By Molly Malick (BA 25)
After playing basketball in high school, Maddie Ryman knew she wanted to compete at the college level. The only question, then, was where?
Ryman sought to answer that question, searching for a college where she could honor Christ through her passions of basketball and business.
Having grown up in the Warsaw area, Ryman had prior knowledge of Grace. And after meeting with Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dan Davis, she realized it was a natural choice.
“Grace had the Christian atmosphere I wanted to be involved in,” said Ryman. “Dan Davis’ basketball culture is different from any other I’ve seen. He really fosters a community.”
Davis’ authenticity made Ryman feel valued as a potential member of Grace’s team and an integral part of its community, which pushed her to officially sign with Grace College.
In 2019, Ryman enrolled at Grace as a business education major. That same fall, she began playing basketball. After four years of studying business education, Ryman felt God was leading her to pursue a career in digital marketing instead. Ryman stayed a fifth year to play basketball and earn her MBA.
Her basketball career included achieving the second most assists in a single season in the program’s history. She was also a vital player during the Lancers’ first-ever NCCAA Tournament win, scoring 20 points, she is also the all-time leading scorer with 2,306 points. Ryman also beat her mother out of the previous leading all time career assists record, among many other athletic accomplishments.
Although Ryman’s basketball career is impressive, what impacted Ryman the most was the Christ-centered values of the team.
“We’re all sisters in Christ,” said Ryman. “At Grace, nobody is trying to compete with one another or prove that they’re better than anyone. I’ve had great environments in every team I’ve played for, but with Grace, it’s more genuine and real. You can just tell that Christ is the center of our team.”
Ryman’s teammates have supported her through the highs and lows, such as when her grandfather was diagnosed with dementia during her senior year and she began helping care for him.