Kansas State University Athletics
Sibbing ‘Getting into the Right Mindset’
Jul 25, 2025 | Soccer, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Sporting a lavender t-shirt and twirling the crucifix pendant upon her necklace, Maddie Sibbing smiles during an interview on the Kansas State campus. Although she has been in Manhattan for less than a month, the sophomore goalie believes good things could be in store for the Wildcats under first-year head coach Colleen Corbin. And it might not take long.
"I love her," Sibbing said. "With her intensity, she's building a team here that's going to win championships. She approaches everything with positivity and she brings it wherever she goes. We're a young and new team, and there's so much room for growth, but we're at a very good spot right now."
K-State will feature an abundance of new faces when it travels to Springfield, Missouri, to face Missouri State in an exhibition game on August 2. Each new player carries her own story and path to the Little Apple. When K-State plays its home opener against Oral Roberts on August 14 at Buser Family Park, ardent soccer fans will see a completely different team personnel-wise than the ones that finished 3-12-3, 3-12-3, 6-10-3 and 6-10-2 over the past four years.
K-State in some ways has already gelled, as Sibbing and the Wildcats took an 11-day trip to Italy, saw the sights and loved the cuisine, and promptly dominated three different Italian teams in their own country this summer. The Wildcats played together, inspired, and crackled with energy.
Sibbing is eager for the main course.
"The trip to Italy was insane," she said. "Seeing a whole different culture with everyone together was big for team bonding. It was good to play together for the first time and have success. I'm excited to get back onto the field."
The Wildcats have been running on the field at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday for 20 miles per week. They've been immersed in player-led practices, which have been "good" and "pretty intense." The team officially reports to preseason practice on Monday.
"I'm getting into the right mindset for the season," Sibbing said. "Obviously, the Big 12 is a very competitive conference, so we must be in the right mindset to go out and try and win every single game. The first game at home is going to be crazy. I'm really excited."
Sibbing is used to excitement. Last season, the native of Lee's Summit, Missouri, started 10 matches for Kansas City. She ranked second in the Summit League with 49 saves, and second with 4.9 saves per game, and fourth with 1.142 goals against average. And how's this for a debut? In her first collegiate start, she made five saves in a 0-0 tie at No. 12 Saint Louis on September 15, 2024, giving Kansas City its first-ever result against a nationally-ranked opponent.
The feat against Saint Louis was particularly sweet, as Sibbing signed with Saint Louis as a freshman in 2023. However, Sibbing did not see any action with the Billikens, thus dampening her confidence, and prompting her to transfer to Kansas City.
"The game against Saint Louis last year was one of the best games I've ever played," Sibbing said. "It was big. Coming from SLU where I didn't play, I had low confidence issues, so making an impact improved my confidence."
It was during that Kansas City-Saint Louis meeting on September 15, 2024 that Sibbing caught the eye of Corbin, who served as Saint Louis Associate Head Coach for just one season in 2024. Corbin was hired by K-State on December 2, 2024.
On May 1, the paths between Sibbing and Corbin crossed again.
Sibbing received a FaceTime.
"It was May 1, the day the portal opened, and I was sitting in my accounting class and Colleen FaceTimed me," Sibbing said. "I went to the stairwell to answer. She asked, 'What are you doing? Are you in class?' I said, 'Yes, I am. But I had to answer you.'
"I came on a visit soon after and committed that same day."
Sibbing arrived at K-State on July 6.
"I feel like I got here three days ago," she said, chuckling.
And now she'll take center stage for a Big 12 Conference team. As a goalie, she'll wear a different-colored uniform top than her K-State teammates, and at times she'll be all alone, and at times it could get exciting on those one-on-one matchups with just her, the goal, and the opponent.
"You're always in the highest-pressure situations as a goalie, which I enjoy," Sibbing said. "It's a very mental position to play. You have to be brave. You're putting your body on the line almost every time you touch the ball. Having that courage and bravery is important."
Sibbing, who began playing goalie at age 11, was a two-time First Team All-State selection and Class 4 MSHSAA Goalkeeper of the Year as a senior at Lee's Summit North High School. She also won the 2023 USYS Nationals Golden Glove Award and helped her club team to four state championships and a berth in the national championships.
"Staying present is a big thing because as a goalie you're not touching the ball a bunch of times and every time you do it's important that you do everything right," she said. "You have to be like a goldfish and forget things very quickly. If you get scored on, you have to move on."
Now Sibbing is at K-State. She has found her home.
And she's ready to get to work.
"I've learned that I'm capable of doing anything that I put my mind to, and I'm a very hard worker," she said. "If there's something I want, I'm going to work my ass off to get there."
Sporting a lavender t-shirt and twirling the crucifix pendant upon her necklace, Maddie Sibbing smiles during an interview on the Kansas State campus. Although she has been in Manhattan for less than a month, the sophomore goalie believes good things could be in store for the Wildcats under first-year head coach Colleen Corbin. And it might not take long.
"I love her," Sibbing said. "With her intensity, she's building a team here that's going to win championships. She approaches everything with positivity and she brings it wherever she goes. We're a young and new team, and there's so much room for growth, but we're at a very good spot right now."
K-State will feature an abundance of new faces when it travels to Springfield, Missouri, to face Missouri State in an exhibition game on August 2. Each new player carries her own story and path to the Little Apple. When K-State plays its home opener against Oral Roberts on August 14 at Buser Family Park, ardent soccer fans will see a completely different team personnel-wise than the ones that finished 3-12-3, 3-12-3, 6-10-3 and 6-10-2 over the past four years.
K-State in some ways has already gelled, as Sibbing and the Wildcats took an 11-day trip to Italy, saw the sights and loved the cuisine, and promptly dominated three different Italian teams in their own country this summer. The Wildcats played together, inspired, and crackled with energy.
Sibbing is eager for the main course.
"The trip to Italy was insane," she said. "Seeing a whole different culture with everyone together was big for team bonding. It was good to play together for the first time and have success. I'm excited to get back onto the field."
The Wildcats have been running on the field at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday for 20 miles per week. They've been immersed in player-led practices, which have been "good" and "pretty intense." The team officially reports to preseason practice on Monday.
"I'm getting into the right mindset for the season," Sibbing said. "Obviously, the Big 12 is a very competitive conference, so we must be in the right mindset to go out and try and win every single game. The first game at home is going to be crazy. I'm really excited."
Sibbing is used to excitement. Last season, the native of Lee's Summit, Missouri, started 10 matches for Kansas City. She ranked second in the Summit League with 49 saves, and second with 4.9 saves per game, and fourth with 1.142 goals against average. And how's this for a debut? In her first collegiate start, she made five saves in a 0-0 tie at No. 12 Saint Louis on September 15, 2024, giving Kansas City its first-ever result against a nationally-ranked opponent.
The feat against Saint Louis was particularly sweet, as Sibbing signed with Saint Louis as a freshman in 2023. However, Sibbing did not see any action with the Billikens, thus dampening her confidence, and prompting her to transfer to Kansas City.
"The game against Saint Louis last year was one of the best games I've ever played," Sibbing said. "It was big. Coming from SLU where I didn't play, I had low confidence issues, so making an impact improved my confidence."
It was during that Kansas City-Saint Louis meeting on September 15, 2024 that Sibbing caught the eye of Corbin, who served as Saint Louis Associate Head Coach for just one season in 2024. Corbin was hired by K-State on December 2, 2024.
On May 1, the paths between Sibbing and Corbin crossed again.
Sibbing received a FaceTime.
"It was May 1, the day the portal opened, and I was sitting in my accounting class and Colleen FaceTimed me," Sibbing said. "I went to the stairwell to answer. She asked, 'What are you doing? Are you in class?' I said, 'Yes, I am. But I had to answer you.'
"I came on a visit soon after and committed that same day."
Sibbing arrived at K-State on July 6.
"I feel like I got here three days ago," she said, chuckling.
And now she'll take center stage for a Big 12 Conference team. As a goalie, she'll wear a different-colored uniform top than her K-State teammates, and at times she'll be all alone, and at times it could get exciting on those one-on-one matchups with just her, the goal, and the opponent.
"You're always in the highest-pressure situations as a goalie, which I enjoy," Sibbing said. "It's a very mental position to play. You have to be brave. You're putting your body on the line almost every time you touch the ball. Having that courage and bravery is important."
Sibbing, who began playing goalie at age 11, was a two-time First Team All-State selection and Class 4 MSHSAA Goalkeeper of the Year as a senior at Lee's Summit North High School. She also won the 2023 USYS Nationals Golden Glove Award and helped her club team to four state championships and a berth in the national championships.
"Staying present is a big thing because as a goalie you're not touching the ball a bunch of times and every time you do it's important that you do everything right," she said. "You have to be like a goldfish and forget things very quickly. If you get scored on, you have to move on."
Now Sibbing is at K-State. She has found her home.
And she's ready to get to work.
"I've learned that I'm capable of doing anything that I put my mind to, and I'm a very hard worker," she said. "If there's something I want, I'm going to work my ass off to get there."
Players Mentioned
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