2025 SVM Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Sterling’s Madison Austin

Even before the season started, the Sterling Golden Warriors knew they had the potential for a special season.

The just had no idea how special it would actually be.

As summer workouts led to winter games, the Warriors’ goals turned into a program-record 30 wins, their first sectional title since 2007 and their first Western Big 6 Conference crown, thanks to a close-knit team with balance on the perimeter and inside on both ends of the floor.

And the low-post presence was a big one. Madison Austin, an athletic, 6-foot-3 Illinois State recruit, served as the inside scorer and rim protector while leading Sterling in scoring 19 times and in rebounding 26 times as the Warriors finished 30-6 with regional and sectional titles.

“It was kind of was surreal the entire season. We’d look at our record sometimes and think, ‘Wow, we only have a few losses.’ That was always kind of crazy to see that,” Austin said. “But as we kept going, we just got more and more confident and just kept winning, and I feel like we got closer as a group as we went on. That just translated into practice and games, and we just had a lot of fun with it while we were working really hard.”

Austin led the team in scoring (16.3 points per game), rebounding (8.8 rebounds per game) and blocked shots (61), and earned Class 3A All-State honors from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association (first team) and Illinois Media (second team) while also being named Western Big 6 co-MVP. Her 586 points this season are third on Sterling’s single-season list, behind Karna Abram (676 in 1983) and Devon Carbaugh (604 in 2007).

She also became the ninth member of Sterling’s 1,000-point club, finishing her career tied with Brooklyn Borum for fifth on the Warriors’ all-time scoring list with 1,089 points (Abram leads with 1,979). Austin is fourth on the career rebounding list with 743 (Borum leads with 1,023), and second on the career blocked shots list with 113, behind only Jackie Davey’s 211.

The senior forward is Sauk Valley Media’s 2025 Player of the Year.

“The hours that Madison spent in this gym preparing herself to be the best basketball player she is, every coach on our staff appreciates it because there was never a question of how hard Madison was going to practice or play night in and night out,” Sterling coach Taylor Jackson said. “Her work ethic is really heads above what most kids bring to the high school experience, and I think that she was just committed to doing everything she could to make herself the best basketball player she could be. I think she was able to achieve a lot of her goals this year because of that work ethic that she had for four years.”

It wasn’t always smooth sailing during Austin’s four-year career. Sterling won just one game her freshman season and three her sophomore year. But after a 14-16 finish last winter, Austin and fellow senior Delali Amankwa – another four-year varsity player – felt the program was turning the corner.

“I think both of them knew our potential,” Jackson said. “We talked about that when they were both very young in the program. I’ve known both of them since they were little girls, and I think they’re the type of young women that are able to commit to big-picture goals and then take everybody else with them. I think because of what we went through when they were freshmen and sophomores – it was not easy – they made a very conscious effort to be different. It’s not necessarily in either of their nature to be a dominant vocal leader, but they always led by example every single day. I think that they were captains unlike any other that we’ve seen in a long time.

“We had a tremendous senior class that really set an expectation for our players on and off the court, for our effort in practice, for our resilience and grit and all of those buzzwords that we like to use. They kind of became the epitome of those things, setting the standard every single day with their leadership.”

The hard work and tenacity those two displayed rubbed off on their teammates and set the stage for a remarkable turnaround. On their way to the 3A Elite Eight, the Warriors won 13 straight Western Big 6 games to take that crown – after six conference wins last season and none in either of the previous two.

“It’s definitely much more special coming off so few wins to the school record. We always had big goals, but just being able to reach them was very exciting,” Austin said. “And to do it with this group of girls, it’s really special. We’re all best friends, so just being able to trust each other and believe in each other and push each other to be the best, that really helped us all year.”

Austin’s biggest fan was her twin sister, Kate. A minute older than Madison, Kate was always the one cheering loudest when Madison made big plays – and the first to help Madison work through the struggles.

“We’re definitely a package deal, and having her there on the bench was great,” Madison said. “She does kind of get a little bit angry sometimes and tell me things to change, but it’s out of love. She’s just there for me always.”

Their teammates were like an extended family. A group of players who were always on the same page, the Warriors were all business on the court while finding ways to celebrate together and enjoy each others’ company off of it.

“This summer, I think there were moments where we saw what we truly believed this group would be capable of this season,” Jackson said. “That might have been crazy to anybody on the outside, but we traveled and did a lot of things together that really showed us how connected and how together this group was. I think that we had an inkling that it was coming.”

Austin believes that their ability and desire to work hard and still have a good time was a key reason for their success.

“Definitely the relationships and memories we made were the best thing about the season,” Austin said. “We were always dancing, having fun, and that translated into 30 wins. We worked hard and had fun doing it.

“We knew when to be serious and when it was time to have a little fun, and just balancing that. I feel like the more fun we had, the more serious we could be during the games, and that just kind of grew as the season went on. We had more fun and kept getting better.”

While the team found its rhythm offensively as the season progressed, one thing that was strong from the start was the defense. Sterling held six of its first seven opponents under 40 points, and achieved that feat 21 times during the season – including four of its five foes in the postseason.

On the year, the Warriors outscored their opponents 2,005-1,349 – an average of 55.7-37.5 per game.

“Definitely defense, just getting stops, we know that’s the main thing; the less they score and the more we score, the better our chances are,” Austin said. “We just played confident and trusted each other. We knew we had a few role players, so there’s people that focused more on defense and people that focused more on offense. We just tried to balance that, have everyone work hard on both, and just communicate. That was our key to success.”

With Amankwa and the James sisters, Jossy and Jae, hounding ballhandlers, Austin’s job was to protect the lane and turn away anybody who got past the perimeter defense. It was a role she relished, and one that her teammates had complete faith that she would excel in.

“It’s pretty fun being the shot-blocker, just knowing my teammates know I’m there to help them out – hopefully not drawing fouls – by blocking shots,” Austin said. “Just being able to trust in my abilities and my teammates’ abilities is something that I focused on.”

That’s also going to be what helps her find success at the next level. Austin will play at Illinois State next season and hopes to use the same mindset and work ethic that helped her in high school to be a big part of the Redbirds’ plans the next four years.

“I feel like anything’s possible, so just getting my skills better every day, and always improving. I’ll be focusing on little things, and building those up and hopefully developing my skills to be the best they can,” Austin said. “I’m pretty excited for college – and I know these teammates will be there to support me still.”