), Jerilynn Harper (1980-81, 1981-82).
In her final campaign in the purple and gold, she turned in one of the most dominant and decorated seasons in Tech history, setting school records for the rally-scoring era for kills (559), kills per set (4.90), service aces (59), service aces per set (0.52), points (642.0), and points per set (5.63).
The veteran was named an AVCA Division I Women's All-American following her incredible senior campaign, becoming the first Golden Eagle in program history to earn All-American honors. She was also selected as an AVCA All-South Region Team Honorable Mention, becoming just the second Golden Eagle to earn All-Region recognition.
Isringhausen was just the 17th student-athlete to represent the OVC and earn an All-American nod as well. During the year, the Edwardsville, Ill. native piled up a league-record eight Offensive Player of the Week honors.
The first player in Tech history to collect National Player of the Week honors, Isringhausen paced the OVC in kills, kills per set, aces, aces per set, points, and points per set, while also ranking eighth in hitting percentage with a mark of .291. The senior wasn't just the best in the league, but one of the best in the country, ranking third in the nation in points, fourth in kills, sixth in kills per set, seventh in points per set, ninth in service aces, and 14th in aces per set.
The fourth Golden Eagle in program history to earn OVC Player of the Year honors, Isringhausen also became just the fourth member of the Tech program to collect All-OVC First Team recognition three times. Her All-OVC First Team nod was also the fourth All-OVC honor of her career.
Her five-year stretch in Cookeville saw her finish first among career leaders for the program with 2,011.0 points, second with 1,721 kills, 4,737 attacks, and 169 service aces, third with 0.36 aces per set and 4.21 points per set, fourth with 476 sets played, fifth with 3.62 kills per set, and ninth with 127 matches played. Additionally, she became just the 11th member of the program's Double Grand Club, securing more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs during her career.
Following this year's OVC Championships, Isringhausen was selected to the OVC All-Tournament Team for her efforts in Tech's two contests, a 3-0 sweep over Little Rock and a heartbreaking, 3-2 loss to eventual champion Lindenwood. She made more history after the conclusion of the season, becoming the first Golden Eagle to make the roster of a Pro Volleyball Federation team after signing as a free agent with the Atlanta Vibe.
During Tennessee Tech's annual Golden Wings Award Show in April, Isringhausen was voted as the Athletic Department's Female Athlete of the Year.
Other female nominees for the award included Eastern Illinois senior basketball forward Macy McGlone, Lindenwood graduate setter Allie Otten, Little Rock junior goalkeeper Peyton Urban, Morehead State junior golfer Tuva Isebakke, Southeast Missouri junior track athlete Anna Thomason, SIUE senior infielder Kaylynn Salyars, Southern Indiana senor basketball forward Meredith Raley, UT Martin senior midfielder Izzy Patterson and Western Illinois senior volleyball outside hitter Keyana Cruse.
The OVC first awarded a Female Athlete of the Year honor in 1981.
