WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Late last week, Purdue signee Madison Layden was named the 2020 Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year. Layden will be the sixth Boilermaker to carry the honor into their career in West Lafayette. The incoming freshman was also named Honorable Mention All-America by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Layden averaged 25.6 points, 6.4 assists, 5.1 steals and 4.2 rebounds per game in 2020 to lead Northwestern High School to its third straight state championship game and a 29-1 record. She became just the 16th player in state history to amass more than 2,300 points in a career and finished with 2,360, 713 assists, 539 steals and 509 rebounds.
The Kokomo, Ind., native was the first player in Indiana High School Athletics Association history to lead three state final fours in scoring. She finished her two state title runs in Class 3A with 41 and 48 points in 2018 and 2019, respectively, before dropping 48 points in 2020 in Class 4A.
When she arrives on campus this summer, Layden will join 2017 honoree Karissa McLaughlin, as well as finalists Cassady Hardin and Kayana Traylor. Previous Gatorade Indiana Player of the Years to sign for Purdue include Courtney Moses (2010), Katie Gearlds (2003), Kelly Komara (1998), Stephanie White (1994 and 1995) and Jacoby Jennifer (1991).
A three-time First Team All-State selection in basketball, including additional honors in volleyball and tennis, Layden has maintained an unweighted 4.01 GPA in the classroom.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. From the 12 national winners, one male and one female athlete are each named Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year. In all, 607 athletes are honored each year.
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