McDonnell in 2015 at Spartan Stadium before a game against San Jose State | |
Biographical details | |
---|---|
Born | Saratoga Springs, New York, U.S. | October 15, 1956
Playing career | |
1975–1978 | New Hampshire |
Position(s) | Defensive back |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
1983–1984 | Hamilton (DC) |
1985–1987 | Boston University (WR/TE) |
1988 | Boston College (GA) |
1989–1990 | Columbia (OLB) |
1991–1993 | New Hampshire (WR/QB) |
1994–1998 | New Hampshire (OC) |
1999–2018 | New Hampshire |
2020–2021 | New Hampshire |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 157–104 |
Tournaments | 14–14 (NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs) |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
1 A-10 (2005) 1 CAA (2014) 2 A-10 North Division (2004–2005) 2 CAA North Division (2008–2009) | |
Awards | |
2× Eddie Robinson Award (2005, 2014) | |
Sean Patrick McDonnell (born October 15, 1956) is a retired college football coach and former player, best known for his tenure as head football coach at the University of New Hampshire.
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McDonnell, nicknamed "Coach Mac", served as the head football coach of the New Hampshire Wildcats football program from 1999 to 2021. [1] From August 2019 to March 2020, took a leave of absence for medical reasons, with associate head coach Ricky Santos acting as interim head coach for the 2019 season. [2] McDonnell returned to coaching in March 2020. [3] McDonnell announced his retirement on December 1, 2021, at the conclusion of his 30th year as a coach for New Hampshire and 23rd year as head coach of the program. [4] [5]
McDonnell won the Eddie Robinson Award in 2005 and 2014, which is given annually to the top head coach in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). [6] McDonnell ranks third all-time in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) victories. He ranks second all-time in wins at New Hampshire, only behind the College Football Hall of Fame inductee he once coached under, Bill Bowes. McDonnell is one of 13 FCS coaches with over 150 wins all-time as a head coach, and also had six wins versus Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents. McDonnell coached as players or had as assistants multiple people who went on to become college football head coaches, including: Ryan Day (Ohio State), Chip Kelly (UCLA), Joe Conlin (Fordham), Tony Trisciani (Elon), Dan Curran (Merrimack), Mike Lichten (University of New England), Ryan Carty (University of Delaware) and his successor at New Hampshire, Ricky Santos. McDonnell has two sons. He lives with his wife in Durham, New Hampshire.
The New Hampshire Wildcats, or 'Cats, are the American intercollegiate athletic teams representing the University of New Hampshire (UNH), located in Durham. The wildcat is the school's official mascot, the colors are UNH Blue and white. The University of New Hampshire competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a full member of the America East Conference, and sponsors teams in seven men's, eleven women's and one coed NCAA sanctioned sports. However, the men's and women's hockey teams are members of Hockey East, the gymnastics team is a member of the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL), and the ski team is a member of the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA). The football team plays as an associate member of the Coastal Athletic Association in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, the second tier of Division I formerly known as Division I-AA.
Ricky Santos is an American former gridiron football quarterback who is currently the head coach for the New Hampshire Wildcats football team. He played college football at New Hampshire, and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2008.
The New Hampshire Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of New Hampshire. The Wildcats compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). The team plays its home games at the 11,000 seat Wildcat Stadium in Durham, New Hampshire, and are led by head coach Ricky Santos.
The 2009 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire during the 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season. New Hampshire competede as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) under head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Cowell Stadium. They won the North Division of the CAA with a 9–2 record.
The Colonial Clash was an annual college football rivalry game played between the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) and the University of New Hampshire (UNH). The two teams first played each other in 1897, and met annually from 1952 through 2011. The rivalry was branded as the Colonial Clash beginning in 2010. In 2012, UMass transitioned to the Football Bowl subdivision (FBS) of NCAA Division I, leaving the future of the rivalry in question. In 74 playings, UMass has won 43 games, UNH has won 28 games, and there have been three ties. Beginning with the 1986 playing, the MVP of the game was awarded the Bill Knight Trophy.
The 2011 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Wildcats were led by 13th-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Cowell Stadium. They are a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 8–4, 6–2 in CAA play to finish in a three-way tie for second place. They received an at-large bid into the FCS playoffs where they lost in the second round to Montana State.
The Battle for the Brice–Cowell Musket is the rivalry between the Maine Black Bears and the New Hampshire Wildcats. Both schools are members of CAA Football, the legally separate football league operated by the multi-sports Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Through the 2022 season, the two teams have met 113 times on the football field, with New Hampshire currently holding a 59–46–8 edge in the all-time series.
The 2014 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 16th-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Cowell Stadium. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). They finished the season 12–2, 8–0 in CAA play to win the CAA championship. They earned the CAA's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Fordham in the second round and Chattanooga in the quarterfinals before losing to Illinois State in the semifinals.
The 2010 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Wildcats were led by 12th-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Cowell Stadium in Durham, New Hampshire. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 8–5, 5–3 in CAA play. They received an at-large bid into the FCS playoffs where they lost in the quarterfinals to Delaware.
The 2008 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Wildcats were led by 10th-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Cowell Stadium in Durham, New Hampshire. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 10–3, 6–2 in CAA play. They received an at-large bid into the FCS playoffs where they lost in the quarterfinals to Northern Iowa.
The 2007 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Wildcats were led by ninth-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Cowell Stadium in Durham, New Hampshire. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 7–5, 4–4 in CAA play. They received an at-large bid into the FCS playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Northern Iowa.
The 2006 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2006 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Wildcats were led by eight-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Cowell Stadium in Durham, New Hampshire. They were a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) and moved to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) following the conclusion of the season. They finished the season 9–4 overalla nd 5–3 in A–10 play. They received an at-large bid into the FCS playoffs where they lost in the quarterfinals to UMass.
The 2017 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 19th-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Wildcat Stadium. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 9–5, 5–3 in CAA play to finish in a tie for fourth place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Central Connecticut and Central Arkansas before losing in the quarterfinals to South Dakota State.
The 2018 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 20th-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Wildcat Stadium. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 4–7, 3–5 in CAA play to finish in ninth place.
The 2019 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by interim head coach Ricky Santos, due to longtime head coach Sean McDonnell taking a leave of absence for medical reasons. The team played their home games at Wildcat Stadium. The Wildcats finished the season 6–5 overalla nd 5–3 in CAA play to tie for third place.
The 2005 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire during the 2005 NCAA Division I-AA football season. It was the program's 111th season and they finished as Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) co-champions with Richmond after posting a 7–1 record in conference play. The Wildcats earned a berth as the #1 seed into the 16-team Division I-AA playoffs, but were upset in the quarterfinals by Northern Iowa, 21–24. New Hampshire was led by seventh-year head coach Sean McDonnell.
The 2020 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The team was led by 21st-year head coach Sean McDonnell following his leave of absence due to medical reasons during the 2019 season. The Wildcats have played their home football games at Wildcat Stadium since 1936, and have competed in college football as an associate member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) since 2007.
The 2000 New Hampshire Wildcats football team was an American football team that represented the University of New Hampshire as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In its second year under head coach Sean McDonnell, the team compiled a 6–5 record and finished in a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Kevin Decker is an American college football coach and former player. He is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Old Dominion Monarchs football team.