Dan McDonnell is the head baseball coach at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky, and is entering his 21st season leading the Cardinals. Louisville hired him on June 27, 2006, as the program's 18th head coach, and less than a year later he had the team on the field in Omaha for the 2007 College World Series. That immediate breakthrough made him the first first-year head coach in 27 years to take a team to the College World Series, and he was recognized as a national coach of the year by Rivals after guiding Louisville to what was then a school-record 47 victories.
Across his first 20 seasons at Louisville, McDonnell built one of the most successful runs in the program's history. The Cardinals ranked sixth nationally in total wins during that span with 823, and his career winning percentage stood at .681, fifth among active Division I coaches following the 2026 season. Louisville reached the College World Series six times under his direction, advancing to Omaha in 2007, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2025. The program also made 10 NCAA Super Regionals and 14 NCAA Regionals during his tenure, while winning 10 regular-season conference championships and two conference tournament titles.
