Leah Madore

Ask anyone who’s spent any time around the diamond, and they’ll tell you that softball is a sport that requires a strong mind. Pitching is probably the most mentally challenging part of the game. Leah Madore agrees. “Pitching is a very mental position,” she said. “You have to maintain composure through some tough moments and when things don’t go your way. You’re also in the middle of the field. So everybody, especially your team, is kind of watching you and relying on you.”

It may not come as a surprise then that Madore, an accomplished pitcher for Russell Sage, is also a strong psychology student. Madore was given the Phyllis Van Fleet Award for excellence in Psychology while holding a 3.9 GPA. High academics are never easy to achieve when playing a sport at the college level. “I’ve learned to prioritize things that come first over others,” Madore said. “Balancing exams with work and fun while also making time for softball and extracurriculars, I had to know what comes first and when.”

Madore said the Russell Sage Women’s Institute is what initially drew her to choose to attend the college. The program works with female students at RSC to develop leadership skills through a feminist lens. “We do a lot of volunteering and we welcome guest speakers to talk about some really cool topics,” Madore said. One of those volunteer projects was a bra drive in partnership with “I Support the Girls,” an organization that helps women experiencing poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, and other hardships.

Madore also volunteered with Every Campus a Refuge, a program that pairs college students with local refugees. As a part of this program, Madore was a welcoming presence for a family of seven from Afghanistan. “Leah went to the airport after midnight on a Friday to meet and greet a refugee family,” said Russell Sage athletic director Jim Lyons. “She brought them snacks, water and a much-needed car seat. She wanted to make sure that their first experience in our country was a positive one.” “She helped socialize the three young boys—under the age of twelve—by including them in local community events, assisting in teaching English, and providing overall childcare,” added RSC Softball Head Coach Stephanie Reinhardt. “Through these efforts, Leah not only supported the family’s integration into the community but also gained valuable insight into cultural awareness and compassion.”

In addition to these volunteer projects, Madore also was an Academic Peer tutor for two years and was selected to be the President of the Psychology Club on campus. “It’s hard to imagine someone being able to excel in athletics when you see the time Leah spends during the week on her academics and her community outreach efforts,” said Lyons. “Leah has done just that during her three seasons as a Gator Softball Pitcher.”

Madore managed her time well. On top of her academic honors, she pitched her way to the top of the Russell Sage record book. She graduated as the career leader in strikeouts and top three in appearances, wins, complete games, and innings pitched. She did all this in just three years at RSC, one less than most student athletes. Of course, no one on the softball field can do it alone. “Having support from my team has been really important,” Madore said, “And having a strong mental game is really important as well.”

In the summer of 2024, Madore was given the Nancy Parker Neumann Travel Award to support her desire to travel to a different place and work on a social justice issue. She chose to travel to Spartanburg, South Carolina to work at the Spartanburg Area Mental Health Center. “I focused on doing an internship in Spartanburg so I could get to a different part of the country,” Madore said. “I wanted to experience a different type of American culture.”

Madore will experience an entirely different part of the country this fall as well as she plans to attend the University of Denver as a part of their clinical mental health counseling master’s program. She’ll look to graduate from Denver as a licensed mental health counselor.

As she looks ahead to her next experience in the Rocky Mountains, Madore can’t help but be grateful for her time at Russell Sage. “I’m thankful to the athletic director, Jim Lyons, and the coaching staff for their support of my academic endeavors alongside my athletic career. Their support allowed me to succeed at Russell Sage.”