Sean Pugh enters his fifth season with the Lions, and first as the Director of Player Engagement/Team Chaplain, in 2025. He previously served as the team's co-director of player engagement from 2021-24.
In his role, Pugh guides players in all aspects of developing life skills, pursuing off-the-field endeavors and engaging in external programming while also leading Bible studies and guiding players through a spiritual lens.
Pugh joined the Lions after spending four seasons (2017-2020) with the Purdue University football program. During his time with the Boilermakers, Pugh supported the program in a variety of roles including counseling student-athletes and coaches, leading Bible studies, organizing community service initiatives and working with student-athletes on life skills development.
Prior to his time with Purdue, Pugh worked in a similar role with his alma mater Western Kentucky's football program as the team's character coach from 2008-16. Additionally, he served as a pastor at the Hillvue Heights Church (2010-15), the Western Kentucky campus director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (2014-16) and as the lead pastor at Church on the Main (2015-16). Pugh originally started working with student athletes in the FCA's training program at Auburn between 2007-08.
A four-year letter-winner as an offensive lineman at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs twice during Pugh's career. He graduated in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and went on to earn a Master of Theology from Campbellsville University in 2014.
Pugh is married to his wife, TraShana, and together they have four daughters, ShemaYah, ZioniYah, AnaniYah and YashaYah, and two sons, Yahawadah.
