Dan McDonnell was named head coach of the University of Louisville baseball team on June 27, 2006. Just under a year later, he led the Cardinals to the 2007 College World Series, the first rookie head coach to achieve this in 27 years. McDonnell was named National Coach of the Year by Rivals.com after the Cardinals’ record 47-win season. He has guided Louisville to 13 NCAA appearances, including five College World Series berths, and won 10 conference titles and two conference tournaments. The team hosted 15 NCAA postseason rounds in 16 seasons. McDonnell’s first 17 seasons saw Louisville rank No. 3 nationally with 719 wins and produce numerous accolades, including a consensus National Player of the Year and 103 MLB Draft selections. Louisville’s MLB success includes Henry Davis being the first overall pick in 2021, and 26 players reaching the big leagues, with a record 14 in 2023.