URI’s women’s basketball player, Madison Hattix-Covington speaking with coach Tammi Reiss on the sidelines. PHOTO CREDIT: Connor Zisk | Staff Photographer
After a historic four year career at Virginia Commonwealth University, Madison Hattix-Covington has found a new home in Kingston.
As the 2020-21 Atlantic-10 Champion and the first VCU Ram to win the 2019-20 Atlantic-10 Sixth Woman of the Year, Madison Hattix-Covington’s resumé at VCU was impressive.
However, The reason behind her decision to come to Kingston was not a blind one, rather it was a calculated decision that was driven by the culture Tammi Reiss’ staff in building their player through development, according to Covington.
“My freshman year I think [Rhode Island] was [at the] bottom of the A10, and they really improved throughout the years,” Hattix-Covington said. “Last year I think they got second overall in the A-10, so just seeing development, I knew I really wanted to develop into a different type of player”
Developing is the exact thing that Hattix-Covington has done this year, averaging 10.7 points per game, compared to her 6.8 PPG last season. In her biggest year yet, Hattix-Covington believes that her jump has both something to do with her different role in the offense.
“Last year at VCU I played more as a [power forward], this year coming in I knew they were going to make me a [small forward], during the summer we really worked on transitioning me into more of a guard,”Hattix-Covington said.
Hattix-Covington’s development also came from her maturation as a player, as she believes that she continues to grow as a player.
“Coach Reiss, and all the coaches, they wanted me to attack more. That was a big thing, I was very passive when I came in. I think just as I’ve grown in my fifth year playing I relax more and I let the game come to me, and I think it is showing a bit more this season,” Hattix-Covington said.
A team like Rhode Island who lost so much experience this past offseason, losing four out of their five starters from last season, needed a veteran in the locker room. That is the role that Hattix-Covington filled in this Rams roster, going beyond positions and statistics, she became a leader. Associate Head Coach Adeniyi Amadou discussed Hattix-Covington’s new responsibility.
“This is a young lady that had four years of experience in college, so she brings a tremendous wealth of experience,” Amadou said. “She’s won championships, she’s been on winning teams, she’s been in the winning environment. Given the circumstances of our team and the fact that we were bringing back a young core, her leadership we felt was going to be invaluable.”
With only half of a season left in her graduate year, Amadou preaches that what Hattix-Covington needs to do is what she has been doing all year, be consistent.
“I think when you talk about a young team, that’s what you talk about, is the ups and downs, sometimes the lack of consistency,” Amadou said. “It is extremely hard to be consistent at this level, day in and day out, and that’s a skillset that she has acquired. No matter what is going on in her life, academically or in her personal life, when she shows up on the court. She’s reliable.”
Madison looks down the barrel of February and is optimistic, seeing a bright future for the Rams and herself going into college basketball’s favorite month, March.
“I want to continue to grow in my role and just continue to do whatever it takes,” Hattix-Covington said. “Obviously [we want to] win another A-10 championship, thats a big goal, and then go to the NCAA tournament”
With all of the pieces of the puzzle at her disposal, Madison Hattix-Covington and the Rams are looking forward to a successful end of February and an even more successful March.