Donald Sweeney is in his first season as the cornerbacks coach at UVA Wise. A native of Montgomery, Ala., Sweeney comes to the program after most recently serving as the defensive backs coach at Howard Payne University (Texas).
A two-sport athlete during his playing days, Sweeney was clocked at 4.26 in the 40-yard dash, the third fastest time in Mississippi Valley State University history. The coach also spent time in the Arena Football League where he earned Rookie of the Year accolades in addition to earning the same award in the Indoor Football League.
Sweeney began his coaching career in 2006 as the defensive coordinator for the Laredo Lobos in the Indoor Football League. The job started a stretch of three consecutive seasons where Sweeney worked as a defensive coordinator in professional football as he also spent time with at Mahoning Valley in Youngston, Ohio and with the Tusccan Demons in Tuscan, Ariz.
The coach has also served as the defensive coordinator for the Marion Blue Races of the Indoor Football League before moving to the high school ranks in 2012 when he became the defensive coordinator at Sahuarita High School (Ariz.). At Sahuarita, he aided the program to a 33-6 record and four consecutive playoff appearances.
With Howard Payne, the program secured its first winning season since 2005 when the squad posted a 7-3 season in the fall of 2021.
Sweeney obtained a bachelor's degree in graphic design from Mississippi Valley State University in 2007.
