HAVERFORD – Sarah Madigan was honored Thursday evening with the William W. Ambler '45 Award, presented by the Haverford College Department of Athletics to the senior student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average.
Ambler honorees must have participated and started in at least one sport throughout their college career, and have demonstrated commitment, sportsmanship and leadership. Madigan is a member of the Haverford College women's squash team.
Sarah Madigan
Hometown: Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.
Major: English
Minor: French
Sport: Women's Squash
Coach: Niki Clement
Advisors: Maud McInerney, Christina Zwarg
Faculty Liaisons: Jesse Lytle, Joel Yurdin
When looking at colleges to continue her education, Sarah Madigan focused on many of the same qualities that make Haverford so attractive to any prospective student. "I came to Haverford for its environment and academics, which have their roots in the philosophy of the Honor Code. The academics are challenging and the people are kind, considerate, and motivated. That's exactly what I wanted."
A soccer player during her high school career, Madigan quickly came to find those same characteristics could be found on the squash courts at Haverford College. "I had never played squash before coming to Haverford. I remember that Samara Flug '15 posted on the Facebook group for my class the summer before my freshman year asking if anyone was interested in joining."
"I knew that I was going to miss having the commitment and competition that comes with being part of a sports team, but I also wanted to try something new. As soon as I came to Haverford, Samara got in touch again because she remembered that I was interested," explained Madigan. "She introduced me to the coach, Niki Clement, and set me up to start learning the basics with the captain, Randee Johnson '13. A few weeks later, I was on the team!"
"It is this kind of generosity and openness that Samara, Randee, Niki, and everybody on the team demonstrated that solidified my decision to join. Four other freshmen joined that year, three of whom were also walking on like me. All five of us have been very close friends ever since."
In a moment she will never forget, Madigan once again felt the warmth and support of her teammates at the College Squash Association National Team Championship. Playing against Boston College and trailing 2-0, Madigan rallied to force a decisive fifth game. Although the back-and-forth final game of her career ultimately went to her opponent during a lengthy 18-16 battle, the match will be remembered for something much greater to Madigan.
"Everybody, including my mom, was watching and cheering me on," tells Madigan. "The match result was of course disappointing and upsetting for me, and I am still replaying specific points from the match in my head. But I had a great match: the points were long, I was poised, and I could feel the support from the team and my mom off court. And I was exhausted; I had put everything I could into that match. Losing that match was very frustrating, but I've learned to separate the outcome of the match from the rest of the match and everything leading up to it. The match was about something more than simply winning: it exemplified the work I'd been putting into myself as a player over the course of my time at Haverford, and I appreciate that so much."
Madigan's final moments on the court went hand-in-hand with what she describes as her greatest athletic achievement at Haverford in that, "I was simply able to start squash in college and enjoy seeing the extent to which my squash game has changed and improved over the last four years. I learned how to swing, what the proper footwork and movement on court were like, began gradually putting more pace on the ball, and started using more strategy on court. I've gotten more aware of how my mind affects everything my body is doing, which has been applicable both on and off court."
"Sarah Madigan began her squash career at Haverford with the utmost diligence and determination, as well as a true respect for the game. This is why she improved so quickly and consistently, and why her teammates spoke of wanting to emulate her performance on the squash court," said head coach Niki Clement. "I knew that whether we were at a match or practice, Sarah would bring everything she had, and take in every piece of advice or guidance we gave to her. She is an incredibly passionate, hard-working and tactically intelligent squash player with a natural athleticism that we were lucky to have had."
Outside of squash, Madigan has found the time to maintain work study positions as a Student Receptionist at the Dean's Office and a Student Assistant at the Provost's Office. On top of this list of activities, Madigan also studied abroad at Oxford University where she studied both English and French at Pembroke College. She sums up that experience by saying, "It was a very different environment from the one I found at Haverford but this turned out to be positive because it allowed me to grow both academically and socially. Writing essays at Oxford helped me find a stronger voice academically and personally."
That voice has certainly left a lasting impact on the Haverford faculty. "Sarah is an extraordinary student, one who does not often speak in the classroom, but one whose comments, when she does, are always transformative," commented her advisor, Associate Professor in the Department of English, Maud McInerney. "Her intelligence is as astonishing as her modesty, and she knows how to create genuinely beautiful prose."
What may seem like a hectic four years to most, seemingly fit right into Madigan's schedule and helped her succeed in all areas of her life. "I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so being an athlete helps me step away from my work for a few hours, giving me perspective on my to-do list. I love the routine of getting to play squash every day because it means that I am going to gain from the positivity of seeing my teammates and coach and having a fantastic workout."
As for the future, Madigan will be attending law school next year – a prospect she is very enthused about.