Meet Madi Andrews, #1 2026 Recruit

Name: Madi Andrews Madi Andrews 6'1" | OH Adrienne C Nelson | 2026 State #32 Nation OR

School: Nelson High School

Club Team: Athena 16 Gold

Height: 6'0"

Position: Outside

With 2022 recruit Emily Warmenhoven graduating, there was a need for a new "fastest arm in the Pacific Northwest," and I think we have found it in 2026 Madilynn, or Madi, Andrews.

Andrews is quick, explosive, and dominant from anywhere on the court, but she definitely has a sweet spot for the outside. She already has a variety of angles and shots she is able to attack, making her unpredictable. She can absolutely obliterate the ball down the line with deadly force. Andrews has no problem playing across the back row with steady serve receive and an excellent defensive reaction time. Andrews showcases no fear when pursuing a ball and is not afraid to put her body on the floor. From the service line, she proves hard to stop. With a killer jump float serve, she does plenty of damage to opponents, garnering lots of aces and disruptions.

During this past high school season, not only did she make it on the Varsity roster for Nelson High School, but she was a huge factor to the Hawks line-up. She was rarely off the court as one of two six-rotation outside hitters, playing opposite 2023 Kali Lukovich. Being in the gym, competing with, and learning from one of the best outside hitters in Oregon, definitely helped elevate her game. From the service line, she was hard to stop, tallying up 96 service aces, sitting at #4 for total aces in the State across all classifications. She was awarded Mt. Hood First Team All-League and 2nd Team All-Tournament.

Already such a complete six-rotation outside hitter, she will be a very exciting athlete to watch over the coming seasons.

I had the chance to email back and forth with Andrews, and she answered some questions for us: 

1. Why did you choose to play volleyball?

When I was four years old, my mom coached me in a recreational league, and I had so much fun playing with friends. I continued participating in camps through my local high school and clubs, where I found joy and connection to volleyball. I looked up to athletes like Jayla Parnell, Isabelle Combs, and Taylor Agost, who I wanted to be just like as a volleyball player. They made it look fun and easy. My love for the game continues to grow with every season I get to participate in.

2. What is your favorite volleyball memory?

When I started playing club volleyball with Athena, I got the chance to be teammates with a lot of really great players from our region that I had previously played against. It is fun to have so many connections and friendships through volleyball in both Oregon and Washington. However, my most recent favorite memory is reaching my goal of making my high school varsity team at Nelson as a freshman.

3. What is the best piece of advice you have been given?

From my 13s & 14s club coach, Charley Stanton, "Win anyway!" No matter what an official makes as a call (in our favor or against), I hear Charley's voice say, "Win anyway." This piece of advice gets me through challenging games because it helps me focus on what I can control and do better.

4. What are your goals for your volleyball career?

Since I started playing club volleyball, I have dreamed of getting a scholarship to play volleyball at a university. What university? I am not sure yet, but luckily I have some time. A funny story about my goal of playing college volleyball happened at just four years old! I saw the UCLA men's basketball team play at the Maui Invitational, and I loved their chant so much that I had it in my mind that this was where I wanted to play. However, I am keeping all of my options open as of right now. As for the near future, our high school team, Nelson, worked hard last season to compete and be successful at the State Tournament. I hope to do the same next season and advance even further.