From Maryland to Syracuse, Madison Knight brings two-way talent

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When Madison Knight was named the 2021 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year, her coach, Jeff Horton, was elated. 

“I had legitimate tears at that point, when I got that call in the morning,” said Horton, Patterson Mill’s varsity softball head coach. “I can’t express how proud I am to have been a part of her success.” 

A powerful hitter, an ace pitcher and a rocket-armed fielder — Knight can do it all, Horton said, adding that “she’s definitely a once-in-a-generation player.”

Knight — the former No. 1 recruit in Maryland, per MaxPreps — is a two-way player that headlines the 10-woman deep 2022 recruiting class for Syracuse. While playing both sides of the ball is somewhat common in college softball, Knight has had elite production at the plate and on the mound. In that 2021 season, Knight hit .597 at the plate, hammered 12 home runs and totaled a 0.58 earned run average, leading the team in all three. She won Gatorade Player of the Year again in 2022.

In the beginning of Knight’s career, her father, Jason Knight, thought it was “cute” that his daughter played two ways. He pitched college baseball at Clarion University, and Knight wanted to be just like him. 

Jason was unaware of the drastic differences between pitching a baseball and softball, but he noticed his daughter picked up on the concepts of pitching quite easily in her youth. 

“She found a passion for (pitching),” Jason said. “Once she got the passion for it, I really didn’t want to stop (helping her).” 

As Knight showed she was a force in the circle and in the batter’s box, Jason made sure Knight continued developing as a utility player and succeeding on both sides of the ball. When he thought of Knight potentially pursuing collegiate softball, he wanted her to be a “multi-facet” player, he said. 

“When college coaches were looking at her, I wanted them to say ‘oh, I’m getting two players in one, three players in one,’” Jason said. 

During the recruiting process, some colleges wanted Knight to just stick to one position, including a few Big Ten programs. The skeptics said she needed to be a top-three hitter to bat and pitch. One program even wanted Knight to play middle infield, Jason said. 

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Syracuse, however, wanted Knight to continue as a two-way player. 

Jason said that, because there aren’t many professional opportunities after college, his daughter wants to see the field as much as possible. 

“Syracuse was one of the schools that said ‘we want you in the building for your athleticism, and what you can provide to the team,’” Jason said. 

For Knight, trying to help establish a prominent softball team is exactly what she did at Patterson Mill. Syracuse has failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament every year since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014. 

Knight made her impression on the Patterson Mill coaching staff well before she arrived in high school. Through middle school outreach programs that the school held, Knight stood out among the eighth graders. She peaked Horton’s interest, who said that Knight was at a “higher level” and was going to be a “difference maker.” 

In 2017, the Huskies finished 10th in the Upper Chesapeake Bay region with an 8-10 record. The next year, they improved and won 15 games, but were missing the player to get them over the hump. Once Knight arrived in 2019, they went 16-4, finishing third in the region. Knight led the team in batting average (.485), was second in fielding percentage and posted an ERA under 2.00 in her freshman year. 

Her sophomore season was canceled because of COVID-19, but in 2021, Patterson Mill also won the state championship, earning Knight the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year award. 

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Patterson Mill completed an undefeated 2021 campaign, finishing a perfect 22-0. In the state championship game against Allegany, Knight started in the circle for the Huskies and tossed a complete game, only allowing one run and striking out 14 batters. At the plate, she went 2-for-2, adding an RBI as Patterson Mill won the title game 4-1.

“That (season) was absolutely awesome,” Knight said. “It was awesome to win it with people that I’ve been with almost my entire softball career.” 

Horton says that Knight is a “general” on the field. Whether she’s pitching or playing shortstop, she will be vocal, telling everyone what they should be thinking in certain situations. 

“The other kids look up to her,” Horton said. “I believe she’s gonna get kids to buy in. There’s a lot of kids that have a lot more seniority. But it’ll take her some time, and she’ll start winning that respect.”

Syracuse has leaned on Knight early in the season. No freshman has gotten more opportunities, as she leads the team in both innings pitched (29.0) and ERA (3.62). 

Likewise, she’s been one of the top hitters on the team, ranking second in RBIs. She is also one of six SU players to have hit a home run this season. The numbers are not as eye-popping as her high school stats, but Knight is looking to improve each week. 

“I just want to beat what I’ve done last,” Knight said. “Like from last weekend, I want to beat it next weekend.”