Shipley freshman and girls basketball standout Melody Vaughn recently found herself on the 2029 ESPN W Watchlist - an honor bestowed upon the best up-and-coming players nationwide. Learn more about her passion, motivations, goals, and why she loves being a Shipley Gator. 

When/How did you discover that Basketball was a passion? 

I found out basketball was a passion of mine at a very young age. After trying many sports, it was the only one I truly enjoyed. During the 2020 pandemic, I watched many YouTube vlogs of women’s basketball players like Paige Bueckers, Hailey Van Lith, and Caitlin Clark while they were in high school, and I quickly realized how far this sport can take you. 

 

I participated in the 2025 USA Women’s U16 National Team Trials, the Wooten Camp Invite, and was a Blue Star 30 Camp attendee. I play on a Nike-sponsored EYBL 15U team, recently winning the Winter Series Championships. We won the Gym Rat Challenge Championship, and I was named the Gym Rat Challenge MVP. We also won the Rose Classic Championship, and I was named the Rose Classic Championship game MVP. 

 

I’m listed on the 2029 ESPN W Watchlist and have received multiple Division I basketball offers.

 

How do you prepare for a game? Do you have a pregame routine? 

I prepare for a game by doing a simple routine of ball wraps - where I wrap the ball multiple times in each direction around my waist, above my shoulders, and around my legs. The routine warms my hands up to move quickly in different directions for the game.

 

What are your goals and dreams for your basketball career? 

For my basketball career, I have many goals that I have been working towards since I was very young. One of my goals was to be on the ESPN Watchlist with all the best players in the country, which is what I’m on now. Another one of my big goals is to go to one of the top teams in Division 1 basketball and play as one of the best players. Another goal I have is to make the WNBA and be a top player in the league.

 

A player I look up to is Paige Bueckers. She has great pace and decision-making skills. When I was around 10 years old and didn’t know much about high school basketball, she was one of the first players I watched who was very good.

 

Basketball has taught me that confidence is important. I learned this because there were a couple of tournaments in middle school where I felt very unconfident and hesitant. In these games, I struggled, and I had to do some self-reflection and get my confidence back, which worked because I played much better. This translates into the real world because confidence increases motivation and my ability to face challenges. It also helps with the way people view you as a person. Confident people are looked at as leaders and taken more seriously by others.

 

I came to Shipley because I wanted to get into basketball in the Philadelphia area, and Shipley gave me the ability to play varsity basketball in 8th grade. I liked Shipley specifically because I had a great visit around campus after school one day, shadowing with some of the girls on the team. The community felt genuine and challenging in the best way.

 

To a student interested in enrolling in Shipley, I would tell them Shipley has a great community and strong academics with a welcoming lifestyle. I would also tell them about how much fun it is for everyone when attending some of our big sports nights like Swamp Night or Super Saturday.

 

Advice I would give to a young girl interested in pursuing basketball is to consistently surround yourself with people who will challenge you, always play with confidence, and, in order to improve, you’ll have to do more work than anyone else.

Shipley's Girls Varsity Basketball Head Coach Ellen Bair also weighed in on coaching Melody. 

 

Mel is the type of player every coach hopes to coach, because not only is she incredibly talented, but she also has the work ethic and attitude required to be great. She makes everyone around her better because she never lowers the standard. She treats small drills in practice the same way she treats big games, and that effort, attention to detail, and focus will only further the success she's already had. Mel says, "Can I go again?" multiple times during a practice when she feels like the rep she just had wasn't good enough. You can't teach that inner drive, and it's why she'll continue to improve year over year. 

 

Off the court, Mel is kind, funny, and endlessly outgoing. She loves telling stories and can usually be found on campus surrounded by friends. Similarly to basketball, she's an excellent student and a leader among her classmates. However, the most “Mel” thing other than making people laugh is her unbelievable ability to lose all of her belongings, something she is well known for around Shipley. 

 

I can't pick one thing I'm most excited for. I really look forward to watching all that she accomplishes over the next 10 years as a basketball player. When she scores 1,000 points, when she chooses her college, when our coaching staff gets to sit in the stands and cheer her on at that college. Those are just a few of the big moments that will come for Mel, and it's going to feel really special for us, since we've known her since she was in 6th grade. 

 

Additionally, I am excited to see how Mel grows as a player and a person. She's so young and has a lot to work on and develop. She's figuring out her strengths and weaknesses and using the freedom she has as a player at Shipley to be creative and make mistakes. The Mel we will watch as a freshman in college will look nothing like the player we're all watching as a freshman in high school. I am really excited to see who that player and person is in four years, and I'm grateful I get to play a small part in the journey toward becoming whomever she wants to be.