SALISBURY, MD - Washington Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn returned to his Wicomico County roots Thursday to deliver the commencement speech at his Alma Mater Salisbury University.
Quinn attended Salisbury University and played as a defensive lineman for the Sea Gulls from 1989-1993. He was inducted to SU’s Hall of Fame in 2005, according to the University.
On May 22, 2025, he returned to Salisbury to deliver the commencement speech for the latest class of graduates.
“Your hard work and sacrifice have paid off,” Quinn told the new graduates who gathered in Sea Gull Stadium this morning.
"All of you have a choice, you can chase those nerves as they lead you down deep rabbit holes where fear and anxiety over the unknown will take you over and be waiting, or you can turn those nerves into energy, man and you let it fly, because that is the magic," he said.
Quinn’s return also underscores a significant milestone for Salisbury University as the school celebrates its centennial.
"Nearly a century ago, Salisbury University's first graduating class had their commencement ceremony on this campus on the front lawn of Holloway Hall,” University President Dr. Carolyn Lepre said. “The diplomas were handed to 27 graduates. Today, a century later, more than a thousand of you are following in their footsteps."
Today’s commencement was only one part of a series of Salisbury University’s centennial celebration, with a “Fun Fest” scheduled for September.
