Catholic University of America

Donohue Highlights

• Three Landmark Conference championships (2012, 2013, 2015)
• Seven NCAA Tournament appearances (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2022, 2024, 2025)
• Two ECAC Tournament appearances (2011, 2014)
• One ECAC championship (2014)
• Four-time Landmark Conference Coach of the Year (2014, 2020, 2021, 2024)
• 2024 WBCA National Coach of the Year Shortlist
• School-record 27 wins in 2012-13
• Eight 20-win seasons (2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2016-17, 2019-20, 2021-22, 2023-24, 2024-25)
• One D3hoop.com Regional Player of the Year (Anna Scoblick, 2024)
• 4 LC Players of the Year (Jill Woerner, 2013; Emily Grabiak, 2014; Michelle DeSantis, 2017; Anna Scoblick, 2024)
• 3 LC Defensive Player of the Year (Amanda Johnson, 2021; Amanda Johson, 2022; Anna Scoblick, 2025)
• 2 LC Rookies of the Year (Jill Woerner, 2010; Rachel Bussanich, 2020)
• 3 LC All-Decade Team members (Jill Woerner, Emily Grabiak, Michelle DeSantis)
• 4 WBCA All-Americans (Anna Scoblick, HM; Amanda Johnson, HM; Michelle DeSantis, HM; Jill Woerner, 1st Team)
• 4 D3hoops All-Americans (Anna Scoblick, 4th Team; Michelle DeSantis, 4th Team; Emily Grabiak, HM; Jill Woerner, 4th Team)
• 10 D3hoops All-Region Selections (6 1st Team, 2 2nd Team, 2 3rd Team)
• 39 all-conference selections (19 1st Team, 19 2nd Team, 1 HM)
• 1 CoSIDA/CSC Academic All-America selections (Jill Woerner, 3rd Team)
• 13 CoSIDA/CSC Academic All-District selections

The Catholic women's basketball program leader in wins, Donohue enters his 18th season as the head women's basketball coach in 2025-26.

Donohue has totaled 439 career wins and has led his teams to 11 20-win seasons. Donohue reached 300 wins at Catholic during the 2024-25 season, leading his teams to eight seasons with 20 or more wins with the program.

A four-time Landmark Conference Coach of the Year, Donohue has coached 39 all-conference selections, including four Players of the Year, three Defensive Players of the Year and two Rookie of the Year honorees. Three of Donohue's players were named to the Landmark All-Decade Team (2010-2019), the most of any school in the conference. With Donohue at the helm, the program has seen 10 all-region selections and eight All-America nods. 

Donohue's squad put together a solid season in 2025, finishing 24-5 and making it to the Landmark Conference Championship game for the fifth time in the past six years. Catholic remained ranked in both the WBCA and D3Hoops.com polls throughout the season, reaching as high as number 15 in the country. The Cardinals earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament after falling to No. 4 Scranton in the conference championship and were picked as a host site for the First and Second Round for the second time in program history. Catholic's season came to a close in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament when they fell to SUNY Geneseo 74-63. Anna Scoblick earned Landmark Defensive Player of the Year and was named a WBCA Honorable Mention All-American for her efforts during the season. 

Donohue added his fourth career Landmark Coach of the Year honor in 2024 as the Cardinals went on a historic run, finishing 26-3, just one win shy of the all-time program record set in 2012-13. Catholic reached as high as #8 in both the D3hoops and WBCA polls as it won its first 20 contests. Despite falling in the Landmark Conference title game to #7 Scranton, Catholic was selected as an at-large team in the NCAA Tournament, defeating Penn State Behrend before falling in the Second Round to #19 Washington & Lee. Catholic won its second-ever NCAA Tournament contest in 2024 and its first since 2013. 

In 2022, Donohue led the Cardinals to their sixth 20-win season under his direction and the program's fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. Catholic produced a record of 20-6, earning an at-large big to the NCAA Tournament, and senior Amanda Johnson earned her second-straight Landmark Conference Defensive Player of the Year award.

Donohue earned his third Landmark Conference Coach of the Year award and second consecutive in 2021 after leading the Cardinals to the conference championship game for the seventh time in the last 10 seasons. Amanda Johnson was also named the league's Defensive Player of the Year and an Honorable Mention All-American.

In 2018-19, Donohue earned his 200th victory at Catholic on Jan. 23, 2019 with an 83-58 victory over Goucher at home. A year earlier, he picked up his 300th career win as the Cardinals upset No. 24 Marymount (Va.), 56-44, at home on Dec. 30, 2017 in the final game of the Jamie Lynn Roberts Classic.

Donohue led Catholic back to the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in six years in 2017 as the team finished with a 23-5 record. Michelle DeSantis was a unanimous All-American by by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and D3hoops.com.

In 2015, Donohue led the Cardinals to 19 wins and their third Landmark Conference championship in four years, upsetting top-seeded Scranton on the road to claim the title.

Catholic posted a 22-6 record during the 2013-14 season, including a mark of 13-2 at home, en route to capturing the ECAC South Region Championship at home as the top-seed.

Donohue led the Cardinals to a school-record 27 wins in 2012-13, including a program-best 13 in the Landmark Conference and 15 at home. The team hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship, posting their first NCAA tournament victory with a 52-44 win over Cabrini on March 1, 2013.

In 2011-12, Donohue led the Cardinals to 22 wins as they became the first school in conference history to win a postseason game on the road with a 47-40 victory at Scranton on Feb. 22, 2012. The team did it again on Feb. 25, 2012, posting a 79-69 win at No. 10 to Juniata to capture their first Landmark Conference championship and earn their first bid into the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship.

Over three seasons from 2011-14, Donohue led Catholic to an overall record of 71-14 and a mark of 36-6 in the Landmark Conference. The team won back-to-back conference championships in 2012 and 2013 and began a streak of five consecutive postseason appearances, including three in the NCAA tournament.

Donohue's third year in 2010-11 was a breakout season for the Cardinals as they posted their highest win total in six years with 19. The team also qualified for the conference tournament for the first time and advanced to the title game of the 2011 ECAC Division III Women's Basketball Championship.

A native of Philadelphia, Pa., Donohue came to Catholic after a five-year stint at Elmira College where he led as the program's second-winningest coach, earned two Empire 8 Coach of the Year honors and was honored with the prestigious Paul Brand Award for excellence and service to the Elmira College Community.

Donohue led the Soaring Eagles to four top-four finishes and three postseason berths in five years. He led Elmira to 21 victories in 2007 while setting a new school record for most consecutive wins with 13. The team advanced to the Empire 8 championship game and earned a bid to the ECAC Metro Region Championship as the No. 1 seed.

In 2005-06, Donohue received Coach of the Year honors from the Empire 8 as well as the New York State Women’s Coaches Association (NYSWCA) as the Soaring Eagles posted 19 wins and advanced to the Empire 8 and ECAC Metro Region championship games. 

Prior to Elmira, Donohue spent three seasons at Division II Bloomfield College where he inherited a program that suffered four-straight losing seasons and failed to make the conference tournament each year. He led the Deacons to 47 wins, two 20-win seasons and two berths in the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women's Basketball Championship, including an appearance in the 2003 title game.

A 1994 graduate of Centenary College, Donohue began his coaching career at North Arlington High School in New Jersey before spending three years at Mt. Olive High School. At North Arlington, he led the team to two conference championships while earning two Coach of the Year honors in four seasons.

Donohue resides in Gambrills, Md., with his wife Laurie, sons Ryan and Brayden, and their daughter Emma.