Sean Madden (Dunmore, Pa./Bishop O'hara) isn't your typical student athlete. The senior from Bishop O'Hara High School in Dunmore Pa, is only one of a handful at Wilkes University who plays two sports while taking 15 credits in an effort to obtain his degree in History. Not only has he participated in two sports, but has excelled in both. Madden has been a household name for three years both on the football field as well as the golf course – two sports that couldn't be any different from one another.

During the fall, he spends his afternoons putting on his football gear, running through drills, tackling anything that may come his way, but in the spring, he enjoys relaxing peaceful afternoons on the golf course playing the game at his own speed. “Golf is relaxing. Some people get so stressed when playing, but when you are on the course, it's just you and one other person, sometimes three others, but it's just you and the ball. Nothing else matters,” Madden said.

One would think taking a full course load of classes along with playing a sport in the fall and a sport in the spring would be taxing, which it is, but Madden is taking everything in stride. “There is definitely more stress playing football. As far as managing my time, it can be overwhelming. I just make sure I get all my schoolwork done first and worry about practice second.”

Although he will leave a lasting impression on the university, Wilkes was not his first choice. Madden attended Iona College for his first semester of his freshman year where he was a scholarship player on the Gaels football team which is an NCAA Division I-AA program. Two years after he left the school it dropped the program. “I Started as a special teams player and by the third week I was starting at linebacker,” Madden said. He even thought briefly about trying a third sport – basketball, but never got his chance. “I thought about playing basketball there, but the coach told me I was too small so that pretty much ended that idea.”

Prior to making his collegiate choice, Madden was also recruited by Wilkes head football coach Frank Sheptock to play running back for the Colonels. “I eventually chose to come to Wilkes because I originally wanted to play running back. I knew that if I went there, I would have a better chance of playing what I wanted to play and have the opportunity to play in front of my family and friends.”

For two seasons Madden was not only a staple on the offensive side of the ball, but was a force on special teams as well. As a sophomore and junior he appeared in 19 games where he gained 187 yards on 66 carries and scored two touchdowns for the Colonels. That all changed the summer before his senior year was about to start.

“Coach called me during the summer and asked what I thought about playing defense. It was weird at first, but the coaches took it slow with me and I slowly but surely learned the defense,” Madden said. The decision paid off for both Sheptock and Madden. He appeared and started in every game as a safety where he was second on the team in tackles with 78 and all but 27 were solo take downs. He was not only able to cover receivers with two interceptions and two breakups, but was a pass rushing threat with one-and-a-half sacks. So much for a learning curve.

“We were looking at our overall talent pool and thought we were deeper in some areas than others, especially at running back. I didn't want to use multiple backs and looking at that, we started to think about which player would be best to move over that would help us on the defensive side of the ball. Sean exhibited that to us in his ability to play all facets of the game,” Sheptock said.

After just one season playing defense, he wouldn't have had it any other way. “I prefer to play defense. On offense you can make a huge impact when you make a touchdown. The problem is, everybody is expecting you to score every time you touch the ball. On defense, you can make that big play that turns the game around.”

One would think Madden is a soft-spoken, lead by example player on the football field after playing an entire semester of golf, but that is far from the truth. “I definitely open my mouth on the field. When you make that big hit on a guy, you have to let him know. When you make a big hit or a sack or any sort of a big play, you have to let that other team know. I remember a play at Christopher Newport where a kid ran a fly down the left sideline and I came up right behind him and gave him a good shot. When he got up I told him I was gonna be there all day.”

Now that football is over, Madden will “transform” into the cool and quiet silent golfer that carries his golf bag for numerous miles throughout the season on the course. Even though he may not be running down receivers or quarterbacks for two hours on a Saturday, golf tournaments can be just as taxing. “A lot of people don't realize we have to carry our own bags. Some of the courses we play are very hilly. If you aren't in shape, it takes a toll on you,” said Madden.

Madden's success on the golf course has even surprised Sheptock. “Over the summer he was putting up some phenomenal scores on the golf course. I am sure there isn't another golfer out there at any level that can run the 40 that he can and that is strong as he is.”

Now that football is over, it is a bitter-sweet feeling for the senior who wore No. 34 for the Colonel football team. “I am glad there is a break right now. It gives me a chance to heal, a chance to get back into the weight room. I will miss football, but now I have to get my mind ready for golf. Playing in the spring really takes the edge off. It's such a peaceful time.”

Madden and the rest of the Colonel golf team will open the spring season on April 1 at the Moravian Invitational in Bethlehem. There, he will have the same goals that he has had in football as well – to be the best. “My goal every time is to have the lowest score in my group. That definitely carries over each time you play. If you have the lowest score, it gives the team a chance to win the overall match.”

“He's a competitor. What I like that he brought to the golf team was a sense of 'team'. He brings that team aspect and I think that is from playing football. It has made the group cohesive,” head golf coach Guy Rothery said. “He's a natural athlete. Football and golf are polar opposites. Very rarely do you find kids that play football and golf.”

It is rare to find somebody that has the mind set of wanting to take somebody's head off on the football field but also have the ability to have pin point accuracy and touch on the golf course. “Not only can he play hard-nosed football, but he also has a soft touch around the green.

“Golf is a very concentrated calmness. You have to be relaxed up there. There is really no offense or defense in golf, it's all you. Sometimes you have to hit the ball 250 yards and sometimes it's two yards,” Rothery said.

It's not surprising that his favorite pro athletes in both football and golf are similar to himself. Madden is a die-hard Steelers fan and his two favorite players are Troy Polamalu and James Harrison, two of the best defensive players in the NFL. On the flip side, Anthony Kim is his favorite golfer. “He's young and very athletic. I like the fact that every time he swings the club, he tries to hit it as far as he can, but prides himself on being accurate. That is how I approach my game,” Madden said.

Even though he has been playing football nearly his entire life, he picked up golf in middle school and has been playing ever since. Some of his fondest memories while at Wilkes have been while playing on the golf team. “Going down to Georgia for spring break is an experience. It is a whole other world over there. When you play courses all the time here, you don't realize what it's like to play other places. I will always remember those two trips to Georgia.

“I've gained a lot of friendships. I think me and the coaches have become a lot closer throughout the years. It has been a great experience for me. Moving from offense to defense, I have made some really good friends on both sides of the ball. We have won some close games and lost some close games. Overall, I am glad I made the decision to go here.”

Not only will he leave Wilkes University with a diploma in tow, but will have left his mark on two programs in such a way that not many have done while donning a Colonel uniform. “I know he excels in both areas (football and golf). He is a very dynamic young man and versatile as well. He has confidence in anything he does. He is very diverse and is the epitome of the type of person we want coming out of our program,” head football coach Frank Sheptock said.