PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania's James H. Greene, Jr. Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse, Mike Murphy, has announced the promotion of Hugh Donovan to the position of Volunteer Assistant Coach.

"Coach Donovan has been a true professional over the last three years in our Director of Lacrosse Operations role here, and I am excited to have him transition into our volunteer assistant position, working with our players on the field," Murphy said. "His vast experience as a player and a coach at the youth, high school, college and professional levels have prepared him well to make a positive impact as a Division I assistant coach. I have a great deal of confidence and trust in Coach Donovan, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact he will make on our team."

Donovan enters his fourth season with the program after joining the staff as the Director of Lacrosse Operations prior to the 2019 season.

A 1996 graduate of Bucknell University, Donovan spent the 2018 season as an assistant coach at York College, helping the Spartans to a 19-3 record and appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals. He arrived at York from Immaculata University, where was the head men's lacrosse coach from 2015-17, earning conference Coach of the Year accolades in 2016.

Prior to Immaculata, Donovan was the head coach at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland for four seasons, compiling a 37-29 record and earning bids to the Region XX Championships in all four seasons. His team's best season came in 2013 when Harford went 12-6, advanced to the Region XX Championship game, and later earned an at-large bid into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Tournament. Donovan was a two-time NJCAA Region XX Coaches' Association Coach of the Year, in 2012 and 2013.

Donovan also spent time at both Bucknell and Mount St. Mary's as an assistant coach.

Donovan's six-year professional playing career spanned the indoor and outdoor games as he played for the Baltimore Thunder, Pittsburgh Crossfire, Washington Power, Colorado Mammoth, Philadelphia Wings, and Baltimore Bayhawks. He made five playoff appearances and was on the MLL champion Baltimore Bayhawks team in 2001.

Before his successful professional lacrosse career, Donovan was a standout at Bucknell as a defenseman. He was an honorable mention All-America in 1996 as well as the Defensive Player of the Year in the Patriot League. He was first-team All-Patriot League his junior and senior seasons and second-team All-Patriot League as a sophomore. Donovan was a Bison captain his junior and senior season, and a member of the Patriot League's All-Decade Team named in 2000. He was inducted into the Bucknell University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.

Penn opens the 2022 campaign at Franklin Field on Saturday, February 19 at noon against Georgetown.