Gettysburg College Athletics

For more than four decades, Joe Donolli was a major contributor to the success of Gettysburg athletics as a coach, athletic trainer, and instructor.
 
Donolli arrived at Gettysburg in the summer of 1971 to fill the dual position of assistant athletic trainer and head coach of the men’s lacrosse program. Donolli helped breathe new life into the lacrosse program, leading the Bullets to the program’s first conference title in just his fifth year at the helm in 1976. Donolli would guide the Bullets to another conference title in 1983.
 
In his 16-year career as lacrosse coach, Donolli won a school-record 108 games. He coached 21 first-team all-conference performers and six All-Americans.
 
Working alongside Lefty Biser ’57, Donolli was instrumental in the growth and development of athletic training at Gettysburg. In 1987, Donolli followed Biser as head athletic trainer and remained in that position for the next 21 years. He oversaw the health needs of thousands of student-athletes. As an instructor in the Health and Physical Education Department, Donolli was also responsible for launching the careers of dozens of future athletic trainers.
 
A native of Bethpage, N.Y., Donolli graduated from the University of Delaware in 1966. He retired from Gettysburg in 2013.