Meghan O'Conner McDonogh was elected as a Division III Representative to the IWLCA Board of Director's in 2009.
Meghan is in her fifth season at Catholic University as the head
women’s lacrosse coach. She also serves as an assistant
athletic director and compliance coordinator as well as the Senior
Woman Administrator (SWA). During McDonogh’s time at
CUA the women’s lacrosse program has achieved unparalleled
levels of success, capturing three consecutive Landmark Conference
championships and winning at least one NCAA Tournament game in each
of those seasons. In addition, the Cardinals have lost just
one Landmark Conference contest under McDonogh’s
leadership.
In 2010 CUA was forced to deal with losing one of the top players
in the entire country as All-American Kate Robinson suffered a
season ending injury. That did not stop McDonogh from guiding
the Cardinals to yet another championship and NCAA berth, however,
as they rattled off 12 wins in their final 14 games and won an NCAA
Tournament game for the third straight season. As a result of
the team’s success, nine players received All-Conference
recognition, while four were named All-Region and two earned
All-America distinction.
The 2009 season will go down as one of the most successful in
school annals as CUA posted an impressive 17-4 record and advanced
to the regional final of the NCAA Tournament with victories over
Messiah and Mary Washington.
Individually eight Cardinals earned All-Landmark Conference honors,
four received All-Region accolades and two, Kate Robinson and Mary
Swarthout, were named All-Americans. Robinson, who was also
named the Division III Midfielder of the Year, was the first-ever
women’s lacrosse student-athlete to receive first-team
All-America honors in school history.
In 2008 McDonogh and her coaching staff were named the Landmark
Conference Coaching Staff of the Year after leading the Cardinals
to 17 victories, including a perfect 5-0 mark in the conference, as
well as a spot in the NCAA regional championship.
CUA’s 21-10 victory over Goucher in the 2008 conference
championship game earned the Cardinals their first-ever berth into
the NCAA Tournament. Six players were named All-Landmark that
season, including Robinson who also earned the Player of the Year
award as well as All-America laurels.
During McDonogh’s first season in 2007, CUA tied the
then-school record for victories with 11, which included a pair of
wins over nationally ranked opponents.
McDonogh came to CUA from the University of Louisville, where she
established and ran the women’s club lacrosse program and
also began the transition of the program from a club sport to a
full varsity team. McDonogh is currently pursuing her
doctoral degree from Louisville in sport administration.
McDonogh began her coaching career at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2002 where she worked primarily with the goalkeepers and organized camps as well as high school tournaments. While at Berkeley she also held the operations manager and merchandise coordinator position with the San Jose CyberRays of the Women's United Soccer Association.
Following her time at Cal-Berkley, McDonogh spent a year at Division II Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina where she was an assistant coach and helped lead the Saints to the NCAA Final Four.
McDonogh began her lacrosse career at American University during
her junior year after playing soccer at AU as well as Syracuse
University for one season each. She graduated from American
with her B.A. in women's and gender studies in 2001.
The Atlanta, Ga., native then went on to The University of Georgia
where she received her master's degree in sport management in
2002. While at Georgia McDonogh played on and coached the UGA
club lacrosse team. During her tenure the squad was ranked as
high as second in the nation and advanced to the WDIA national
championships.
McDonogh is heavily involved in women's lacrosse at many
levels. She is a member of the U.S. Lacrosse Women's Division
Coaches Council. Previously McDonogh served as the president
of the Southeastern Women's Lacrosse League and she was also on the
USL Women’s Division Board of Governors.
