BABSON PARK, Mass.—Babson College head women's basketball coach Kate Barnosky announced the hiring of Kayla Madden as the program's new full-time assistant coach on Thursday morning. 

Madden arrives at Babson following a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Amherst College. She played an integral role in all aspects of the program, including practice planning, scouting, recruiting and skill development for the Mammoths, who compiled a 38-16 record during her tenure. 

Amherst went 20-8 during the 2024-25 campaign and suffered a two-point loss to eventual Division III runner-up Smith College in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Last winter, Madden helped the Mammoths go 18-8 while reaching the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) semifinals for the second year in a row. During her time with the program, she helped mentor 2025 NESCAC Player of the Year Maya Cwalina and saw last year's squad finish first in Division III in blocks per game.  

"I am excited to welcome Kayla to our women's basketball program," said Barnosky. As a former Springfield student-athlete, she has a familiarity with the NEWMAC conference and will also be bringing great experience from her time as an assistant at Amherst. Kayla has a strong work ethic and a passion for the game that will undoubtedly positively impact our players and staff."

A 2024 graduate of Springfield College with a degree in physical education, Madden was a four-year member of the women's basketball team and helped the Pride make a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, which includes advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2022. She was also heavily involved in leadership and service initiatives, participating in the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, serving on Springfield Student-Athlete Leadership Team, and engaging in numerous community outreach programs.

"I am excited to join the Babson women's basketball program and learn from Coach KB and the rest of the coaching staff," commented Madden. "I am grateful to Coach KB and the Babson Athletics department for this opportunity and look forward to contributing to the team's success."

In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Madden has worked as a private skills trainer since 2020, helping develop youth and collegiate female basketball players. She has also contributed at several elite basketball events, including the Girls Hoop Series Elite 75 Academic Experience and Super Sixty Camp, where she instructed drills, coached game competition, and provided mentorship to prospective student-athletes and their families. 

A native of nearby Ashland, Mass., Madden earned her master's degree in athletic leadership from Springfield in 2025.