Ithaca College Athletics

An All-American linebacker at Ithaca who spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Holy Cross, Mark McDonough completed his fifth season as Ithaca's defensive coordinator in 2015. McDonough led the stout Ithaca defense to the 23rd ranked rushing defense and a top-50 overall defense in all of Division III. During the 2012 season, McDonough served as acting head coach of the Bombers while Mike Welch was on medical leave. Ithaca went 2-2 in those four games, including a win over nationally-ranked Salisbury.

McDonough coached the linebackers at Division I-AA Holy Cross from 2005 to 2010 while also serving as assistant special teams coordinator. During that time, he coached six all-conference linebackers and two all–New England selections. Before his tenure at Holy Cross, McDonough spent two years at Springfield where he was the Pride's inside linebackers coach.

As a player, he was a four-year member of the Bomber program. Following his freshman season, he won Ithaca's Marty Higgins Award as the top player on the junior varsity team then starred at linebacker for three seasons. McDonough started every game for three straight years. In 30 regular-season games, he collected 284 tackles, including 50 for loss, with 11 sacks, 15 pass break-ups and four interceptions. At the time of his graduation he ranked sixth on the program's career tackles list. he currently ranks ninth. McDonough earned first-team Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northwest all-star honors in 2000 and 2001.

As a senior, he earned third-team All-America honors and served as team captain while helping the Bombers reach the NCAA quarterfinals. He was invited to play in the Aztec Bowl all-star game and received Ithaca's Jim Butterfield Award.


Recruiting Areas: Sections I and 9 (New York state); New Jersey, Ohio