Madison Schauf signs with Iowa Lakes

An integral part of the Sigourney Savages softball success the past three years will be taking her talents up north. On November 13, Madison Schauf signed an official letter of intent to continue her softball career at Iowa Lakes Community College, located near the Iowa/Minnesota border. Her coach, fellow teammates and her family all came together for the special moment as she made her choice official.

"I knew as soon as I met Katie Larson, the Iowa Lakes coach, that is where I saw myself being the next two years," Schauf said. "It feels good to know that all the hard work I have put in has paid off. I've always wanted to play softball in college, so making it to the next level is a dream come true."

Schauf was thrust into a large role in her first full season playing for the Savages, being only one of five girls to start every game. She learned quickly throughout the season and made contributions along the way with 22 runs, 34 hits, 29 runs batted in and averaged .309 at the plate. Schauf followed that up with her breakout season the following year.

In 2016, the Savages roster took a hit along with their record. While Sigourney was looking to rebuild its lost pieces, Schauf stepped up and became a leader in the batters box. While she ended up playing in 10 less games, many of her numbers were on the rise. She led the team with 30 runs batted in, 29 runs and 12 doubles. She also increased her efficiency at the plate, finishing with nine more hits than the previous season and raising her batting average to a personal best .483.

In her most recent season, she helped the Savages achieve a 22-12 season, the best record during her time playing for Sigourney. Schauf finished her season with 44 hits, 37 runs batted in and four home runs, all personal bests. While her batting average dropped down to .415, she remained efficient when try to bring her teammates in to score. The success that she and the rest of the team generated, earned the Savages a trip to the State softball tournament, somewhere the school hadn't been in a number of years.

"My big focus right now is making it back up to Fort Dodge with my high school team," Schauf said. "We want to finish what we started last year."

Schauf will graduate from Sigourney High School in 2018, before moving nearly 300 miles northwest to continue playing the sport she loves most.

"I plan on getting a two-year degree and being a big impact to the Iowa Lakes softball program," Schauf said. "After that I plan on transferring to a four-year school to continue my education and softball career."