All-Around Achiever
Makenna Corbin, a recent graduate of Daleville Junior/Senior High School, is June’s Female Student Athlete of the Month, sponsored by IU Health. An outgoing leader, she was involved in both athletics and student government. Corbin has participated in sports ever since she can remember, but her favorites are track, cross-country and basketball.
“I started playing basketball in kindergarten. My dad really liked the sport and encouraged me to do it; we are in Indiana! I started doing cross-country in fifth grade and track in seventh grade. I did track because of my friends and grew to love the sport,” says Corbin.
As a freshman and sophomore, Corbin’s track events were the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles. During her junior and senior years, she transitioned to distance events. It was not a hard shift since she had experience with the 5K, or 3-mile run, in cross-country.
Corbin admits that long-distance running is hard on some days. However, since she has been a competitive runner since middle school, she has worked on the mental discipline that’s necessary for success. The fact that she loves to run made it easier.
“One of the mentors I had was Dave Ellis. He was my cross-country coach in fifth grade. Then I had him as a track coach in high school. He created a good team atmosphere. One of the most challenging times I had was during my sophomore year. I got a stress fracture in my ankle, and I couldn’t compete in sectionals for track,” says Corbin.
“My favorite sport was always cross-country. I loved running outdoors and being part of the team. My junior year, I made it my goal to break my 7-minute mile. My fastest time was 6 minutes, 33 seconds. But this year I got a new appreciation for my basketball team. Coach Joe Rench did a lot for the team,” says Corbin.
During the 2025-26 season, the Lady Broncos had the highest winning record in the school’s history. Corbin achieved a personal best of her own; she scored more points as a senior than she had in previous years. However, she is considered an unselfish player and is more than willing to share the ball.
“I played whatever position Coach put me in. It was usually point guard or shooting guard, which is my favorite since you move around a lot more. I enjoyed giving my teammates the opportunity to score,” says Corbin.
The point guard and shooting guard positions have similarities and work together, yet have separate roles. A point guard in basketball is like a quarterback in football. They must make quick decisions to set up plays. Skills needed are quickness and strong ball-handling ability. As the name implies, shooting guards excel at scoring. They must be good at passing, balance and shooting.
“I like that basketball is a team sport and how competitive it is compared to other sports. A great moment for me was my sophomore year when we were sectional champions. I made the tie-breaking point to win the game; I was so happy to do that for my team,” says Corbin.
Contributing to the school community was an important aspect of Corbin’s school experience. She served as class president as well as Athletic Council president. In addition, she was involved in student media, working on the yearbook and serving on the school news team. This summer, she can be found working at the snow cone stand at the splash pad in Daleville Town Hall Park.
During the first semester of her senior year, Corbin attended Muncie Area Career Center. From that experience, she decided to pursue a career in dental hygiene.
This fall, she will attend classes at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash Campus while living at the university’s main campus. Her choice to attend UC was based on her desire to attend an out-of-state school, plus the excellent reputation of the institution’s dental hygiene program. At the present time, she is considering trying out for the women’s practice basketball team or participating in intramural sports.
“If someone asked me for advice about doing sports and activities in high school, I would tell them that if they put their mind to it, they can do it. Time management is important. So is surrounding yourself with good people,” says Corbin.
