Lanham leaves St. Mary’s after six successful years at the helm

Dave Lanham, athletic director at St. Mary’s High School, Annapolis, will leave his post at the end of the academic year for a similar position at Meade High School in Anne Arundel County.

Lanham told fellow athletic directors in the IAAM and MIAA that he has learned a tremendous amount and will truly miss the friendships that he has forged over the years. While serving as AD of the Annapolis high school, the 33-year-old Lanham witnessed and cultivated 14 championship teams for the co-ed school and was instrumental in the development of a new off-site turf field and bleachers.

Lanham is also the head baseball coach and defending champion of the MIAA B Conference.

St. Mary’s wasted no time in selecting and announcing Lanham’s replacement, Phil Buckingham.

Buckingham will assume his duties effective July 1. “I’m excited to continue the tradition at St. Mary’s in which the athletics program reflects the mission of the school,” said Buckingham, a native of Montgomery County.

Buckingham, who came to St. Mary’s after 18 years of coaching and teaching at Mater Dei in Bethesda, currently teaches English at the school. He brings with him to the AD position extensive coaching experience at all levels. His past experience includes coaching basketball from first grade through the high school level up to the college level for the Kenner College summer league in Washington, D.C. He has also coached football, soccer, baseball and tennis at the middle-school level.

“I’m delighted that Phil has accepted the offer to be our athletic director. I’ve worked with him a lot this year, and I have seen his commitment to the school, to our students and to Catholic education. There’s not a doubt in my mind that Phil is the right person to take on this very important position,” said Richard Bayhan, principal.

Buckingham holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s in education administration from The Johns Hopkins University.