New Braunfels High senior volleyball player Madison Glassco has verbally committed to play at Colorado School of Mines next season.
The 5-foot-11-inch, three-year letter-winner chose the public teaching and research university in Golden, Colorado, as she helps the Unicorns try to secure a playoff spot. Her decision highlights a prep career in which she successfully overcame injuries to give New Braunfels a vital spark on offense.
Head coach Heather Sledge told Texas Scorecard that the “extremely humble” Glassco, who plays outside hitter, is “silent but deadly” on the court.
“She’s very smart,” Sledge said. “She can pick apart a defense and find shots by changing up her shot so she’s not readable.”
According to the third-year Unicorns coach, Glassco has a tendency to be telepathic.
“She could be out there and in my mind I’m thinking, ‘Hit this shot’ or whatever it is, and she’ll do it without me telling her anything,” Sledge said. “Just the fact that she can see and is so smart, she’s able to frustrate a lot of defenses because of that. I think that makes her super successful.”
Glassco’s cool, calm and collected demeanor, Sledge added, soothes and inspires her teammates.
“She’s able to keep that calmness out there on the floor and keep us going,” Sledge said.
The senior outside hitter’s tenure in the program parallels her third-year coach’s time at its helm. Sledge said her relationship with Glassco has grown since they started working together.
Around the beginning of the 2019 season, the Unicorns’ resident kill specialist – Glassco has 912 kills overall as of press time and hopes to register 1,000 before her final game in the royal blue and white – was given a pep talk about her prominent role as an elder stateswoman for the team.
“I sat her down and talked to her,” Sledge said. “I told her, ‘It’s your year. It’s your time. You’re not underneath any upperclassmen. You’re that senior to lead us.’”
Though she relishes being a leader, Glassco does not hesitate to ask questions or seek advice. Sledge added that her protégé loves to joke around and make people laugh.
“Our relationship grew over these past three years,” the coach said. “I’m super proud of her not just as a volleyball player but just the person that she is. She has one of the greatest hearts. She has great character. She does well in the classroom. She’s a good representation of what volleyball is all about.”
Glassco’s sisters on the court, Sledge said, hold her up “as our go-to girl” and “our stud.
“They love playing for her,” Sledge said. “They have a lot of respect for her, and they take what she says to heart. They have nothing but high praise for her.”
New Braunfels aims to emerge from its tough district slate with a postseason berth. It was preparing to face Converse Judson as of this writing.
“We’re going to take one game at a time until we get there,” Sledge said, stating that she expects Glassco to continue leading the Unicorns with heart and passion.
“She will lead us in the direction we need to go,” she said.
The coach praised Glassco’s commitment to Mines. She recalled a conversation between the two in which Glassco told her that she would love to attend a school that is right for her academically with athletics being a bonus.
“When Colorado School of Mines became an option and she went up and visited the team, she said everything was there that she wished and dreamed for because they’re such an academically strong, prestigious school,” Sledge said.
In the meantime, Glassco will do her part to further foster the Unicorns’ amazing chemistry as they enjoy the rest of what Sledge calls “a special year.”
