Madison Coughlin of Massachusetts Maritime has been named the MASCAC nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award. The nominee that is put forward to the NCAA is selected by the eight athletic directors from around the conference.

Coughlin was a four-year member of the volleyball team from 2017-2020. She played in 69 matches, 229 sets, recording 151 kills, 373 assists and 104 service aces. Defensively, she tallied 385 digs and 21 combined blocks. She scored 269 points in her career with the Bucs.

A two-year member of the softball team (unable to compete in one season due to fire academy obligations) and 2021 captain, Coughlin tallied a .278 career batting average with 25 hits, including two triples, in 90 at-bats. She scored 13 runs in her career, drove in eight runs, and posted a .363 OBP. A great leader on and off the softball field, Coughlin helped this program overcome adversity over the past three years.

On the academic side, she finished with a 3.668 GPA and graduated with her degree in Emergency Management and Homeland Security. She was a five-time Mass. Maritime President's List Recipient (3.6+ Semester GPA), a Dean's List Recipient (3.3 - 3.59+ Semester GPA) and named to the MASCAC All-Academic Team every semester of her collegiate career.

Coughlin has been a four-year SAAC member participating in our food and toy drives annually. In fall of 2020 she was a driving force alongside administration in executing a Food for Veterans and Community members event. She also has a campus job tutoring in our Academic Resource Center in various subjects which she has participated in in both her junior and senior years.

She held the position of Regimental Executive Officer, the second highest ranking cadet in the regiment of cadets. In addition to her duties as the executive officer she is also a Call Fire-Fighter, Dispatcher, Emergency Vehicle Operator and certified first responder for Onset Fire Department where she attends bi-weekly department training and drill. As a firefighter, Coughlin also is the Battalion Commander of Mass. Maritime's cadet fire program completing at least 12 hours of volunteer work a week for the department.

During the winter of 2020 Coughlin completed an internship with United States Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England experiencing various aspects of the multi-mission service and working with the Emergency Management force Readiness Division. During her time she was exposed to Aviation, deployable special forces and Aids to Navigation units in the sector.

During the COVID-19 pandemic while also completing her courses online, Coughlin worked over 1000 hours as one of the leads for Onset Fire Department's Incident Action Plan.

After graduating in June, Coughlin will attend Officer Candidate School (OCS) for the U.S. Coast Guard and be commissioned as an Ensign.

Established in 1991, the NCAA Woman of the Year award is rooted in Title IX and recognizes graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their NCAA eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

The nominees competed in 24 sports across all three NCAA divisions, including 251 nominees from Division I, 107 from Division II and 177 from Division III. Multisport student-athletes account for 141 of the nominees.