Dan Donigan
Encyclopedia
Dan Donigan is a retired United States soccer forward
who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League
and National Professional Soccer League. He is currently the head coach of Rutgers University
's soccer team.
and grew up in Hamilton
, New Jersey where he attended Steinert High School
. Donigan scored 34 goals in his senior year, leading Steinert to the Group 3 state championship. In 1999, he was named by The Star-Ledger
as one of the top ten New Jersey high school soccer players of the 1980s.
(UConn) where he played as a forward on the men's soccer team from 1985 to 1988. During his four season with the Huskies, he was three-time second and third team All-American. In 1988, he received the adidas Adi Dasslar Award as the nation's "Most Outstanding Senior Soccer Player" in 1988. Donigan finished his collegiate career with 35 goals and 40 assists for 110 points. While he left college without completing his degree, he later returned and earned a B.S. in Business Administration in 1998.
. Like many U.S. soccer players in the 1980s and early 1990s, his was an itinerant life, moving from one failing indoor and outdoor club to another. In April 1989, he signed with the Boston Bolts
of the American Soccer League
. He scored four goals, adding seven assists, as the Bolts went to the ASL championship game only to fall to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. On July 8, 1989, the St. Louis Storm
selected Donigan in the first round (second overall) of the Major Indoor Soccer League draft. He signed with the Storm in September 1989. In 1990 and 1991, Donigan played for the Penn-Jersey Spirit
of the American Professional Soccer League
, successor league to the ASL. He was a 1990 APSL First Team All Star. In 1991, he played in 11 games, but scored no goals. In July 1991, the St. Louis Storm traded Donigan to the Wichita Wings
in exchange for Mark Santel
. He played one season in Wichita. On October 17, 1992, he signed with the Milwaukee Wave
of the National Professional Soccer League. He spent two seasons with the Wave. In 1993, he spent the outdoor season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies (APSL). In May 1994, the Washington Warthogs
selected Donigan in the Continental Indoor Soccer League
draft. The CISL played indoor soccer during the summer and Donigan chose to play for the Rockford Raptors
of the USISL instead. That summer, he also signed a three year contract with the Milwaukee Wave, then backed out of the contract to become an assistant coach at UConn. At the end of the 1996 collegiate season, UConn changed its head coaches and the new coach brought in an entirely new cadre of assistants. Therefore, Donigan decided to resume his playing career. On January 4, 1997, Donigan signed with the Milwaukee Wave
for the remainder of the 1996-1997 NPSL season. At the time, he had just moved to St. Louis to become an assistant coach with the St. Louis University men's soccer team. He played XXX seasons with the Wave. Donigan was then hired as an assistant coach with the St. Louis University men's soccer team. As a result, he did not play the beginning of the 1997-1998 season. On January 28, 1998, the Wave traded Donigan to the St. Louis Ambush
in exchange for cash, a second-round pick in the 1998 college draft and future considerations. Donigan played parts of two seasons for the Ambush. In May 2000, he signed with the St. Louis Steamers of the World Indoor Soccer League
.
with the U.S. national team in a 3-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago
. In 1988, Donigan earned four caps for the United States national futsal team
.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
and National Professional Soccer League. He is currently the head coach of Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
's soccer team.
High school
Donigan was born in Trenton, New JerseyTrenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
and grew up in Hamilton
Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Hamilton Township is a Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 88,464...
, New Jersey where he attended Steinert High School
Steinert High School
Steinert High School is a four- year comprehensive public high school, one of three secondary high schools that are part of the Hamilton Township School District, located in Hamilton Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States...
. Donigan scored 34 goals in his senior year, leading Steinert to the Group 3 state championship. In 1999, he was named by The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
as one of the top ten New Jersey high school soccer players of the 1980s.
College
After graduating from high school in 1985, Donigan attended the University of ConnecticutUniversity of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
(UConn) where he played as a forward on the men's soccer team from 1985 to 1988. During his four season with the Huskies, he was three-time second and third team All-American. In 1988, he received the adidas Adi Dasslar Award as the nation's "Most Outstanding Senior Soccer Player" in 1988. Donigan finished his collegiate career with 35 goals and 40 assists for 110 points. While he left college without completing his degree, he later returned and earned a B.S. in Business Administration in 1998.
Professional
After finishing his collegiate career, Donigan embarked on a life as a soccer journeymanJourneyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
. Like many U.S. soccer players in the 1980s and early 1990s, his was an itinerant life, moving from one failing indoor and outdoor club to another. In April 1989, he signed with the Boston Bolts
Boston Bolts
The Boston Bolts were a short lived U.S. soccer team which came into existence in 1988 as a member of the third American Soccer League . They played in Boston, Massachusetts at Nickerson Field...
of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. He scored four goals, adding seven assists, as the Bolts went to the ASL championship game only to fall to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. On July 8, 1989, the St. Louis Storm
St. Louis Storm
The St. Louis Storm were a soccer team based out of St. Louis that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played from 1989 to 1992. Their home arena was St...
selected Donigan in the first round (second overall) of the Major Indoor Soccer League draft. He signed with the Storm in September 1989. In 1990 and 1991, Donigan played for the Penn-Jersey Spirit
Penn-Jersey Spirit
Penn-Jersey Spirit played in the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 and 1991. The team's home stadium was Lions Stadium in Ewing, New Jersey, on the campus of Trenton State College...
of the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
, successor league to the ASL. He was a 1990 APSL First Team All Star. In 1991, he played in 11 games, but scored no goals. In July 1991, the St. Louis Storm traded Donigan to the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
in exchange for Mark Santel
Mark Santel
Mark Santel is a retired U.S. soccer midfielder who is currently an assistant coach for the Saint Louis Billikiens. Santel played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League and Major Soccer League. He also earned eight caps with the U.S...
. He played one season in Wichita. On October 17, 1992, he signed with the Milwaukee Wave
Milwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
of the National Professional Soccer League. He spent two seasons with the Wave. In 1993, he spent the outdoor season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies (APSL). In May 1994, the Washington Warthogs
Washington Warthogs
The Washington Warthogs were a professional indoor soccer team in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1994-1997. They played their home games in the US Airways Arena in Landover, Maryland, an arena they shared with the Washington Capitals and Washington Bullets.The Warthogs featured the...
selected Donigan in the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
draft. The CISL played indoor soccer during the summer and Donigan chose to play for the Rockford Raptors
Rockford Raptors
The Rockford Raptors were an American soccer team based in Rockford, Illinois. The team began in the USISL and moved to the USISL Pro League in 1995. In 1999, the team was relegated to the Premier Development League....
of the USISL instead. That summer, he also signed a three year contract with the Milwaukee Wave, then backed out of the contract to become an assistant coach at UConn. At the end of the 1996 collegiate season, UConn changed its head coaches and the new coach brought in an entirely new cadre of assistants. Therefore, Donigan decided to resume his playing career. On January 4, 1997, Donigan signed with the Milwaukee Wave
Milwaukee Wave
The Milwaukee Wave is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Founded in 1984 they are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer team in North Americaand a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League....
for the remainder of the 1996-1997 NPSL season. At the time, he had just moved to St. Louis to become an assistant coach with the St. Louis University men's soccer team. He played XXX seasons with the Wave. Donigan was then hired as an assistant coach with the St. Louis University men's soccer team. As a result, he did not play the beginning of the 1997-1998 season. On January 28, 1998, the Wave traded Donigan to the St. Louis Ambush
St. Louis Ambush
The St. Louis Ambush was a professional indoor soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri. Originally located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the team played one season at the Tulsas Pavilion Expo Square. Vernon Riggs was the General Manager. Keith Dial was the Managing General Partner. Former Tulsa Roughneck...
in exchange for cash, a second-round pick in the 1998 college draft and future considerations. Donigan played parts of two seasons for the Ambush. In May 2000, he signed with the St. Louis Steamers of the World Indoor Soccer League
World Indoor Soccer League
The World Indoor Soccer League was a United States based indoor soccer league that existed from 1998 to 2001 and consisted of nine teams.-History:...
.
National team
On September 15, 1990, he earned his only capCap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
with the U.S. national team in a 3-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
. In 1988, Donigan earned four caps for the United States national futsal team
United States national futsal team
The United States national futsal team is the futsal team that represents that United States at international competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and affiliated with CONCACAF. The U.S. Futsal Federation was founded in 1981 and the first international futsal match...
.