‘That was so special’: Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist fulfills childhood dream with homecoming game at Marist

With six local players on its roster, the Villanova women’s basketball team often has team dinners hosted by one of the families. On Sunday, it was senior Maddy Siegrist’s turn to host in her hometown of Poughkeepsie, New York as the team prepared for its season opener at Marist on Monday night.

“That was so special,” Siegrist said. “My parents were so happy to have everyone over for dinner. I was so excited, and so glad it worked out that way.”

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Sunday dinner was just the beginning of a special 24 hours for the Villanova star and her loved ones. According to Villanova Athletics, Siegrist had more than 200 fans in attendance to watch her lead the Wildcats to a 60-38 win.

“All six of my grandparents were there, which was really special,” Siegrist said. “A lot of my high school teammates also came, which was cool, they kind of surprised me. And then almost every coach, my CYO coach, intramural coach, high school coach.”

The impressive turnout for Siegrist created a unique atmosphere that most teams wouldn’t see at an away game.

“It definitely didn’t feel like a true road game,” Siegrist said. “I mean they had a lot of fans there for them as well, but it was still crazy”

Surrounded by family and friends, Siegrist, who attended nearby Our Lady of Lourdes High School, got to live out her childhood dream of playing at Marist. With two Marist alumni for parents, Siegrist grew up attending Red Foxes games, and McCann Arena holds some special memories.

“I dreamed of playing there my whole life,” Siegrist said. “It was a little bit different, the way things worked out [playing against Marist] ... But to be able to finally play there in a college game was so special. I almost felt like my sixth-grade self for a second.”

Siegrist’s father, George, played basketball at Marist from 1987-91, and after graduating, he served as an assistant coach for the next 13 years.

Siegrist gained much of her basketball knowledge from her father, but her time spent around the women’s program, both the players and head coach Brian Giorgis, has shaped the player and person she is today.

“I remember how nice the players were after the games to all the kids, all the fans,” Siegrist said. “As my career went on, in high school and then college, I always thought about that. I wanted to do that for somebody else. I wanted to inspire the way those guys inspired me.

“Coach Giorgis gave a lot of clinics at the CYO at St. Martin’s that I grew up playing for. I still remember he said ‘God is first. Your family is second. Third is school. And then, if you’re really lucky, basketball can be fourth.’ That’s something I’ve always carried with me. I must have been nine or 10, and that really stuck with me.”

Siegrist didn’t disappoint in her homecoming to Poughkeepsie on Monday night. The forward finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, but the final stats did not come without some initial struggle. It was a slow start for the Wildcats, and for Siegrist individually, and nerves were to blame.

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“I tried to not get too high, not get too low, but I was a little bit nervous,” Siegrist said. “As much as that was so special, I’m glad it’s over. It’s like a sense of relief, just move on and keep playing more games.”

With Monday’s game out of the way, Siegrist and the Wildcats can move on with the rest of their season, starting with a tough matchup at No. 24 Princeton on Friday. With a potentially record-breaking season on the horizon for the reigning Big East Player of the Year, Siegrist is focused on the task at hand.

“I want to do the best I can for my teammates,” Siegrist said. “I want to go as far as we can. I think this year’s gonna be really special, and I’m excited to be part of it.”