Being a starter on one of the Delaware’s premier high school volleyball teams brings with it a certain amount of pressure. Maddi Way, a senior and four-year starter at Saint Mark’s High School, needed some time off to address her own mental-health struggles, but she turned that into a positive for teenagers in Delaware.
For that, Way is being honored by the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association with the Buddy Hurlock Unsung Hero Award at the organization’s annual banquet on Feb. 16. The award, named after the late News Journal sportswriter, was first presented in 2013 and goes to someone who has overcome adversity to inspire others with his or her story. Hurlock, an Archmere Academy graduate, often told the stories of athletes who persevered through hardship. He died in 2012 at the age of 40 after an 18-month battle with cancer.
Way certainly made her mark on the court. She earned all-state honors three times, including a first-team selection this season. A setter, she surpassed 2,000 career assists during the 2025 season. The Spartans reached the state championship match three times in her four seasons.
In a recent interview at Saint Mark’s, Way said being a member of the volleyball program helped her grow as a leader and improved her confidence.
“I made my best friends through Saint Mark’s and through club volleyball,” she said. “Definitely just grew me as a person, especially through the Saint Mark’s program.”
Playing for such a successful high school program came with its own expectations.
“I felt a lot of pressure a lot of times on the court. Especially as a setter, I’m making the decisions within split seconds. I’m trying to keep everyone under control while keeping myself under control. I definitely felt the pressure of being in that good of a competitive program, but it was also rewarding to be successful in such a successful program,” she said.
After a successful freshman season, she began to feel the pressure as a sophomore.
“I just felt I had all this weight on my shoulders, and everyone was watching me. It started to affect my social life and my school and my grades and everything,” Way said.
Way’s father, Tripp, reached out to Chris Locke, whose son, Sean, struggled with his own mental health before taking his own life in 2018. The Locke family founded UnLocke the Light, an organization dedicated to providing resources to young people in need of assistance. Saint Mark’s, Sean Locke’s alma mater, has been at the forefront of that effort.
Way missed some games as a junior while concentrating on herself. She said she was upset at first, afraid of letting her teammates and coaches down. She knew, however, that she needed to “be the best version of myself before I could go out and lead a program and lead a team as a captain.”
Her return to the Spartans was made easier by her teammates, who were very supportive, Way said.
Way’s connection to UnLocke the Light began long before that. She has attended the SL24 Basketball Classic since it began in 2018, and she has played in a beach volleyball tournament to benefit UnLocke the Light in Dewey Beach. She wanted to have the same kind of event for indoor volleyball.
Her dad encouraged her to try to arrange something. They contacted Chris Locke, and Saint Mark’s agreed to host. She said it took about three months to put the entire event together. That first event, called Serving Up Support, featured four teams and raised more than $30,000.
In addition to the two volleyball matches, the evening included Way addressing the crowd at Saint Mark’s about her own mental-health journey. Serving Up Support held its second annual tournament this past season, stretching over two days and including teams from up and down the state.
Kat Locke-Jones, Sean’s sister and a co-founder of UnLocke the Light, said students learn best from their peers. Way is an example of that, she said.
“To have Maddi show such bravery in that moment and show her process and her struggle and her purpose, that’s opening up so much light for her peers and her friends and family members,” said Locke-Jones, a graduate of Padua Academy in Wilmington and a teacher in Baltimore.
“Also, it opens it up for an adult,” she continued. “When you see a teenager be brave, it pushes you as an adult to see the power of vulnerability. I think that’s something that might not always be highlighted, but it’s something that I’m so incredibly proud of her for.”
Way, a member of St. John the Beloved Parish in Wilmington, will attend the University of Delaware next year and will major in communications. She will not be playing volleyball, but she hopes to remain involved with her advocacy for mental health. Working at Sean’s House, a facility for college students looking for resources or a respite or a counselor, is a possibility.
“Eventually, I would like to be a bigger advocate for the house or maybe be one of the peer counselors that are over there,” Way said. “Definitely not right away. I want to give myself some time to get used to everything.”
As for her own journey, Way said she has “a much more solid mindset.” She credits Saint Mark’s and its volleyball program with helping her grow. Lots of people — her teammates, family, coaches and the folks at UnLocke the Light — have been there for her.
In addition to her father, Way’s family includes mom Gina, brother Trevor and their pets. The family has two dogs, Murphy and Buddy, and a cat, Orange.
Tickets to the DSBA banquet are available at desports.org/dsba-banquet/. Other award winners announced thus far are the team of the year, the state champion Seaford football team; and co-coaches of the year, Delaware State University football coach DeSean Jackson and the late Randy Johnson of Caravel Academy softball.
