Saint Joseph’s Vice President and Director of Athletics Jill Bodensteiner announced Steve Donahue as the 16th head coach of St. Joe's men's basketball on September 10, 2025. He had previously been on staff as the associate head coach.
Among his accolades, Donahue was the 2008 and 2010 NABC Regional Coach of the Year and earned the prestigious Clair Bee Award in 2010, presented to the men's NCAA Division I basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contributions to his sport during the preceding year
Donahue most recently spent nine seasons as the head coach across the city at Penn. While with the Quakers, he mentored 15 All-Ivy League selections and was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year for the 2017-18 season when he guided Penn to the NCAA Tournament. In 2018-19, the Quakers won the Philadelphia Big 5 for the first time since 2001-02 with a perfect 4-0 record.
Donahue expressed excitement about joining the staff at Saint Joseph's.
“I have the chance to help build on two strong seasons and contribute to St. Joe’s winning the A-10 and making a deep NCAA Tournament run,” remarked Donahue. “I get to be part of a great university that fully supports basketball, from the President and Athletic Director Jill Bodensteiner to our incredible alumni base.”
In his first head coaching assignment, Donahue took over a Cornell team that went 10-17 the year prior to his arrival and turned it into a perennial power, winning at least 21 games in each of his final three seasons with the Big Red. Cornell went to the NCAA Tournament in all three years, culminating in a 29-5 record in 2009-10, advancing to the Sweet 16 with wins against No. 17 Temple and No. 13 Wisconsin.
Prior to taking the reins at Penn, Donahue spent four seasons as the head coach at Boston College, leading the Eagles to 21 wins in 2010-11 and a Second Round performance in the NIT.
