The Quincy Men’s Lacrosse team thought they would be entering into the spring semester and 2022 season without an assistant coach. It was a surprise to the team when they arrived back onto campus as head coach Eric Ruppel informed them that he had found their new coach, Tim Madden. The 23-year-old was born and raised in Long Island, New York. Madden was a team captain and starting defender at Wilkes University and graduated in 2020. 

“Tim has been a tremendous pick up for the Quincy Men’s Lacrosse team. His knowledge of the game, his versatility and his work ethic are going to bring us into the next level,” Eric Ruppel said. 

Madden believes himself to be a grinder. He is someone who doesn’t just want to get work done but loves to do it as well. He will never stop himself from the opportunity to help his players. Coaching positively impacts Madden when he sees the lightbulb go off in the heads of his players. When it comes to his coaching philosophies, he takes after one of the coaching greats. 

“I believe in the John Wooden things. I love to see competitive greatness out of the boys, and I am constantly trying to teach them to only focus on what they can control and failing to prepare is preparing to fail,” Madden said. 

Madden joined the Wilkes University lacrosse program as a freshman when the program was only three years old. Now he joins the QU men’s lacrosse team during its program’s third season. Joining the young program at Quincy University was nothing new for him. His experiences as a student athlete now help him connect with his current student athletes.

Madden was excited when he learned he had gained an interview to coach at QU. He was ready to leave the east coast and had done prior research on the university. After what should have been a 20-minute interview turned into an hour-long conversation about the X’s and O’s of lacrosse, he knew that this was not just a great opportunity, but something he was passionate about.

Madden has grown fond of his players and his players have grown fond of him in return. The energy he brings day to day is contagious. Madden wants to make sure that this is the best four years of the athlete’s lives, and that their moments of lacrosse are the best parts of their day. 

“Tim has been a great addition to our team as a coach. He definitely knows his stuff and is passionate about the game. He has committed a lot to us already and helped us get our first win here last weekend. I have been pretty thrilled with how he has done. It is always nice to have some east coast help when we are a pretty midwestern and western locker room,” Grayson Kuan said. 

“Tim has come into our program and really gave us a new look especially on the defensive end. He has been a good leader and somebody to look up to. He has helped us tremendously and our win on Sunday showed that,” Ryan Riggs said.

The men’s lacrosse team plays in the Great Valley Lake Conference. Conference play begins in April. The team is currently 2-1 in non-conference play this season.