Liberty Softball Player Kaylen “KK” Madrey Talks About Her Softball Journey

Hailing from the town of Newnan, Georgia, Kaylen “KK” Madrey has become a key player for the Liberty University Softball team in recent seasons. Now in her senior season, the speedy outfielder and dominant hitter has made a name for herself in the Liberty Softball record books.  

Madrey comes from a family with a myriad of athletic involvement, and her parents helped to instill her passion for sports from a young age, allowing her to try basketball, soccer and track. 

“My dad, he’s big into sports, … so they (her parents) just had me in everything,” Madrey said. “I feel like it allowed me to be versatile and also be more and more competitive because you’re just kind of in that situation all the time.”   

While softball was not one of the sports she initially tried, a local softball complex located near her mom’s work eventually led to Madrey trying out the sport.  

“I guess they were just kind of like, ‘Oh, we might as well put you in something else and try it out,’” Madrey said. 

Her speed quickly became her biggest asset on the field, sparking something in Madrey.   

She continued to participate in multiple sports throughout high school, but her love for softball grew while playing club softball for the Birmingham Thunderbolts and Georgia Impact.  

Madrey began her collegiate career at Louisiana State University, where she was primarily used as a pinch runner. Seeking more opportunities to play and grow in her faith, she transferred to Liberty where she quickly found a home.  

When reflecting on what initially drew her to Liberty, Madrey spoke of Head Coach Dot Richardson’s influence.  

“You don’t find too many coaches like her who are super outgoing and bubbly all the time,” Madrey said. “She’s very consistent in always being upbeat and high-spirited, which I think that comes from her belief in the Lord.”  

Additionally, the friendly environment and strong Christian foundation of Liberty played a role in her decision to transfer.  

“I feel like that played a major part,” Madrey said. “I also got to meet some of the players on the team. … I felt like it was something different.”  

The impact of Richardson’s legacy as a player and coach in the softball community has not gone unnoticed by Madrey, who takes pride in playing for her.  

“It’s definitely pretty cool,” Madrey said. “I knew of her (Richardson), … but now that I’m here and see all of her golden gloves and medals and all that stuff, it’s like, ‘Oh wow, you don’t get to play under somebody like that.’”  

When reflecting on her time at Liberty, Madrey spoke of how the collective success and growth of the team, as well as attending regionals every year, have been highlights of her collegiate career.  

“It’s just cool to see how much better we get every single time, and I obviously want to make it to supers, but I just love how we’re getting closer and closer every year, beating a lot more bigger teams,” Madrey said. 

In addition to her team accomplishments, Madrey has established herself as a standout player for the Lady Flames. While not only having numerous SportsCenter highlights in the outfield, Madrey is also just four stolen bases away from tying the Liberty program record of 41.  

“(Breaking the record) would mean everything in the world,” Madrey said. “Like that’s always been my thing, like me being speedy. So, I mean, the fact that I’m just now doing it. I wanted to break it when I first got to Liberty, but you know, things happen.”  

Madrey’s ability to steal bases has made her a force in Conference USA (CUSA). According to Liberty Athletics, she ranked fourth in the CUSA for stolen bases overall in 2024. She also closed off her 2023 season leading her team and ranking second in the ASUN conference. Currently, she leads CUSA with 35 stolen bases and holds third place in Liberty Softball program history with 78 stolen bases.  

A shift in her mindset has helped fuel her standout season this year. Madrey said she has stopped second-guessing her abilities and stepped into this season with a newfound confidence.  

“I’m like, I can do a lot of things that maybe other people can’t do or I can do all the things that everyone else is doing,” Madrey said. “So why not just go ahead and go out there and play like I have nothing to lose, cause this is it. This is the last year for it.” 

She also credits her relationship with her parents, Samuel and Denise Madrey, as key factors to her success and a source of inspiration. With backgrounds in softball and basketball, her parents often offer advice along with support.  

“I feel like they always have my back,” Madrey said. “They’ve known me longer than my coaches have, so my dad might see something in my swing and say, ‘You’re doing the same thing you did when you were five.’ And it does help.”  

Off the field, Madrey enjoys a bunch of hobbies and spending quality time with friends to help her unwind. 

“I love to bowl,” Madrey said. “My mom, she loves bowling, but my grandma bowls every week, and she’s way older, so that’s always been a thing in our family.”  

Madrey also enjoys singing and dancing, which you can often catch her doing on the field.

Madrey believes the teamwork skills and discipline she has learned from softball will help her transition into her professional career.  

“Some people don’t think about that until they’ve already graduated,” Madrey said. “But putting that you were an athlete on an application — I feel like that’ll probably help you in the long run.”  

Aside from softball at Liberty, Madrey is pursuing a public health degree with a pre-clinical concentration and plans to attend either radiology technician school or physician assistant school.  

Pais is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion.