Written by Aldean Starr, Staff Writer

The Valdosta State Lady Blazers basketball team needed to fill a significant scoring voide to have any chance at a title. It did just that and more by finding found a gem this past offseason in forward Madi Mitchell.

Mitchell is a 6’1” sophomore from Warwick, Georgia who transferred to VSU from Mercer University.

“(VSU) feels like home and its close and it’s the perfect fit,” Mitchell said. “When I came I knew it was the perfect fit immediately.”

Mitchell’s sister, Courtney, also played for Valdosta State, thus connecting her with Blazers head coach Kiley Hill.

This season, Mitchell is the Lady Blazers leading scorer with an average of 10.5 points per game in 27.9 minutes per contest. Those statistics show great improvements compared to her last season at Mercer where she averaged 2.7 points per game and 12.3 minutes in 30 games.

“I feel like here I can play in-and-out and that really helps,” Mitchell said. “We have really worked on my outside game this year and that opens it up for everyone.”

The Blazers are seventh in the Gulf South Conference with a 9-7(5-6) record. Mitchell believes the team will continue to ascend.

“As far as this season’s goal, I feel like we have a lot of young talent and potential, and I feel we can win the conference,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell’s theoryis beginning to materialize th\anks to the run the Lady Blazers have been on. The team is currently are on a three-game winning streak and owns victories over Alabama-Huntsville (9-6) and West Florida (10-5), two of the better units in the GSC.

Mitchell also wants to extend her thanks to all the fans and fellow Blazers for their support this season.