Q&A: Purdue women's basketball senior Madison Layden: "It's been a long journey"
Wednesday's matchup against the Penn State is the final regular-season home game for the Boilermakers. The program will honor the four seniors
The option was there for Madison Layden.
Return for another season with the Boilermakers - using the NCAA-gifted COVID year - or end her college basketball career. Layden has decided this is her last season following a four-year run at Purdue.
The Kokomo native attended Northwestern High School and led the program to back-to-back Class 3A state titles before joining the Boilermakers. She’s 13 points shy of reaching 1,000 in her career and has at least three games remaining to reach the milestone.
What will Senior Day mean and how will the emotions be?
Mostly happy. I’ve been here for all four years. It’s been a long journey, but just being able to celebrate. I can’t even … it’s hard to put into words because I feel like I’ve been here forever but it’s already Senior Day.
Why did you come to Purdue?
I wanted to stay close to home. I’m family-oriented, and I wanted my family to come here for games, or if I wanted to go home on a random Saturday, I could. That was a big part. Academics and everything, and I knew some of the girls on the team when I was coming in. Cassidy Hardin played a big role in that.
What were your other schools?
I wanted to stay in Indiana. IU, Purdue, Butler, Ball State.
When you take basketball out of the equation, why was this the right decision?
When I first committed, my major was pharmacy. Great pharmacy program here and then once I got here and COVID and everything, pharmacy wasn’t right for me and I switched to Selling & Sales (Management). It’s still a great school for that and I was able to switch majors so easily and still be at a great school.
As you look back, dealing with COVID, all those distractions, not having fans in the stands, and everything else, what do you learn from that, and how will it help as you get into the next phase of your life?
It was a struggle, for sure. Freshman year isn’t easy on its own and having all those other things come in the way, it wasn’t easy. It’s helped me be who I am today, and it will help me in the next step in my life.
You mentioned in an earlier interview that you’re happy to have McKenna (younger sister) here because it helped your mental health outlook. Why is that and how much has she helped you?
I think going back to freshman year, it was lonely here. Not being able to go to classes or meet friends and meet other people and that kind of … I don’t want to say it was a bad thing, but it was hard. Just moving to my sophomore, junior years, still trying to meet people and not having a whole lot of friends except for my teammates. They were a big part of it but having McKenna here and always having someone to do something with.
Do you need or want that social interaction outside of basketball?
It helps. You’re with your teammates all the time, and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing but just having people outside of your sport to be able to talk with and hang out. That’s also important to have that balance in your sport and that social life as well.
We hear a lot about the mental aspect of athletes. Does having McKenna help you deal with that, but overall, how do you feel you’ve handled it now that your career is ending?
It’s been a long journey, and it’s been a struggle. Purdue has a lot of great resources that I’ve been able to use. And our trainer, (Jessica Lipsett) has helped me a lot. I couldn’t be more thankful and grateful to have her here. But yeah, it’s been a struggle and I hope that’s in the past.
The first time you picked up a basketball?
Ever since I could walk. Just always being in a gym with my parents, My mom was always a coach. Just being in the gym with her.
You played tennis, too?
Tennis and volleyball.
Was basketball the only choice for you or could you have played another sport?
I didn’t put much time into the other sports. I was pretty good at volleyball. I had 1,000 digs, 1,000 kills and 1,000 assists.
The Triple Threat
I didn’t put much time into it and tennis was too stressful. It’s a lot of the mental game in tennis and I didn’t want to do that.
Could you go out and play tennis recreationally now and have fun?
That and pickleball.
You picked up pickleball?
Big pickleball player.
You’re too young to play pickleball.
Yeah, I know.
If you didn’t play sports, what would you have done?
I have no idea. That’s a great question. I couldn’t even tell you.
Sum up your time at Purdue
There’s been a lot of ups and downs but I’m glad I just stayed the course. I’ve been able to meet a lot of great people here. It’s a special place, and you have to put in the work, and good things will come in return.