« Baseball 2018

Phil Madonna

School
Siena College
Position
Catcher
Major
Finance

Classroom

Phil Madonna entered his final collegiate semester with a solid 3.17 cumulative GPA while majoring in finance. A Siena College Presidential Scholar, he was named to the Dean’s List after accruing a 3.7 GPA last fall and earned inclusion on the MAAC All-Academic Team in 2016. Madonna has also served as a Saints Supporting Saints academic tutor since last fall.

Character

Madonna has been selected as a team captain each of the past two seasons. He has been a member of Siena’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee for the last two years and currently serves as SAAC President. He has also spent the previous two years on the Saints Leadership Academy. Says Head Coach Tony Rossi of his character: “The most influential way to show commitment to your team is to go beyond what is required by your coach and put in extra work. Work on your skills by coming to practice early or staying late. Give 110 percent effort at practice every time. Others will see your effort, and you will be leading by example. This is Phil Madonna. Phil has always had positive attitude, and his optimism is contagious. If a teammate needs assistance with something, Phil has always been there to offer help. Even by doing the least little thing, you can show that you care about the team, and you will motivate others to do the same. I believe that this is a trait Phil has. We all make mistakes. Phil has shown character by taking responsibility for his. Phil is the classic underachiever athletically who has made good. He came in as a walk-on and worked his way into being a starter and earning a scholarship. He has shown his teammates what it takes to be a winner. His teammates look up to him and, I believe, follow him. Character personified!”

Community

Madonna has been an active, engaged and self-motivated participant in numerous Siena Athletics “Saint in the Community” initiatives throughout his four years. He participated in Give Kids the World, which provided meals to families of children in Orlando with life-threatening conditions, and coordinated a Siena College campus-wide food drive, Hurricane clothing drive and Toys for Tots Drive. He has also served as a Siena College Mass Lecturer for the past three years and as a Chaplain’s Office Retreat leader since the spring of 2016. Along with his teammates, he has made three visits to cook dinner and spend time with residents at the local Ronald McDonald House and has been a part of Latham Circle TOPPS, which helps children with disabilities learn how to play soccer.

Competition

A former walk-on, Madonna was one of just 85 catchers nationally named to the 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List. He was selected to the MAAC All-Tournament Team as a sophomore after hitting 7-15 in four contests to help lead the Saints to the Championship series. He hit .300 as a sophomore, and .275 during his junior year. Defensively, the Saints’ backstop has posted a .988 career fielding percentage and has thrown out 24 percent of would-be base stealers.