Donald Minnegan (August 26, 1902 – August 10, 2002), more commonly known by his nickname ''Doc'', was a

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

and

athletic director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches a ...

Towson University Towson University (TU or Towson) is a public university in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1866 as Maryland's first training school for teachers, Towson University is a part of the University System of Maryland. Since its foundin ...

. He coached two championship

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

teams at Towson.

Career

Minnegan received his teaching degree at a teachers college in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

in 1923 and graduated in 1927 from Springfield YMCA College. He came to the Maryland State Normal School in 1927 as the men's soccer coach, but was also the athletic director and coach for

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

, track, and

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

. He was instrumental in developing Baltimore County's recreation program. Minnegan coached through one name change (Maryland State Normal School became Maryland State Teachers College) and two presidents (

Lida Lee Tall Lida Lee Tall (1873–1942) was the sixth principal/president of State Teachers College at Towson (now Towson University). Early life and education Tall was born on November 17, 1873, in Fishing Creek, Maryland, to Sarah E. and Washington Tall ...

and M. Theresa Wiedefeld) until 1941, when

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

began. Even though the war shipped off most of his team, he still found ways to coach them while overseas. Because of this, the

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and

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

recognized his ''"strong philosophy toward

physical fitness Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of Outline of sports, sports, occupations, and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, modera ...

and his proven expertise in the field"'' and sent him to

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to establish a physical fitness program, with an emphasis on soccer, for American servicemen. Minnegan won 152 games during his 29-year tenure as the Tigers' coach.

Recognition and awards

*Minnegan was inducted into Towson's Athletic Hall of Fame as a coach in 1992. *His plaque is displayed in the

National Soccer Hall of Fame The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a public-private partnership among FC Dallas, the City of Frisco, Frisco Independent School District, and the U.S. Soccer Federation, and currently located in Toyota Stadium (Texas), Toyota Stadium in Frisco, T ...

Oneonta, New York Oneonta ( ) is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in southern Otsego County, New York, Otsego County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is one of the northernmost cities of Appalachia. Oneonta is home to the State Un ...

. *Towson renamed their mascot "Doc" in his honor, along with their

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

field at

Johnny Unitas Stadium Johnny Unitas Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Towson, Maryland, United States. The home of several Towson University athletics teams, it is also known as Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas Stadium or Unitas Stadium. History The stadiu ...

References

*Memories of Minnegan – Kristi Funderburk – "The Towerlight" 10/25/0

1902 births 2002 deaths Towson Tigers athletic directors Towson Tigers men's soccer coaches Springfield College alumni People from DeKalb County, Illinois American soccer coaches United States Army personnel of World War II {{US-footy-bio-stub