Norman North's Maci Milligan – Character Counts Presented by INTEGRIS Norman Express Care

By John Tranchina

After another gut-wrenching loss in the Class 6A state finals last year, Maci Milligan is ready to prove that she and her Norman North volleyball teammates can get back to that level of excellence, especially after losing a bunch of starters from last year, and hopefully, finally finish the job this time.

The senior setter admits that the 3-2 loss in last year’s final to Edmond Santa Fe, which followed a loss in the final the year before to Edmond Memorial, still stings.

“That was really heart-breaking, I think we all had it in our minds that we were going to win, we really all wanted it,” Milligan said of the defeat that ended a 27-4 season for the Timberwolves. “And just going into this year, especially since we graduated eight seniors, there’s been a lot of people like, ‘Oh, you guys aren’t going to be good this year, because you graduated all your starters,’ and all this stuff. And I feel like that’s a really big push for us to try to prove everyone wrong. I think it’s going to be a good motivator.”

As a senior and one of the few remaining starters, Milligan is a respected team leader and really enjoys that role.

“I love trying to be a leader and everything,” Milligan said. “I feel like, in my position as a setter, it’s kind of like the quarterback role, I’ve always known that going into it. And also this year, as a senior, I know it’s really important for me to have this kind of personality that the younger girls can look up to. I just find that really important to be a good role model for them as well and have our team do the best that it can.”

“Maci is great about engaging her teammates and demanding the best out of them, on and off the court,” added Norman North coach Stephanie Kane. “She is fully dedicated to being the best she can be for our team. That’s what makes her such a great leader. And she’s determined to do whatever it takes to get our team back to the finals, and win.”