For immediate release: October 9, 2003
For more information, contact Creg Jantz at 216-368-6517 or creg.jantz@case.edu

CLEVELAND—Sean McDonnell is moving from the country to the city. Case Western Reserve University has named the Hiram College coach as only the third men's basketball coach in the university's 38-year history.

Sean McDonnell

"I love the City of Cleveland," said McDonnell, who will be moving from the small town of Hiram on the far east side of the Cleveland metropolitan area to be closer to campus. "I'm used to city life. My family is from Chicago, and I attended college in Boston. I look forward to relocating, but for right now I am going to concentrate on getting ready for practice next week."

The Spartans basketball team starts practice October 15. Their first game is November 21 at Mount Union.

"We feel fortunate to have found a guy like Sean at this late date," said Case Interim Athletic Director Kristin Hughes. "He brings a wealth of experience from coaching at a number of different levels. We think he is going to be a great fit."

McDonnell, 28, replaces Adam Hutchinson, who left Case at the end of July to take the coaching job at Washington & Lee University in Virginia.

In three seasons at Hiram, McDonnell, a native of Clinton, N.Y., compiled a 20-56 record (2002-2003: 6-20, 2001-2002: 7-18, 2000-2001: 7-18) and two North Coast Athletic Conference tournament appearances while coaching and developing two All-NCAC players. The Spartans play in the University Athletic Association (UAA).

"I am obviously very excited to have the chance to work at Case, to work with the current players in the program and to work with the former players who are now successful Case graduates," McDonnell said. "I'm equally excited to be a part of the UAA. It offers the best balance of academic excellence and basketball tradition that I've seen at this level."

Time for a turnaround

The last time the Spartan men posted a winning season was 1998-99 (17-9 under Bill Sudeck). Case has since rattled off four straight sub-par campaigns, including three straight seasons with just seven wins (2000-2001: 7-16, under interim Mike Marcinko / 2001-2002: 7-17, under Hutchinson / 2002-2003: 7-18 under Hutchinson).

"There are three specific groups that I will call upon to help build the program-current players, Case alumni and the greater Cleveland-area high school coaches," McDonnell said. "There are some talented kids at Case, and I want to share the terrific things that the university has to offer with them as well as the area's best high school players."

Coaching corner

Before Hiram, McDonnell served as an assistant men's basketball coach at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. He also served as an assistant coach at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y., for four seasons (1996-2000). Le Moyne had a 20-win season in 1998 and made a trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament in 1997.

Book background

McDonnell earned his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he was a student assistant coach from 1993-1996 with the Boston basketball team under Head Coach Jim O'Brien. During that time, Boston College appeared in two NCAA Tournaments, including an appearance in the "Elite Eight" in 1994.

Marvelous mentors

Two of McDonnell's former bosses were recognized as National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) "Coach of the Year": Jim O'Brien at Boston College in 1999 and Dave Paulsen at Williams College in 2003.

About Case Western Reserve University

Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826 and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research, and service. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dentistry, Engineering, Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Sciences. http://www.case.edu

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