The most horrifying aspect of tragedy resides in how it can strike at any moment. A routine drive to the park is interrupted by a drunk driver. A bridge suddenly collapses. A bolt of lightning emerges from the sky. There is no advanced warning or time to prepare or react. It was written: "For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away." For the Roukey family, when father Kris was unexpectedly killed by a belligerent customer while driving for Lyft, that quick realization entered into their patois.
But the greatest triumph of the human spirit lies not in our conquests but in how we deal with adversities. Extending sportsmanship after a victory is easy. To concede kindness to our vanquishers requires humility. Junior softball pitcher Madison Roukey could have easily turned bitter or resentful towards softball and the game of life. Instead, as shown by the testimonies of friends and coaches, she moved forward as if tragedy never befell her. Her sunny smile, not a storm-cloud frown, is the default forecast.
To properly understand the whole story, we must start at the beginning. Kris Roukey was a massive baseball fan. He did not play collegiate ball but like most glass-ceiling athletes, his love never wavered and only grew stronger. Roukey worked for the Cleveland Indians as a memorabilia authenticity expert. He attended all the home games, interacted with the players, and sold collectibles. Even today, his basement remains an El Dorado of baseball treasures, complete with bobbleheads and autographs with Maddie serving as the de facto curator. His love of America’s Pastime naturally translated into Maddie adoring softball. She immediately developed her attraction to the sport.
Kris and Madison weren’t the only athletes from the Roukey household. Mother Rachel played high school volleyball. That bloodline passed to her younger brother Tyler, a freshman volleyball player at Dominican University. Rachel also coached several college-bound volleyball stars during her time as a volunteer assistant.
Like most youthful softball players, Madison started as a pitcher. Unlike most players who naturally drift away to other roles, she stayed with the position.
“I played other sports like basketball and soccer, but we were a huge baseball family. My dad always worked in baseball. I grew up surrounded by baseball. I started playing softball when I was eight. I was a pitcher because when you are little everyone wants to pitch.”
Roukey was born to reside in the circle. A pitcher is a special breed. They stand 40+ feet away from aggressive hitters with metal sticks and control the outcome of every pitch. They are feted with victories earned and unearned and tagged with losses deserved and undeserved. The saying “victory has a thousand parents and defeat is an orphan” applies to the pitcher. As Sandy Koufax noted in his Hall of Fame speech, “Being a pitcher I feel that it is sometimes very solitary, very lonely…you feel like well everybody on the other team is against you, and they are.” Roukey relishes that feeling.
“I like to be in control of the game and pitching is the best way to do that. I can set the pace and the tone. It is important to have someone like that in the circle that your team can rely on. I like being put in pressure situations.”
In softball, they face additional challenges as tireless workhorses capable of pitching a doubleheader. The staff is smaller than baseball. They can start, be pulled, and reenter the game. An elite softball pitcher has only one counterpart: the quarterback. An elite pitcher or two changes the whole dynamic. A pitcher, like the quarterback, cannot be avoided. Facing them can only be delayed. But an elite pitcher requires more than great stuff. They need an edge. An overwhelming belief that they are superior to the opposition. Roukey, in Coach Sarah Caffrey’s mind, has found that edge in 2024.
“The biggest change I see in Madison this year is how she elevated from good to great. She has always been very good, and she has grown a ton since her first year but this year she has an edge to her and she has been extremely consistent in her preparation and execution every time she is on the mound.”
Fellow captain and senior second baseman Annabella Hawkins, by rule, does not utter hyperbole or sugary fabrication. As the guardian of the keystone position, she has a first-person view of Roukey’s mound presence.
“As a pitcher, when Madison takes the mound, you better watch out. Whether it’s her best day or her worst day, she is going to give you her all and she’s going to do it with the biggest and brightest smile on her face. She attacks the zone with confidence not only in herself but in the defense behind her with admirable composure and it’s an honor to be on the field with her.”
Roukey bases her mentality not on chess (thinking five moves ahead) but living in the moment.
“I take it one pitch at a time and try not to get caught up in what going on around me. Staying calm and composed in the circle. Focusing on the pitch at hand. I know that my best can beat anyone and I try to keep that mentality to compete with every batter and smile at them to make them angry.”
The testimony is reinforced by statistical fact. In her third season, Roukey has become the staff ace of a team strong in ERA (3.23). Her 1.93 ERA leads the team and her six wins already tie her career-high set in 2023. She has rapidly improved from the freshman pitcher who yielded a home run against her first batter. Among Patriot League pitchers, she ranks third in ERA (1.93), innings (80), strikeouts (66), saves (1), fourth in wins (6) and complete games (5), and fifth in games started (12).
Beyond the newly acquired edge, Caffrey, the pitching coach, credits her improved success to additional confidence:
“The other aspect is that she trusts herself more than ever. She knows she worked hard and can make the pitches. I just think she has a strong will to win and the way she throws continues to build her confidence.”
Teammates have picked up on Roukey’s new-found edge. First baseman MaKenzie Hilling categorizes it this way.
“As a pitcher, Madison keeps her composure extremely well. You can’t tell when she’s been shaken and she uplifts the team even if there is an error made behind her. She brings a competence edge to this team when she is on the mound and we tend to build off her.”
Coach Caffrey’s interaction with Roukey extends beyond three seasons. They met back when Caffrey was an assistant coach with in-state rival Penn State. Madison was in the recruiting period during her time in eighth/ninth grade. Roukey committed under the previous head coach Joey Lye but reaffirmed her recruitment after Caffrey was hired as head coach.
“I met Madison, her father, and some of their teammates many years ago when I was an assistant at Penn State. We brought her and her teammates on campus for a visit when she was only in 8th or 9th grade (this was before the recruiting rule change.) So, I have known of her for a long time, and when I took the head job here at Bucknell I was so excited to see her name in the list of recruits, and she and her family were one of the firsts that I set up a Zoom call with.”
While the pitcher is the lone sentinel in the circle, their teammates provide massive support. Bucknell Softball is a tight-knit group free from prejudice and petty conflicts. Her teammates are profusely effusive in their praise. First baseman MaKenzie Hilling, a fellow junior and captain, and Roukey share a rapport that can only exist between teammates. They are roommates and Hilling even allows Roukey free reign with her handsome gray Jeep Liberty.
“If she strikes out or something, I will tease her in the dugout and when I throw a ball, she will come over and tell me, “Aren’t you supposed to throw strikes?”
Hilling knows Roukey, as well as anyone on campus, can, so her praise is accurate and forthright.
“Madison is a nosy roommate, she loves knowing what everyone is up to and snooping in their rooms. She scratches at my door at least once a day to interrogate me."
Outside the circle, Roukey has entered into captainship. She was named one of four captains and her sunny deposition balances well with the other captains’ steel-filled commands. Fellow captain Hawkins offered a balanced perspective on her ability:
“As a captain, when Madison speaks, people listen. She isn’t always the first one to speak on something, but when she does it is impactful and heartfelt and moves the team in very important ways. Her outlook is pivotal for our team culture and her leadership is irreplaceable.”
Don’t mistake the bright smile for a laissez-faire attitude. Roukey demands high standards from herself and others. Hilling explains the dichotomy.
“As a captain, Madison brings a friendly face that allows people a sense of comfort when something is wrong. Madison doesn’t let people slack but she still provides a familiarity that allows people to open up.”
From a coach’s perspective, Caffrey relishes Madison’s multi-dimensional approach to her leadership.
“Madison is an extremely kind-hearted teammate. She brings a layer of kindness, patience, and understanding and somehow blends that with a quiet competitive edge. She has been a great addition and it has helped empower her leadership skills and ability to speak up, which has been exciting to watch her grow into that role.”
Softball’s Strength & Conditioning coach Darrin Shirk recognizes her passion and pleasant expression.
“Maddie shows up each day to work hard in every aspect that is asked of her and the best part is that she does it with a smile on her face.”
Roukey brings the same energy to her major: Markets, Innovation & Design. Unlike many students, selecting a major was not an issue for the ambitious student. She found the perfect home for her burgeoning creative outbursts.
“I’m a creative person in general. My major channels all my creative energy into a career after college. I’m passionate about plenty of things and am not sure yet what I want to do after college. I am always using my creativity in everything I do. I run the Athlete Ally social media accounts for MaKenzie. I’m interested in sports marketing.”
Professor Gabriela Diego praises Roukey's ability to work well with others and accept feedback. Those are all traits of a developed student-athlete accustomed to working within the framework of a team and who has served in a leadership role.
"Madison is one of the most conscientious and diligent students I have had the pleasure to teach. She has always shown an attitude of servant leadership in the classroom towards her peers. She does not shy away from taking initiative and leads others during class with her insights and example when needed. She embraces and gives critical feedback with an attitude of constant learning. She does this with grace and kindness, which welcomes her peers to engage and contribute positively to every project. She sets the bar high for herself and cares deeply about the quality of work she delivers. As a MiDE major, Madison consistently demonstrates great understanding of the multidisciplinary approach that is required for Innovation to happen. Madison’s attitude towards growth, learning and new ideas, even when the outcome is not certain, is that of openness and curiosity. She is a generous student that is always ready to collaborate and is always open to critical feedback from me and her peers. Her creative and analytical skills are such that I am confident she will continue to find new opportunities and transform them into products or services that will shape our future for the better."
After an exhaustive recruiting process involving plenty of schools, coaches, and false starts, Roukey accepted an offer from Bucknell. She and her father’s hard work finally paid off. Alas, Kris would never physically see her pitch at Becker Field. On May 2, 2020, while working for Lyft after being furloughed by the Indians due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kris Roukey was fatally shot by Kahlyl Powe during a pickup. In January 2024, Powe was found sane and sentenced to stand trial.
The sobering subplot to his employment revolved around why Kris decided to work for Lyft. He wanted a job, even amid a pandemic, where he could interact with people. As Maddie puts it:
“The only reason he was working for Lyft was because he was so outgoing and loved talking to people and hearing people’s stories. It showed the kind of person he was.”
The event’s unexpected arrival shattered a peaceful spring evening. Maddie was with a friend when she received the call from Tyler. With a solitary call, everything changed forever.
“I was out with a friend when my brother called me. I came home and my mother and grandparents were there. It was chaotic. My mother went to the hospital. I chose not to go because he had already passed at that point. I didn’t want to remember him that way. Our neighbors came over and my cousins were there. I ended up not going back to school for the last month. I remained at home surrounded by family.”
It would have been understandable if Maddie had forsaken softball. The tightness between father and daughter was bred by hours of practice and games. The sport would serve as a constant reminder of who wasn’t there. To her everlasting character and fortitude, her devotion to the sport has only grown. It became a spiritual outlet for the pitcher.
“Softball, for me, is an escape from everything. It is also an opportunity for me to connect with him. It was our shared passion. Even though he is not physically here, he is at every game, watching every game, and looking out for me. It changed my perspective about life. I think it made me more appreciative of my time here and softball. It taught me to find the good in every day.”
Coach Caffrey and the Bucknell Softball program created the Kris Roukey Award to honor his memory and love for softball. Each year, the award is decided by a team vote and given out at the end-of-the-season banquet. Hawkins won the first edition in 2022 and Madison received the honor in 2023.
“Coach Si created the award to honor my father’s legacy. It is awarded to a player who embodies the love of the game. It means the world that my teammates recognized I shared the same passion as him. We have shoe tags that my teammates wear. They have my back. We are wearing little hearts on our shoes this year. I have his initials KR on my glove. I try to keep him close to me. I occasionally wear an orange ribbon (symbolizing gun violence awareness) for games.”
Coach Caffrey emphasizes a family atmosphere for Bucknell Softball, a sentiment easily endorsed and maintained by her son Beaux’s presence at games. (It is not an exaggeration to state Beaux might be everyone's favorite.) By creating the Kris Roukey Award, she established a tangible symbol of the values precious to the program.
“Honoring her father Kris's memory would be a great place to start. I only had a few experiences with him, but what I know for certain is that he loved his family and he loved softball. He would have been (and still is) Bucknell Softball's #1 fan. The Kris Roukey Award is written essentially to honor the player on our team each year who embodies a passion for the game, someone who has a true and deep love for the game, and to honor the love that a father has for his daughter. I hope this tradition lives on forever with Bucknell Softball, and we continue to honor Kris Roukey and his family, because they are all part of our Bison family, and that is what it is all about.”
Madison’s devoutness to softball doesn’t halt with her playing career. She has already given back to the next generation by coaching with the Hudson Diamonds. It was a full-circle moment for the pitcher as she started her career with the organization.
“I’m passionate about working with the new generation. When I am at home, I’m always giving lessons and coaching a 10U team. It also gives me such joy about the young ladies taking such an interest in softball. I enjoy helping them develop their skills and become more confident. When something just clicks and that smile emerges on their face, it makes me happy.”
But her coaching career must wait until this summer. Right now, Roukey is focused on returning the Bison to the Patriot League Tournament. In 2023, Bucknell finished the regular season with six straight wins by sweeping Holy Cross and Lafayette to earn its first trip since 2019. Roukey picked up one win and a famous nickname “Maddie the Baddie” against Holy Cross by throwing a complete game with ten strikeouts. She became the first Bison pitcher since 2020 to toss double-digit strikeouts. The dynamic late-season push is Roukey’s favorite softball memory. So far in 2024, the Bison are 3-0 in conference play after sweeping Lafayette. Roukey earned all three wins by pitching 17 innings. The feat unlocked Bison of the Week on March 25, her first time winning the award. If Bucknell completes back-to-back trips, it will come via Roukey’s right arm.
Her father’s memory continues to drive her career and dreams. She couldn’t stop playing even if she wanted to do so.
“I associated so many positive memories with him and softball that even if I didn’t want to (and I did want to play), I knew I had to keep going and pursue because that is what he would want me to do. He would not have wanted me to stop. I do it to honor and play for him. I can do hard things.”
No one can disagree with her last sentence. Madison Roukey continues to face challenges with a serene smile, an arsenal of devastating pitches, and her father watching over her.
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