Faith and soccer. Both played a key role in DJ Madigan’s recent path to a scholarship offer. The Makua Lani student-athlete signed to play soccer at Multnomah University, a christian university in Portland earlier this week.
However, the university was not originally on his chosen path. In fact, it wasn’t even in sight. The soccer standout originally had plans to either go to England and play for York Saint John University or go to California and play for Saint Mary’s. Both were very appealing options.
Saint Mary’s offered a substantial academic scholarship to Madigan that would have covered $42k a year in expenses.
The coaches at York Saint John found Madigan online and up until about a week ago, it was his primary focus, all he was waiting on was for the admissions office to get back to him. But Madigan added that the choice never seemed quite right to him.
That all changed about a week ago when a new path presented itself out of nowhere thanks to an unexpected email.
“About a week ago I had to give a speech in Biblical Leadership class. The speech was about how God opens and closes doors,” Madigan said. “Right after class I went online to check my email and there was a message from a coach from Multnomah University offering me a 33-percent athletic scholarship. He wanted me to sign a letter of intent and after talking to a couple of the coaches I decided that it would be a great fit.”
Madigan is expected to take on a similar role at Multnomah, which also has the mascot of a Lion, just like Makua Lani.
“They have me playing an attacking midfield position,” Madigan said. “The team is not really rebuilding but they are looking to replace several seniors. I love being able to create plays and score.”
For Madigan, soccer brings out his best when the pressure is on the most, as shown in his game winning goal in Makua Lani’s overtime play-in game to reach the state tournament this past season. To play at the next level means a lot to the four-year standout.
“I have been playing my entire life, and I am always training and working to get better on my own time,” Madigan said. “I love the pressure of performing. It drives me and motivates me. When everyone is watching, it makes me focus on what I am doing even more.”
Madigan has attended Makua Lani since he was in elementary school and had nothing but praise for the school.
“It has been an amazing journey, athletically, spiritually, and have I nothing but thanks to give to all those who supported me,” Madigan said. “Playing for Alex Dong, he is an amazing person. He came in my freshman year and had never coached before. Though he may not have been the best coach, or most knowledgeable, he never gave up and always strived to do better. He wanted to get us to states, and we put in the hard work and it finally payed off this year.”
Dong is excited for his star pupil and believes he will do well at the next level.
“I am looking forward to it,” Dong said. “He was approached by a few schools and he felt it was finally time to make a decision and start planning. It is exciting to see any of my students go on to college and it is double so as a coach. He will do really well there.”
Madigan, who also played for the Kona Crush, plans on earning a degree in kinesiology, a degree that his chosen school just added to its curriculum. Multnomah plays in the NAIA.
