Huffman Sisters Take on the Court Together at Fairmont State
Fairmont State University women’s basketball has had a special season so far. This year has brought a winning record (18-8 overall and 12-6 MEC), career highs, point milestones, and much more! But one of the most exceptional aspects of the team is the sister duo of Leslie and Madeline Huffman. The Marietta, Ohio, natives have been playing together for years but have extended their careers to play together again in Fairmont.
Madeline, the older of the two, is in her third season donning the Falcons’ uniform, playing in nearly 71 games, and starting in 64. She scored 424 points in her three-year stint at Fairmont State and chipped in 217 assists during her career. Leslie has started a successful freshman campaign, playing in 24 games on the season. She has played 395 minutes overall for an average of 16.5 minutes per game as a rookie. She has recorded 144 points in her first year up to this point.
Both girls had similar responses when asked about what it is like to play at the collegiate level together. Leslie mentioned that the opportunity is a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.” They root for one another’s success and spend much time together on and off the court.
One of the Huffman girls’ key memories this season was in a matchup on January 21st at the University of Charleston, where Leslie had a career-high 21 points. Leslie had a huge three-point play to force an even 70-70 score in the last minute of the final quarter. She noted her remembrance of the support that she felt after “When I looked up, all I saw was the excitement on Madeline’s face and told me, ‘That’s tough!’” The Huffman sisters know they always have each other to root for while playing in Fairmont.
The pair played multiple years together at Parkersburg Catholic High School, where they saw much success individually and as a team at their alma mater. During Madeline’s high school stint from 2016-2020, she earned Little Kanawha Conference (LKC) Player of the Year in 2019 and an LKC Player of the Year in 2019. During Leslie’s career from 2018-2022, she was named LKC Player of the Year in 2020, 2021, and 2022. During her senior year, the PCHS squad made a tournament where they clinched a West Virginia Class AA State Championship title.
While playing together at Parkersburg Catholic, the sister’s team rolled to the 2019 State Championship, where they were runners-up, and Little Kanawha Conference Championship titles in 2018, 2019, and 2020. They were also named the All-Tournament team in the state tournament in 2019. During their respective careers at PCHS, they both obtained the 1,000-point career milestones.
To sum up the duo’s relationship, Madeline stated that having her younger sister in Fairmont for the past eight months is “like having a piece of home here with me on campus.” They still have plenty of time to grow in their close-knit connection on and off the court. Catch the Huffman sisters and the women’s basketball team in action when they take on Wheeling University on Wednesday, February 15th. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
