Minneapolis, MN – North Central University (NCU) Athletics is thrilled to announce Madi Hecox as its next Head Softball Coach. Hecox remains at the helm permanently after stepping in as the Interim Head Coach midway through the 2025 season. She will continue to serve as the lead Women's Basketball Assistant Coach in addition to her new head coaching role. Madi officially began her new position on June 1st, 2025. 

Coach Hecox took over as the Interim Head Coach for the Rams back in April. She helped lead the team to a pair of road wins over Martin Luther, securing the program's first Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) series win since 2013. 

Most recently, Hecox was the head softball coach at Rockford East High School in Rockford, IL in the spring of 2024. From 2023-24, Madi worked as an Assistant Director at Highland Park Church Sport Ministry, where she oversaw the scheduling and communication of the athletic teams. She also served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Warner University Women's Basketball team in Lake Wales, FL. In 2022-23, Hecox served as a Graduate Intern of Intramural and Recreation at Crown College while also competing as a dual-sport athlete on the Polars' softball and women's basketball teams. 

Hecox began her collegiate athletics career at Rock Valley College (NJCAA Division III) in 2017. Here she competed as a dual-sport athlete in softball and basketball. On the diamond, Hecox was a member of the dominant RVC softball program that won back-to-back NJCAA DIII National Championships and had a combined 109-22 overall record from 2018-19. On the court, Madi was a 2x First Team All-Conference (N4C) honoree, 2x N4C Player of the Year, and 2x First Team All-Region. She was also a 2x Region IV Player of the Year and the 2019 Region IV Tournament MVP. Madi was named NJCAA DIII First Team All-American in 2017-18 and 2018-19. She surpassed 1,000 career points and is also a 2x Ring of Honor Jersey Hall of Fame nominee.

From 2019-22, Madi attended Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL where she also played softball and basketball for the Fire. She earned Academic All-SUN for softball and basketball in 2022 and was named Second Team All-Conference in 2020-21 for basketball.

She wrapped up her collegiate career at Crown College in 2022. On the diamond, she earned 2023 UMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention and set the Crown Softball school record in stolen bases (23) and hit-by-pitches (7). On the court, she was named 2022-23 UMAC First Team All-Conference, 2022-23 NCCAA First Team All-Region, and UMAC Player of the Week three times.

Hecox received her Associate of Arts from Rock Valley College in May of 2019 before going on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management: Coaching from Southeastern University in April of 2020. She then received a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Crown College in October of 2023.

Madi is originally from Rockford, Illinois, and comes from a big family of 5 siblings. When she transferred to Southeastern in 2019, an electrocardiogram revealed that she had Wolff Parkinson White and required cardiac ablation surgery to continue playing sports. Hecox then decided to work for the non-profit called "WhoWePlayFor" conducting electrocardiogram screenings that she states "quite literally saved her life." Madi currently resides in the twin cities and looks forward to continue impacting student-athletes' lives at NCU!

"I am extremely humbled and grateful for this opportunity," said Hecox. She continued stating, "I want to sincerely thank everyone who played a role in making this possible - your belief and support mean more than words can express. This opportunity is about more than the game; it's about building a Christ-centered foundation where our athletes grow in faith, compete with purpose, and develop as leaders and women of character. I am excited to invest in the hearts, minds, and futures of these young women and create a program built on excellence, relationships, and relentless love for the game. I'm grateful to be part of what God is doing here at North Central!"

Director of Athletics, George Arroyo Jr. had this to say about Coach Hecox: "Madi has demonstrated a Christ-centered approach to leadership that aligns with our mission at North Central. She stepped into a challenging situation mid-season and provided stability while leading with energy and strength. Her heart for discipleship and her ability to connect with student-athletes make her an incredible asset to our department. Her impact has already been significant, and I'm excited to see that influence continue to grow in both the softball and basketball programs."

Welcome and congratulations, Madi!