Athlete of the Week: Madelyn Judge, senior libero, Padua volleyball

17 year-old Madelyn Judge, a senior, a volleyball for Padua Academy.

17 year-old Madelyn Judge, a senior, a volleyball for Padua Academy.

17 year-old Madelyn Judge, a senior, a volleyball for Padua Academy.

THE WEEK: Had 17 digs, four assists and one ace as the third-ranked Pandas swept then-No. 5 Wilmington Friends 3-0 last Thursday. Also had 13 digs as Padua dominated Concord 3-0 last Monday.

THE THRILL: “My favorite thing is the thrill of it,” Judge said. “I love just being on the court and digging impossible balls that I don’t think I could get if I watch it on the tape. I just like the excitement.”

THE COACH SAYS: “She just brings knowledge and sort of just a really good court awareness, where everybody just trusts her and they’re able to do their job because they know she’s going to do hers well,” Padua coach Lauren DiSabatino said of Judge.

THE DEFENSE: As the libero, Judge’s primary role is to dig the ball and save points when hitters on the other side go for the kill. “She’s our best defensive player,” DiSabatino said. “We want her to touch the majority of the balls that come across the net. We try to work our defense in putting her in the best place possible to get touches.”

THE PAIN: Libero isn’t the most glamorous position, and Judge has the bruises on her elbows and knees to prove it. “I’ve kind of gotten used to it,” she said. “But the next day, it usually comes out to be pretty sore.”

THE CONTROL: “She probably hits the floor more than she stands up,” DiSabatino said. “But she has this overall sense of body awareness, and she has body mechanics that put her, even when she’s diving on the ground, in the right position to make that ball bounce off her arm and get right to where it needs to be.”

Senior libero Madelyn Judge anchors the defense for the third-ranked Padua volleyball team.

THE CLASSROOM: Judge’s favorite subject is chemistry. “I like doing the labs and experimenting and kind of having the opportunity to mix up different things and see how they work,” she said.

THE FUTURE: Judge considered Elon and UNC-Wilmington, but recently verbally committed to play volleyball at the University of Delaware next season. “I’m really excited to be involved in a D-I arena,” she said. “I really just love everything about it, and I’m really excited to experience what it is to be a Blue Hen.”

Send Athlete of the Week nominations to Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ