MLL's Stripes: Doug Donovan
September 3, 2020 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL) News Release
The 20th anniversary season of Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was unique. Some of the most important people to the success of the season, that are highly visible yet seldom recognized, are the referees.
Doug Donovan is a lacrosse lifer. His father, Randy was a longtime high school and college official. Doug took up the craft in the spring semester of his freshman year at Muhlenberg College, after spending his fall semester on the football team, where he was a four-year letter-winner.
After graduating with a degree in business in 1994, Donovan began refereeing NCAA lacrosse in 1997. He joined MLL shortly into the league's existence in 2003 and has worked closely with MLL ever since.
In addition to his on-the-field duties, Donovan is on the executive board of the National Intercollegiate Lacrosse Officials Association as the NILOA Member At-Large, where he serves to promote officiating men's lacrosse at the collegiate level.
In addition, Donovan's role involves identifying, training and certifying new officials, as well as representing all men's collegiate officials.
Donovan enjoys staying busy. On top of his commitment to the sport of lacrosse, he is a family man and works a full-time job as the National Accounts Manager for Veritiv Corporation in Ridgewood, NJ.
Donovan has as always had a strong relationship with Major League Lacrosse, partly due to the league's commitment to the officials.
"I really have enjoyed working in MLL," Donovan said. "The league has been very supportive of me during my career.? It has worked with me to accommodate my schedule... I really appreciate the considerations that have been shown to help me maintain some balance.?MLL has provided their officials with strong support both on and off the field."
As a whole, Donovan echoed sentiments of his fellow referees Brian Abbott and Hans Wittlsberger that the season was a success, "I thought that it went really well," Donovan said. "Considering the amount of time away from officiating and the temperatures and conditions that we were working in, I thought that the group did a really good job."
When Donovan is not working at Veritiv Corporation or traveling the US serving and bettering lacrosse officiating, he is a husband to Jennifer and a father to their two daughters: Taylor, attending Fairfield University, and Kate, a Sophomore at Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, NJ.
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from September 3, 2020
- MLL's Stripes: Hans Wittelsberger - MLL
- MLL's Stripes: Doug Donovan - MLL
- MLL's Stripes: Hans Wittelsberger - MLL
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