After 38 years of service and unwavering dedication, Mike O’Donnell, the esteemed athletic director and head football coach of Archbishop Stepinac High School, has decided to step down from his role as head football coach, the White Plains school announced January 8.

O’Donnell will continue to serve as Stepinac’s athletic director, ensuring his legacy of excellence continues to guide our athletic programs.

“We are deeply grateful to Coach Mike O’Donnell for his decades of dedication and the profound impact he has had on our students, our program, and our community. His leadership and commitment have left an indelible mark on Stepinac, and we are fortunate that he will continue to serve as our athletic director,” said the President of Stepinac High School, Rev. Thomas Collins ’79.

Coach O’Donnell compiled 238 wins and became varsity head coach in the fall of 1988. He is the winningest coach in the history of Stepinac.

The school also announced that AJ Magee will become the seventh varsity head football coach in Stepinac history. A former Stepinac coach with deep ties to our community, Coach Magee brings experience and a track record of success at the collegiate level at Wagner College.

“We are thrilled to welcome AJ Magee back to Stepinac as our new Varsity Head Coach,” Rev. Thomas Collins ’79 added. “AJ’s passion for the game and his strong connection to our mission make him the ideal person to carry forward the legacy of excellence that Coach O’Donnell has established.”

“Taking over as varsity head coach is an incredible honor, and I am truly humbled to follow in the footsteps of Coach Mike O’Donnell. His dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to this program have set a standard of excellence that I will strive to uphold every day. Coach O’Donnell has left an extraordinary legacy, and I am excited to build upon the foundation he has created for our student-athletes both on and off the field,” said Coach AJ Magee in the statement.

“Thank you, Coach O’Donnell, for 38 amazing years—you are, and always will be, a true Stepinac legend,” the statement said.