Archive: Toledo Rocket Success Stories

By Sara Steinman, University of Toledo Athletic Communications intern

TOLEDO Ohio - Soccer has been a big part of Madison Medalle's life for the past 15 years. Included in that decade and a half are the equivalent of three years she has spent recovering from a list of injuries that is lengthy, even by soccer standards.
 
Medalle, a junior forward on the University of Toledo women's soccer team, has suffered through not one, not two, not three, but four knee injuries in the past five years. Nevertheless, she has remained undaunted.
 
"There have been stretches of time within my recoveries when I contemplated hanging up the cleats for the sake of my long-term health, but the dream of playing D-I soccer was much bigger than myself," said Medalle, known as "Mojo" by her teammates and friends. "It is what the younger me worked so hard for. I always had this gut feeling that although the odds were stacked against me, I would find a way back to the field eventually." 
 
Medalle's string of bad luck started in her junior year of high school when she tore the ACL in her right knee. Fortunately, she recovered in time to play in her senior year and enrolled at Toledo confident in her future. She got off on the right foot in her college career, scoring two goals in her first six games. But then her bad luck struck again; she suffered an ACL tear to her left knee in September, ending her freshman season.

After months of off-season rehab, Medalle's misfortune continued when she re-injured her left knee that spring playing soccer on the beach. This time she was forced to miss the entire 2020-21 season (COVID year). By now, the injuries were taking a toll on her mental outlook.
 
"My third ACL tear was the hardest," said Medalle. "By the time I was cleared, I hadn't played soccer in almost two years."

 
Medalle returned to the lineup in the fall of 2021, appearing in 17 games and starting eight times. But the injury bug struck once again, as Medalle tore the meniscus in her left knee at her first practice last spring. Following yet another surgery and rehab, Medalle was able to return to the field this fall, registering three goals and three assists in 18 games.
 
Her teammates have drawn inspiration by her determination to come back from so many injuries.
 
"We absolutely missed her on the field but watching her continue to keep a positive outlook pushed everyone to work harder and stay positive as well," said senior midfielder Ashton Cassel. "I never once heard her complain. She always kept her head high and her spirits high." 
 
Medalle credits the support of her family to help her though the tough times. Her mother said the possibility of quitting soccer was not a topic for discussion.
 
"We never wanted her to stop playing. It is more like we always encouraged her to follow her heart," said Rebecca Medalle. "It has always been important for us to make sure she knew we loved and supported her in everything. We try to keep an open dialogue when she is struggling so we can talk through things. Environment is everything."  
 
Because of her many injuries, Medalle still has two more years of athletic eligibility at Toledo. She has taken advantage of the extra time in school from an academic standpoint. She will earn her bachelor's degree in psychology in the spring of 2023, and then enter grad school where she plans to get her master's degree in social work. Her career goal is to work as a therapist.
 
"I really enjoy my major so for me balancing soccer and school is easy," said Medalle, who made the Academic All-MAC team in 2021.
 
With any luck, Medalle's final two seasons with the Rockets will be injury-free. And if anyone deserves some good mojo, it is her.