There was only so much Maddy Siegrist could achieve at the college hoops level, even if it was just about everything you could achieve as an individual.

The next step always was going to be the professional game – and so far in the WNBA, Siegrist’s adjustment has been top-notch.

The recently graduated greatest player in Villanova women’s basketball history has been a member of the Dallas Wings, contributing to one of the best teams in the WNBA’s Western Conference in her rookie season, while she’s learning under some of the best women’s hoopers on the planet.

Those who expected Siegrist to maintain in the pros the absurd scoring pace she tallied in college must acknowledge that the competition level in the WNBA is much more intense, but in a building-block year for her game as she adjusts to the pro level, it’s hard to complain too much.

And if that pro career ends up being anything at all like Siegrist’s incredible stint with the Wildcats, she’s going to be just fine for years to come.

Here’s a look at how Maddy Siegrist’s first season in the professional ranks has gone after the remarkable college career she finished at Villanova earlier this year.

A Look Back

In case you forgot (and how could you?) or are just passing through and needed an idea for just how amazing Siegrist’s Villanova career was, here’s the lowdown in simple terms – no player in BIG EAST regular-season hoops history, man or woman, has scored more points in their league career than Siegrist. 

Think about that: in a conference that’s seen legends of the game, including Patrick Ewing, Sue Bird, Carmelo Anthony and Diana Taurasi play within it, the career scoring record belongs to Siegrist, who finished with 1,639 points in BIG EAST play and 2,896 points for her Villanova career as a whole, the latter of which is the most by any Wildcat, male or female. 

A two-time BIG EAST Player of the Year, a four-time All-BIG EAST first-team selection and a 17-time BIG EAST Player of the Week, Siegrist dazzled like few players before her anywhere in college hoops, scoring a national-best 29.2 points per game during her senior season, in which she led Villanova to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history. 

The all-time leading scorer in @BIGEASTWBB HISTORY for regular season conference games... @20sMaddy#GoNova | #SuperSiegrist pic.twitter.com/OkW8FG2gHy

— Villanova WBB (@novawbb) February 11, 2023

But if there’s just one game of Siegrist’s you need to check out sometime just to understand how much of an automatic bucket she was (and still can be), it’s got to be her 50-point, 10-rebound outburst on Feb. 11 of this year against Seton Hall – the night where she broke both the Wildcats’ single-game scoring record and became the BIG EAST’s all-time leading scorer in the process. 

And, to top it all off, across both the NBA and NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hoops since the 1999-2000 season, only three other players have put up 50-point, 10-rebound, zero-turnover nights like she did against the Pirates – Anthony, Giannis Antetokounmpo and former Kansas State women’s star Ayoka Lee. Exclusive company, indeed.

Spreading Her Wings

Last season’s Katrina McClain Award winner as the best power forward in women’s college basketball, Siegrist obviously was a highly coveted pro prospect with the WNBA Draft on the horizon. It was held in April, shortly after her decorated college career ended. 

With the third overall pick, the Dallas Wings gave Siegrist a first professional home. 

Villanova’s second WNBA Draft pick (Trish Juhline in 2003 was the other one), Siegrist joined a Dallas squad featuring one of the game’s biggest stars in past WNBA scoring champion, Arike Ogunbowale, along with multiple-time All-Stars Satou Sabally and Natasha Howard.

The Wings are humming along nicely as the second-place team in the Western Conference as of this writing, behind the on-fire defending champion Las Vegas Aces. 

Play back @20sMaddy last night. ⏮ pic.twitter.com/EAWUsdr5xn

— Villanova WBB (@novawbb) August 21, 2023

Currently being utilized as a depth piece in the rotation, Siegrist has been on the floor for the Wings in 33 of their 34 games this season as of Saturday morning, but while limited to just 8.5 minutes per game behind a lineup lock at the power forward slot in Howard, she’s averaging four points and 1.7 rebounds when she does get a chance to show off what she can do. 

That’s not to say Siegrist isn’t utilizing her opportunities to the max – she’s shooting 51% from the floor and an incredible 96% (24-for-25) from the free-throw line, which is the best mark on the Dallas roster from those with a minimum of 25 attempts. 

Her best pro game to date came June 7 against the Phoenix Mercury, when Siegrist provided 14 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes off of the bench to lead the wings to an 84-79 victory.