By: Joey Mullins
Samford Assistant AD for Communications
 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Anyone who has attended Samford University can tell you how challenging the school can be academically. Samford is one of the top academic institutions in the South and it continuously challenges its students in every way. 
 
Imagine having to handle the tough academic load that Samford puts on its students and add the demands of being a Division I student-athlete. Samford's 360-plus student-athletes work tirelessly on the field, in the classroom and in the community. One of the best examples of a true student-athlete at Samford is Madison Couch, a senior infielder on the Bulldog softball team.
 
Couch, a native of Locust Grove, Georgia, is a nutrition and dietetics major. She has consistently performed well athletically and academically. She is a three-time member of the Southern Conference's Academic Honor Roll, and a two-time Academic All-Conference selection. She was named first team All-SoCon and All-SoCon Tournament in 2017, and she was a preseason All-SoCon selection this season.
 
In addition to her academic and athletic achievements, Couch was a member of Samford's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) for three and a half years. She says balancing her time between all of her activities for the last four years has not been easy.
 
"I really wish I could have planned my schedule better," Couch said. "I don't think I've taken less than 17 hours each semester. There are only seven girls who are graduating in my class with me this year, and it's been really challenging because they are able to devote a lot more time to the major."
 
Couch said early on it was hard for her professors to understand all of the demands a student-athlete faces. She said, however, as time went on, they understood better what she was going through and have been very helpful. She said the support of the faculty, her teammates, family and coaches have helped her get through a tough senior year.
 
"All of my professors have been really good about letting me pursue my passion for both dietetics and softball, because it hasn't been easy," Couch said. "My mom, my sister and even Lacey (Spear) have read over a few of my papers this semester. They've been really helpful, and Coach Mandy (Burford-Johnson) has been able to let me cut back on softball when I need to."
 
Last fall, Couch had to do an internship for her major, which she did working with the dieticians for the UAB football team. Her days during the fall would begin with waking up at 5:30 a.m. to get to a 6 a.m. weight session, followed by classes all day. When the team did not practice or play a fall game, she would serve four hours at her internship, and the days she did have a game or practice, she would work for two hours. She would get back home from UAB at around 8 p.m. and then study until at least midnight.
 
Her spring schedule is just as hectic, with classes from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by either practice or a game, and then studying late into the night again.
 
Couch has earned many accolades during her time at Samford, but two of her most cherished accomplishments came recently. Earlier this year, she was accepted into graduate school at Samford. Additionally, on April 29 at Samford's annual SAMSPY Awards, Couch earned the top award for a female student-athlete when she was named this year's Miss Bulldog.
 
Couch said what made her acceptance into graduate school so special was the support she received from family and friends.
 
"It was during Jan Term, everybody knew I was stressed about it," Couch said. "Every single teammate, coach, friend of the family, texted me about it and it kind of just summed up all of the relationships I've made over the last four years in that day."
 
She said winning Miss Bulldog was something she never thought she would be able to achieve.
 
"When I was up there (accepting the award), I just remember having tunnel vision looking at my name on the award," Couch said. "I was thinking back as a freshman about thinking how awesome it was for them to receive that award. About how it would be a really cool accomplishment but there are so many amazing people here, there was no shot. Then, I just thought about how four years have really gone by and I couldn't have done it without everybody at Samford and my family. So, it was just really neat."
 
Couch began playing softball at a very young age. She said her mother always played the game, so that motivated her to play as well.
 
"My mom played slow pitch, and I think she was pregnant with me when she stopped," Couch said. "She just always played, and so I started playing when I was three, playing tee ball and progressed to fast pitch when I was about eight. Then I started playing travel ball when I was ten. I did slow pitch with my mom when I was 14, so definitely my mom was a huge influence, along with my grandparents, who have always been at every single game."
 
Couch went on to star at Locust Grove High School. She had a stellar career, earning team Player of the Year honors in 2013 and 2014. She was also named first team All-Region those same two seasons.
 
When it came time to choose where to attend college, Couch had offers from several schools. She said her choice came down to Samford or Southern Mississippi. She said she just loved the atmosphere at Samford.
 
"I definitely loved the campus, and then we had just gotten the new facility here, the locker room was beautiful and the field was beautiful," Couch said. "Also, Coach Mandy was one of the most involved head coaches I talked to during the recruiting process. Coach Mandy was the most involved with not just softball, but family life too, so that was huge."
 
Couch came to Samford in the fall of 2015. During her freshman season in the spring of 2016, she saw action in 39 games, mostly as a backup, but she did earn eight starts. That season the team won its first Southern Conference regular season and tournament titles.
 
The following year, Couch stepped into a more expanded role, starting all 61 games at various positions. She hit .308 and earned first team All-SoCon honors, and she was named to the All-SoCon Tournament team after Samford reached the finals of the event for the second-straight season. Couch said the biggest difference from her freshman to sophomore seasons was just getting comfortable playing again.
 
"Freshman year is always new and scary, and I've never played well thinking about how others perceive me, which that is what freshman year is pretty much," Couch said. "So, I never played relaxed, but I developed really good relationships, and once we won the SoCon Tournament, I was more relaxed and I was able to just play how I've always played. I had a really good connection with the seniors when I was a sophomore. They just made it more relaxing and I didn't have to push as much."
 
As a senior, Couch was named preseason All-SoCon, and she has lived up to those preseason expectations. Entering this week's SoCon Tournament, Couch is leading the team with a .311 batting average. She ranks second on the team with 46 hits, and she also has six doubles, six home runs and 25 RBI. Additionally, her defensive play at first base has been a big lift for the team this season as well.
 
Samford enters the Southern Conference Tournament, which begins Wednesday, as the No. 2 seed. The Bulldogs open play in the tournament by taking on the No. 7 seed Western Carolina Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. (CT)/12:30 p.m. (ET) in Chattanooga. Couch said after winning the tournament her freshman season, she would love to close her career with another tournament championship.
 
"I think the coaches have really prepared us well for whatever team we end up facing," Couch said. "But it would be huge to win freshman year and then again senior year."
 
To follow Couch and the Bulldogs throughout this week's Southern Conference Tournament, click on the following link: SOCON TOURNAMENT CENTRAL.