BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Maddie Nolan craved a change of scenery. The mountains proved to be a persuasive motivator.
So, too, was a potent all-the-ingredients-assembled Colorado team that could use her long-range touch to take another step.
That's how, after four years at Michigan where she blossomed into one of the program's top 3-point shooters, Nolan wound up in Boulder. She simply wanted to step out of her comfort zone and take in a different view.
Nolan has quickly settled in and helped elevate the eighth-ranked Buffaloes (20-4, 10-3 Pac-12) to heights they haven't reached in decades, with their eyes focused on the program's first Final Four appearance and beyond.
“Why not step outside of your comfort zone, try to grow and and just see something new and be a part of something that maybe you haven’t been a part of before,” explained Nolan, whose team plays at No. 22 Utah on Friday. “It’s personal growth, but also just trying to see something new.”
Nolan’s smooth outside jumper has been a welcome addition to the Buffaloes’ backcourt. Same with her basketball smarts.
For that advanced hoops IQ, she can give an assist to her mom, Kris, a standout forward at New Mexico State who left as the school’s all-time leading scorer (now in fourth place). Maddie Nolan's parents coached her from the time she could dribble until middle school as she grew up in Zionsville, Indiana.
They also nurtured her love of the game by taking her to Indiana and Purdue women's basketball contests. In addition, she watched the Indiana Fever, where her favorite player, Tamika Catchings, led the Fever to an WNBA title in 2012.
Nolan’s tough as they come, too, playing on a left knee that’s missing a chunk of cartilage, which causes the bones to pound against each other. It's been that way since high school and she wears a brace to stabilize the knee.
For her tenacity on the court, she gives credit to her brother, Luke, a defensive lineman at DePauw University who used to challenge her to tough games of one-on-one in the driveway.
She’s all about family, whether it's her Michigan one (“I absolutely loved my time at Michigan, wouldn’t change anything there,” she reflected), her Colorado crew (“everyone's so willing to take us under their wings,” she said) and, of course, her actual one. Her mom and grandpa show up at Colorado games as often as they can, with Nolan sending them a heart symbol with her fingers when she spots them in the crowd.
These days, it’s getting more and more difficult to spot anyone in the packed stands at CU Events Center. The Buffaloes have recorded four of their top 15 home crowds in program history this season, including 11,338 for a loss to No. 9 UCLA on Jan. 19.
The surge in attendance coincides with a rise in the rankings, where the Buffaloes have been as high as No. 3 in the AP Poll this season. They're a multi-faceted team, too, led by the inside presence of Aaronette Vonleh and Quay Miller, the shooting of Frida Formann, the high energy of point guard Jaylyn Sherrod, the spark off the bench from Kindyll Wetta, and of course the addition of transfers such as Sara-Rose Smith (Missouri) and Nolan.
At 20-4, the Buffaloes are off to their best start since going 22-2 in 1994-95.
“Everyone’s really just locked in on being better for each other,” Miller said.
That sort is cohesiveness is precisely what drew Nolan to Colorado. She caught their Sweet 16 game last season against Iowa, when Caitlin Clark led the Hawkeyes to an 87-77 win, and admired the Buffaloes' underdog determination. Their grit, too.
The decision to leave Michigan wasn't easy. She was a key outside contributor for the Wolverines, ranking seventh in program history with 167 made 3-pointers. She was comfortable with the system, with everything.
But she wanted to mix things up in an extra year provided because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She's seamlessly stepped into Colorado coach JR Payne's system, starting 14 of 24 games. She turned in quite a contest against Oregon last week, when she scored 14 of her game-high 19 in the second quarter.
Nolan's second on the team in 3-pointers and has yet to miss a free throw (small sample size but 5 for 5 is 5 for 5). She also plays top-notch defense for a team that's held 11 opponents under 60 points this season.
“I try to be whatever the team needs me to be that night,” said Nolan, who's become an avid hiker with the mountains so close. “Just have fun, play with joy — be a consistent source of positive energy."
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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball