Indiana All-Star (1982)

Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Silver Anniversary Team (2004)

• A THREE-SPORT ATHLETE, PARTICIPATING IN TRACK, VOLLEYBALL, AND BASKETBALL, WHERE SHE MADE HER MARK.

• MEMBER OF THE ONLY TWO GIRLS BASKETBALL SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS IN SCHOOL HISTORY.

• HONORABLE MENTION ALL-STATE HER SENIOR YEAR.

• THE 5-6 SENIOR GUARD LEAD HER TEAM AVERAGING A DOUBLE-DOUBLE, 19.2 POINTS AND 12 REBOUNDS PER GAME. HER SINGLE GAME SCORING HIGH CAME AGAINST GREENSBURG, 32 POINTS.

MELANIE CHOSE EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY TO CONTINUE HER BASKETBALL CAREER FOLLOWING HER GRADUATION FROM LAWRENCEBURG. SHE EARNED A 4-YEAR FULL SCHOLARSHIP TO PLAY FOR THE PANTHERS AND COACH BOBBIE HILKE. SHE GOT OFF TO A QUICK START, WORKING HER WAY INTO THE FIRST FIVE AS A FRESHMAN. STARTING 17 GAMES THAT SEASON, FINISHED AS THE 4TH LEADING SCORER, AND NIMBER THREE IN REBOUNDING. HER SEASON HIGHS…22 POINTS VERSUS ST. JOSEPHS, AND 15 BOARDS AGAINST CHICAGO STATE.

HATFIELD LED THE PANTHERS IN STEALS HER SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR AND SENIOR SEASONS, WITH 65, 70, AND 116 RESPECTIVELY. THE 116 MARK RANKS 4TH ALL TIME AT E-I-U FOR A ONE SEASON. SHE NOTCHED A SINGLE GAME RECORD FOR THIEVERY ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 1985. SHE TOOK AWAY THE ORANGE 11 TIMES FROM THE WISCONSIN BADGERS. THE RECORD STILL STANDS TODAY.

1986, HER SENIOR SEASON, WAS THE COMING OUT PARTY FOR MELANIE AT EASTERN, CANNING 496 POINTS, AVERAGING 17,7 POINTS PER GAME, AND HANDING OUT 127 ASSISTS, ALSO A TEAM HIGH. THE 441 FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS ARE SIXTH ALL-TIIME. HER 209 FIELD GOALS MADE, ARE EIGHTH BEST FOR A SINGLE CAMPAIGN.

LAWRENCEBURG PRODUCT ALSO LED THE PANTHERS IN FREE THROWS MADE WITH 78. HER FREE THROW PERCENTAGE WAS A TEAM BEST FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR. SHE ALSO LED THE SQUAD IN BLOCKS WITH EIGHT.

ALL THAT GREAT PLAY EARNED HER A SPOT ON THE 1986 GATEWAY ALL CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM.

FOR HER COLLEGIATE CAREER, MELANIE HATFIELD STANDS NUMBER TEN AMONG THE ALL-TIME SCORING LEADERS AT EASTERN ILLINOIS, WITH 1389 POINTS. THE 296 STEALS ARE THE SECOND MOST. SHE RANKS EIGHTH IN FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS WITH 1238, AND 588 FIELD GOALS MADE.

MELANIE’S LIFE AFTER COLLEGE HAS CENTERED AROUND CHILDREN. WORKING FOR THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES FOR OVER 23 YEARS. HER LIFE HASN’T BEEN DEVOID OF BASKETBALL EITHER, SHE AND HER HUSBAND, WARREN HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS, MEGAN, 26, AND JESSICA, 23, WHO ALSO EARNED SCHOLARSHIPS TO PLAY HOOPS COLLEGIATELY…JUST LIKE MOM.