Retired Faculty & Staff

After a 37-year career in McDonogh’s Athletic Department, our Silver Eagle, Mickey Deegan, has decided it’s time to leave the nest. Throughout her career, she earned countless titles and awards of recognition from local and statewide publications as well as from her athletic league peers. Most recently, Mickey was named the Maryland State Athletic Directors Association District 10 Athletic Director of the Year–and–she was selected as the Athletic Director of the Year for the entire state of Maryland! She is also a recipient of McDonogh’s 2019 Distinguished Service Award—a testament to her incredible contributions to our community.

While the awards and titles are impressive and well-deserved, Ms. Deegan’s true impact lies in her unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of sportsmanship and integrity. This dedication has left an enduring imprint on generations of students, athletes, coaches, and colleagues. Early in her career at McDonogh, she shared that she always wanted to be a teacher, saying, “Helping students learn that life is a journey with many wonderful surprises and challenges is my main goal. The people we meet along the way shape who we are as human beings.” 

This philosophy has allowed her to connect with students—from the biggest player on the football field to the most timid writer in her freshman English class. They heed her advice, appreciate her sense of humor, and value the lessons that help them become better people and teammates. She sets high standards and provides an even higher level of support.

Schools and sports have always been part of Ms. Deegan’s life. She was a three-sport athlete in high school, and after graduation, taught in a Catholic elementary school during the day, coached in the afternoon, and earned her degree from Immaculata College at night. In 1988, she came to McDonogh to teach English and coach field hockey, basketball, and softball. During her career here, she has also served as Sophomore Class Dean, Associate Athletic Director, Athletic Director, and Co-Athletic Director. 

For almost four decades, Ms. Deegan has done it all—she has lined the fields; scheduled thousands of games, matches, and meets; and attended as many home and away games as possible. And if she can’t be there, you can be sure she will be praying for the team. Although she shares the scores each evening in an upbeat report, winning is not her ultimate goal. Of utmost importance to her is sportsmanship. She is adamant that players, coaches, and parents alike represent McDonogh with dignity and class, no matter the outcome.

In a recent McDonogh Magazine story, Ms. Deegan explained why players’ uniforms do not have individual names on them. She said, “When you wear McDonogh embroidered across your heart, you represent something bigger than yourself.” And she shared her guiding principle: “Represent your school with honor. Win with humility, lose with grace, and always play with integrity.”

Mickey, we hope that your retirement is filled with many seasons of watching your favorite teams—without grading papers or worrying about the weather. Thank you for teaching us the true meaning of sportsmanship and demonstrating what it means to lead with grace. You will be missed on the sidelines, but we know you, our Silver Eagle, will keep soaring.