Mercy High School is excited to announce that Rob Long has been named the
school’s new Varsity Basketball Coach. Long will succeed Coach George Panageotou who has
led Mercy’s program for the past four years.

“Rob has won at every level during his impressive career. He is a culture setter and a program
builder. Rob understands the great history and prestige of Mercy Basketball, and I honestly
believe there is no better person to be leading our Varsity Basketball Team,” says Mercy
Athletic Director Nick Gill. Mercy High School was a founding member of the Interscholastic
Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM). The school also hosts The Classic at Towson
University against Maryvale Preparatory School drawing thousands of students, alumnae,
families, and fans each year. The Classic expands upon Mercy’s rivalry with the Institute of
Notre Dame (IND), which lasted for more than 50 years. Throughout its 65-year history, Mercy
High School Athletics has embodied leadership, tradition, and excellence. Since 2017, the
school has won 16 championships in the IAAM.

Long joins the Mercy High School community with a strong record of coaching championship
teams at the collegiate and high school levels, having recently served as head coach at
Rosedale Christian Academy. For the past three years, Rosedale Christian’s team has won the
Mid-Atlantic Independent Athletic Conference championship. Prior to Long’s most recent role,
he coached his daughter’s team at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, which competes in the
IAAM. In 2022, Long led the Mount Carmel Cougars to victory in the IAAM “B” Conference
championship game.

Prior to his impressive record in Maryland high schools, Long served as head coach at the
Community College of Baltimore County, Dundalk (CCBC-Dundalk) campus for many years. In
his first year at CCBC-Dundalk, the team went 19-5 in the first year and held down national
rankings for seven weeks. Long was named CCBC Coach of the Year in 2004, 2005, and 2013
and inducted into the CCBC Hall of Fame in 2022. Long also coached at the College of Notre
Dame of Maryland (now Notre Dame of Maryland University), leading the Gators to a NCAA
playoff berth in 2007.

“My journey has prepared me for this. Mercy has a history of outstanding coaches and student-
athletes, and this role is an honor for me. I hope to add to the great history and culture of the
school,” said Long.