Women’s basketball: Transfer Maddie Nolan eager for new opportunity with CU Buffs
After the disappointment of an earlier-than-expected exit from the NCAA women’s basketball tournament in March, Michigan’s Maddie Nolan was at home watching the Sweet 16.
Among the games she watched, Nolan saw Colorado go toe-to-toe with eventual national runner-up Iowa before falling, 87-77, in the Sweet 16.
“I just really liked how they played with toughness,” Nolan said. “They played with this chip on their shoulder; kind of similar to how I would describe how I play and how we played at Michigan. I was like, ‘I really could see myself fitting in with this program if I were to transfer.’ At that time I wasn’t sure what I was going to do yet but I was like, oh they play tough and it looks like a fun program to be a part of.”
Nolan eventually put her name into the transfer portal and did indeed make the decision to play for head coach JR Payne’s Buffaloes in Boulder. A 5-foot-11 guard from Zionsville, Ind., Nolan will join the Buffs this summer.
Although she played four seasons at Michigan, Nolan is one of many players around the country with a bonus year granted by the NCAA to all players from the 2020-21 season because of the COVID pandemic. A two-year starter for the Wolverines, she elected to use the extra year to get a new experience.
“I absolutely loved my time in Michigan and I am so grateful for the opportunity, and the coaches are awesome,” said Nolan, who started 75 of the 111 games she played at Michigan. “I’ve lived in the Midwest my whole life and I had this extra year and kind of wanted to just venture out and try something new. … The opportunity to live out west for a year I thought was really cool and then continuing to play for a program that is as successful as they are (was appealing).”
In Nolan, the Buffs are getting a veteran who not only has experience, but has enjoyed success. She averaged 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds during her time at Michigan and ranks seventh in program history in made 3-pointers (167).
As a senior this past season, she started all 33 games while averaging a career-best 9.1 points. Nolan was a part of the first two Sweet 16 appearances in Michigan history, in 2021 and 2022, reaching the Elite Eight last year. The Wolverines advanced to the second round this past season, losing to eventual champion LSU.
“You can’t always teach that and you don’t always get those experiences,” she said. “This past year, I was talking to some of my teammates and my parents, and I was like, ‘We expect to make the NCAA tournament.’ Most people don’t get to just expect to make it and we were upset when we didn’t get to host (this year). To have those opportunities, to have that high of success at this level from my past four years was huge and I hope to continue that in Boulder.”
Part of what attracted Nolan to CU is the Buffs’ high expectations. CU ended a nine-year NCAA Tournament drought in 2022 and then reached its first Sweet 16 in 20 years this spring. Next year, the Buffs return almost their entire core. With Nolan and a handful of talented freshmen coming in, expectations will be high again.
“Obviously they have a lot of talent coming back, which is super exciting,” she said.
CU was looking for another strong 3-point shooter, and Nolan fills that void. She’s more than a shooter, though, as she posted career highs in assists (2.0 per game) and steals (1.45 per game) this past year and she’s averaged 3.9 rebounds the past two years.
“I pride myself on being a team player as well, so I think I’ll help with that aspect too,” she said. “I’m a big energy person, as well; I just love to talk, just big on hyping up my teammates.”
Nolan is also a basketball lifer. Her mother, Kris (Veatch), graduated as the all-time leading scorer at New Mexico State (she currently ranks fourth) and both of her parents were high school coaches.
“I was in a gym three months after I was born,” she said. “I just grew up kind of with a basketball. Being from Indiana, we like to claim ourselves as the basketball state. Everyone has a hoop in their driveway.”
Now, she’s looking to play in and experience a new part of the country.
“I’m super excited and just grateful for the opportunity,” she said.
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