Sean McDonnell ’78 turns reins of football program over to Rick Santos ’08

Monday, August 22, 2022

When the UNH football season kicks off under the lights against Monmouth next week, the Wildcats will be led by someone other than Sean McDonnell ’78 for the first time in more than two decades. McDonnell retired from the Wildcat sidelines following last season - 45 years after he first arrived on campus, 30 seasons after taking his first coaching role in the program and almost 23 years after ascending to the head coach position.

Rick Santos ’08, one of McDonnell's former pupils as a star quarterback for the Wildcats, will debut as the new coach in that Sept. 1 showdown with the Hawks.

McDonnell's name is peppered throughout the UNH football coaching record book, but the impact he had on his players goes well beyond statistics. Hear from some of those former players, coaches and others about the way McDonnell influenced their UNH experience and their lives.

Producer: 
Scott Ripley | UNH Marketing | scott.ripley@unh.edu | 603-862-1855