Hall of Athletes
Gene McDonnell was one of the sharpest baseball minds in the Philadelphia area. He began coaching at La Salle in 1959 and, until his first retirement in 1988, he amassed a 430-352-8 record (.549), including 22 winning seasons.
Under McDonnell, the Explorers made their first NCAA playoff appearance in 1964, captured the Big 5 baseball titles from 1965-66 and finished second in NCAA East Regional in 1985. That same year, he was voted NCAA East Region Coach of the Year and Diamond Baseball Coach of the Year in 1985.
He returned to coach La Salle again from 1991-1995.
