Wayne State University Athletics

Ken Madeja, a four-year member of the baseball squad at Wayne State, has been selected for induction into WSU's Athletic Hall of Fame. The Dearborn Heights native graduated from Riverside High School in 1970 before enrolling at Wayne State University. Madeja, as a freshman in 1971, played in 33 games. He led the team in eight offensive categories and set then-WSU single-season school marks with 30 hits, 60 total bases and six home runs, while tying the triples mark with four. He had a .577 slugging percentage. As a junior in 1973, he led the squad in six offensive categories setting then single-season marks with 30 runs scored, 16 extra-base hits and 31 walks, while equaling the then-season records for home runs (6), doubles (8) and total bases (60) in a season. His .606 slugging percentage was the fourth highest Wayne State mark at that time. At the completion of his collegiate career in 1974, he ranked first in career runs scored (73), runs batted in (72), home runs (14), doubles (20), extra-base hits (43) and total bases (175). He was second in at bats (353), hits (95), triples (9) and games played (120). He was selected to Outstanding College Athletes of America in 1971 and 1973 and was named to the Adray League All-Star teams in 1970 and 1971. Madeja was the 1972 batting champion of the Detroit Summer College League. He earned a bachelor of science in education from Wayne State in 1975. Following his collegiate career, Madeja was an assistant baseball coach at Bishop Borgess High School in 1976, then served as head varsity basketball coach at Dearborn St. Alphonsus from 1977-79. He managed the West Seven Youth Baseball team which won state, regional and national championships from 1976-78. In 1978 he was hired by the Detroit Tigers as an Area Scout. He scouted for Detroit through the 1987 season. During that time he signed four major leaguers including seven-time all-star and Cy Young Award winner John Smoltz. In 1988 he was hired by the Seattle Mariners as an Area Scout and is currently the Midwest Scouting Coordinator. With Seattle, he has signed 11 major leaguers including two-time all-star and owner of a no-hitter in Derek Lowe. He was named Topps Baseball Scout of the Month in 1988 and 1994. Madeja was also selected as Seattle Mariners Scout of the Year in 2003. He is on the ballot for Major League Baseball Scout of the Year. He resides in Novi with his wife Deborah, a 1975 WSU graduate, and their two children, Mark and Lauren.