Twin-sanity: Bo & Hattie Madden’s Journey to Syracuse

By Max Gifford | @GiffMD

Two peas in a pod, Double trouble, or two hearts beating as one, is just a couple of ways people describe identical twins. Look no further than Syracuse field hockey’s Bo and Hattie Madden. The twin sisters hailing from Lancashire, England, are as close as two people can be. They can speak in unison, they finish each other’s sentences, and expectedly, they chose the same career.

Ever since the two could pick up a field hockey stick, the Maddens have played nearly every single game together. Even as mirror images of each other, there is one variation of the twins on the pitch.

“Our differences are where we play,” Hattie said. Obviously Bo’s more defense and I’m more attack.”

I kind of moved Bo back [from attack], I suppose,” Nick Davey, Madden’s former head coach said. “She’s still potentially slightly frustrated. She probably deep down knows that defense is her best position, but she probably also still likes to go and show Hattie that she can still attack as well. They were really, really, driven to try and beat each other. With that, I then moved Hattie into a kind of high midfield [position].”

Coyne Stadium wasn’t the first destination of the Brits, though. Originally committed to St Joseph’s University, the girls were led to the 315 by the original head coach that recruited her, who just happened to be the new head coach hired for Syracuse field hockey.

“She cares about each person and them as people rather than just how you are going to make Syracuse hockey win,” Hattie said.

“With all of our relationships we really value, and then when you get sisters who are incredibly competitive and then they’re pretty funny, too,” Head Coach Lynn Farquhar said.

“They’re honest girls. And if someone were to commit to them, then they’re 100% committed to that person, too…I know for a fact that people do need to watch out. They obviously are identical twins. And I know for a fact that they have impersonated each other at various events. You know, when one person was meant to be talking and maybe didn’t fancy it that day.”