Adam Sweeney hasn’t forgotten his Madison roots.
The 2011 graduate played sports for the Blue Streaks. He moved on to play Division I basketball, and has been an assistant coach at various college programs.
Now, Sweeney will get to lead his own program.
He takes over as men’s basketball coach for Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida.
“Going through high school, I wanted to be a basketball coach,” Sweeney said.
He credits his high school coach Pat Moran for his innovation years ago.
“As I look back, you want the 3-point shot, layups and free throws, coach Moran was ahead of his time,” Sweeney said. “We’re talking 15 years ago. He was teaching us things that didn’t come to basketball in the last 10 years. He was a good example.”
Sweeney has extensive experience in basketball over the years.
He joins Gulf Coast after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.
Prior to that, Sweeney served as the top assistant coach at Northwest Florida State College during two separate stints.
While there, he helped guide the program to a 117-22 record, multiple conference and regional championships, and a 2023 national runner-Up finish. He also served as an assistant coach at New Mexico Junior College from 2021-2022.
At Gardner-Webb, Sweeney completed his undergraduate degree in mathematics in 2015. After graduation, he joined the school’s staff as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons. Sweeney completed his master’s in sport pedagogy in 2017.
He also played basketball for the Bulldogs.
“I tried to be a Division I basketball player,” he said. “It’s not easy walking on. If I wanted to be part of the team, I’d have to be a student-manager through the end of the season [in 2011].”
Sweeney earned a spot on the team the next season, and played in 12 games over the next two years.
The Commodores compete in the Panhandle Conference of the Florida State College Activities Association, a body of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 8.
“I got to go against so many good coaches and observe what they do,” Sweeney said. “How they adjust and counter and their attention to detail. I loved the development. In college, you live together, eat together. I’m fortunate to have good coaches at Gardner-Webb, who had the confidence I could do it.”
One of those coaches was Moran, who is glad for Sweeney.
“Adam always showed the characteristics of a coach since a young age,” Moran said. “As a player, he was the coach on the floor during games and practice.”
Moran said this is a great step for Madison athletics.
“It’s always a feather in your cap when someone you teach or coach becomes a teacher or coach,” he said.
Last season, Gulf Coast State College went 28-7 overall, and advanced to the FCSAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship, losing to Daytona State College 79-67 in a semifinal game.
“We’ve been a sleeping giant over the years,” Sweeney said.
Sweeney currently has eight players, but he wants to add four or five more.
None of the players are from the state of Florida.
“We’re going to build the roster with a blend of transfers and freshman,” he said. “We’re looking for kids who want to held accountable.”
Sweeney said the school is able to recruit around the world.
“We have players from Toronto, Paris and Lagos, Nigeria” he said. “It’s becoming more of an appeal for international players. We’re being selective with guys we like.”
Sweeney said the school is able to offer full scholarships, which he hopes will be a boon.
“Basketball has been better to me than I thought,” he said. “It’s been awesome.”
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