Maddie Thompson Senior Spotlight

Mauli Chopra ‘27

Maddie Thompson during the last 200 meters of the Skyline Conference Championship Race. All eyes on her final stretch! Photo by Luca Mesiti ‘27

The Great Big Pumpkin Winner 

Ribbion-making and carrying giant pumpkins across campus are some of Maddie Thompson’s core memories from this year’s cross-country season. Thompson is the first Great Big Pumpkin winner for the women’s cross-country team. Following the Skyline Conference Championship 6k Race, Head Coach Tom Dilberto bequeathed an organic big orange pumpkin to Thompson for her drastic improvements throughout the season, staying determined and committed until the very end. Her personal best 5k performance was 31:31 minutes. She is the only senior on the women’s cross-country team this year. Head Coach Tom Dileberto comments, “Maddie was probably the most improved member on the entire team. Her positive energy and incredible ribbon-making skills will be sorely missed next year.”  

Thompson shares that the most memorable moment from her first and final cross-country season here at SLC was “—when we went for a run in Rockefeller Park and then went to the Sleepy Hollow farmers market afterwards! It was so beautiful and it was so much fun going around to all the vendors with my friends. It felt like such a great team bonding moment and I think about it often.” This season was her first time running cross country, and she was motivated to join last semester because of her desire to exercise and build herself a community of good friends. Besides being a student-athlete, she is also a  Gryphon Guide and one of the co-chairs for the SLAC ETC series. 

Thompson’s mom inspires her: “She is always so supportive of me and I look to her to inspire and guide me through life. She teaches me to always try new things and get out of my comfort zone, which is exactly what I did with cross country!” As she closes the chapter of cross country and her senior year, Thompson is sure she’ll remember the community she found within the team and her family. 

Thompson advises upcoming and continuing SLC athletes to “Honestly, just have fun with it!”