Kelli Sheffield

Sheffield participated in a bit of MHS history in the fall of 1983. Sheffield and her fellow Lady Bulldogs, coached by Doug Sims, played in Madison's first State A High School Girls' Basketball Tournament. Madison dispatched Chamberlain 51-30 in the Section Five Championship to gain its state tourney berth and a .500, 10-10, mark heading into Watertown. Sheffield was joined by Kelly Quam, Anita Keffeler, Heidi Steffen and Tracy Sommars as the Lady Dogs' starting five in 1983. Unfortunately, Madison had to settle for eighth-place honors in the state tourney. After losing a heart-wrenching 35-33 decision to Rapid City Stevens, Madison went on to suffer consecutive losses to Brookings, 56-34, and Pine Ridge, 56-40, before returning home. Sheffield's performance in the state hoops classic gained her both all-tournament recognition and a spot on the Class A All-State's third unit. In addition to those honors, Sheffield was tabbed as Madison's most valuable female athlete. As a junior and senior, she also the Lady Dogs' MFVA in both basketball and volleyball. She was a four-year letter-winner in basketball, volleyball and track. Outside of athletics, Sheffield was a class president, homecoming queen and an American Legion Girls State delegate. After graduating from Madison, she went to Aberdeen's Northern State University on both academic and athletic scholarships. Sheffield participated in basketball and softball at Northern and was the 1987 Gypsy Days homecoming queen. She earned her bachelor of science degree in 1988 at Northern State University, where she was a cum laude graduate. Sheffield gained her master's degree in exercise physiology at Colorado State University two years later. Sheffield was athletic trainer at Iowa State University and the University of Arkansas before enrolling at Duke University three years ago. Last year, Sheffield earned her master's degree in health science at Duke. Currently, Sheffield is on staff at the Carolina Dermatology Center in Greensboro, N.C., as a physician's assistant. She is the athletic trainer for the Carolina Twisters semi-professional soccer team in Greensboro.