The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Names Dan McDonnell New Assistant Baseball Coach
6/22/2000 | Baseball
June 22, 2000
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss head baseball coach Mike Bianco has named Dan McDonnell as an assistant coach for the Rebels. It is the second coaching appointment in a week for Bianco, who announced Clint Carver as a new assistant on Friday.
McDonnell, who has been part of five NCAA Tournament teams as a coach and player, comes to Ole Miss after serving as an assistant the past eight seasons at the Citadel. McDonnell's duties with the Rebels will include serving as the team's recruiting coordinator and working with the infielders and baserunners. He will also coach first base.
"We took our time filling this position, and we feel like we found the right guy to help take us to the next level," Bianco said. "He is very important, because he's going to be finding the players that will build our foundation for success."
As the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at the Citadel, McDonnell worked primarily with the infielders and baserunners while assisting with the hitters. Under his guidance, the Bulldogs won four Southern Conference tournament championships and three regular season crowns. This past season, the Citadel established a new conference mark for stolen bases with 198 in 240 attempts, while junior outfielder Chris Morris led the nation in thefts with 84.
A 1992 graduate of the Citadel, McDonnell was a four-year letterwinner for the Bulldogs at second base and garnered first team All-Southern Conference honors his junior season. In 1990, he earned a spot on the All-Atlantic Regional team in Miami, Fla., in helping the Citadel become the first military school ever to participate in the College World Series. McDonnell graduated as the league's all-time leader in stolen bases (99) and the school's all-time leader in walks (185).
A native of Port Chester, N.Y., McDonnell, 30, is married to the former Julie Anne Underwood of Charlotte, N.C., and the couple has one son, Jake (1).