Simpson signs with Hannibal-LaGrange

By Andy Brown
- Tweet
- Pin It
Updated: March 2, 2017

Photo courtesy of Shay Whiting / Louisburg High School

Louisburg senior Madisen Simpson signed her letter of intent Friday to play basketball for Hannibal-LaGrange University. Sitting next to Madisen are her parents Joan and Darrin Simpson. Standing is Hannibal-LaGrange coach Kelly Quigle.

Ever since she can remember, Madisen Simpson has loved to play basketball and she isn’t about to stop playing any time soon.

Simpson achieved her dream to play college basketball Friday when she signed her letter of intent to play for Hannibal-LaGrange University in front of family and friends at Louisburg High School.

“I have been wanting to play college basketball since I started in first grade,” Simpson said. “It is also just a weight lifted off my shoulders. Being my senior year, there are a bunch of things that you have to get through. But signing and knowing that I have a place that I am going to continue my basketball career is great and now I can focus on other things.”

Some of those other things is her high school season as she, and the rest of the Lady Cats, are gearing up for the postseason later this week. Simpson is the team’s leading scorer from the guard spot as Louisburg has racked up 10 wins this season after coming off a 3-win campaign last year.

It is her scoring ability that attracted Hannibal-LaGrange after Trojan coach Kelly Quigle watched her during the season and in an NAIA showcase.

Senior guard Madisen Simpson leads Louisburg in scoring this season and is excited for her next step to Hannibal-LaGrange.

“We are very excited that Madisen will be joining our team,” Quigle said in a release. “She can play multiple positions and will be a threat from the outside.”

Simpson had several options when it came down to it. Ottawa University, Graceland and Kansas Wesleyan all recruited the Louisburg senior, but she felt more at home in Hannibal.

“I was going for the smaller campus and this one was small, but it is also a really nice campus,” she said. “We went to go watch a game and they just played as a team. It really was an easy decision, but they made it a lot easier to choose from.”

She is all also looking forward to play for her new coach, Quigle.

“(Quigle) is pretty relaxed and she just comes up and easily starts a conversation,” Simpson said. “I don’t feel too intimidated by her yet, and that could change, but she is pretty relaxed. When she talked about me coming to Hannibal she seemed super excited and that is kind of what won me over. No other coach seemed that excited about me coming to play and she changed my mind toward that.”

Playing time also intrigued Simpson as Quigle told her she has a chance to play early in her career.

“They are losing a senior point guard and a wing,” Simpson said. “She said they have a sophomore that could fill in one of those spots, so she said I could fit into that point guard spot. She sees me pushing the ball up the floor so hopefully I can work hard and do what I can.”

Simpson’s current coach knows she will be able to succeed at the next level and is excited to see what she can do.

“We’re all very proud and happy for Madisen,” Louisburg coach Shawn Lowry said. “She has worked very hard to get to this point to play basketball at the collegiate level. I have no doubt that Madisen will continue to have a great work ethic, be a great teammate and will emerge as a leader for their program.”