Mary Therese McDonnell
Encyclopedia
Mary Therese McDonnell is an Irish American
soccer defender. She is a Republic of Ireland women's national football team
player. On the club level she has been unattached since being released from St. Louis Athletica
's preseason training camp in March 2010.
then spent four years at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign studying speech and hearing sciences.
in the 2008 W-League
season, scoring four goals in five games.
McDonnell was assigned to Sky Blue FC
in the 2009 WPS Draft
. However, she was released the week before the squads were finalised and instead joined Chicago Red Stars
as a developmental player. In July 2009 McDonnell played for the Irish national team against her Chicago Red Stars club side in an exhibition game at the Sports Complex at Benedictine University
. The Red Stars released McDonnell in September 2009, without her playing in any league games.
She then attended St. Louis Athletica
's preseason training camp, but was cut from the initial 26–player squad in March 2010.
in three friendly games against the United States
in September 2008. She said, "After college I played in Boston for a summer and it turned out my coach was Irish. He literally walked up to us on the practice field and asked if any of us were Irish, and one thing led to another. It’s been great." Mary Therese and elder sister Shannon
featured in Ireland's qualifying campaigns for Euro 2009 and World Cup 2011. Daughters of Ian and Jean McDonnell, their eligibility for the Irish team derived from their grandfather; who was from Foxford
.
Both sisters were called up to the national squad in August 2011, ahead of the Euro 2013
qualifying series.
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
soccer defender. She is a Republic of Ireland women's national football team
Republic of Ireland women's national football team
The Republic of Ireland women's national football team, selects players from both the 350 Women's Football Association of Ireland teams, in 21 affiliate leagues throughout the nation, and the international women's football community. The WFAI was founded in 1973...
player. On the club level she has been unattached since being released from St. Louis Athletica
St. Louis Athletica
Saint Louis Athletica was an American professional soccer club that was based in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri that participated in Women's Professional Soccer. Athletica started the 2009 season playing its home games at Ralph Korte Stadium, on the campus of SIUE in Edwardsville,...
's preseason training camp in March 2010.
College career
McDonnell attended Carl Sandburg High SchoolCarl Sandburg High School
Carl Sandburg High School, Sandburg, or CSHS, is a public four-year high school located at the intersection of La Grange Road and 131st Street in Orland Park, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Consolidated High School District 230, which also...
then spent four years at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign studying speech and hearing sciences.
Club career
After graduating McDonnell played for Boston RenegadesBoston Renegades
Boston Renegades was an American women’s soccer team, founded in 2003. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team plays in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference...
in the 2008 W-League
W-League
The USL W-League is a national women's soccer league in the United States on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the Women's Premier Soccer League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
season, scoring four goals in five games.
McDonnell was assigned to Sky Blue FC
Sky Blue FC
Sky Blue FC is an American professional soccer club based in Piscataway Township, New Jersey which participates in Women's Professional Soccer....
in the 2009 WPS Draft
2009 WPS Draft
The 2009 WPS College Draft took place on January 16, 2009. It was the first college draft held by Women's Professional Soccer to assign the WPS rights of college players to the American-based teams.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:...
. However, she was released the week before the squads were finalised and instead joined Chicago Red Stars
Chicago Red Stars
The Chicago Red Stars are a American professional soccer club that is based in the Chicago suburb of Lisle, Illinois that participates in the Women's Premier Soccer League. From 2009-2010, the Red Stars played their home games at Toyota Park in the Womens Professional Soccer...
as a developmental player. In July 2009 McDonnell played for the Irish national team against her Chicago Red Stars club side in an exhibition game at the Sports Complex at Benedictine University
Sports Complex at Benedictine University
Sports Complex at Benedictine University is a multi-purpose stadium in Lisle, Illinois, just outside Chicago. It was built in 2004 and holds 3,000 people. Benedictine University host their home games at this stadium, and the stadium was home to Major League Lacrosse's Chicago Machine in their...
. The Red Stars released McDonnell in September 2009, without her playing in any league games.
She then attended St. Louis Athletica
St. Louis Athletica
Saint Louis Athletica was an American professional soccer club that was based in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri that participated in Women's Professional Soccer. Athletica started the 2009 season playing its home games at Ralph Korte Stadium, on the campus of SIUE in Edwardsville,...
's preseason training camp, but was cut from the initial 26–player squad in March 2010.
International career
McDonnell first appeared for the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland women's national football team
The Republic of Ireland women's national football team, selects players from both the 350 Women's Football Association of Ireland teams, in 21 affiliate leagues throughout the nation, and the international women's football community. The WFAI was founded in 1973...
in three friendly games against the United States
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
in September 2008. She said, "After college I played in Boston for a summer and it turned out my coach was Irish. He literally walked up to us on the practice field and asked if any of us were Irish, and one thing led to another. It’s been great." Mary Therese and elder sister Shannon
Shannon McDonnell (footballer)
Shannon Marie McDonnell , daughter of Ian and Jean McDonnell, is an Irish American soccer midfielder. She is a Republic of Ireland women's national football team player...
featured in Ireland's qualifying campaigns for Euro 2009 and World Cup 2011. Daughters of Ian and Jean McDonnell, their eligibility for the Irish team derived from their grandfather; who was from Foxford
Foxford
Foxford, historically called Bellasa , is a small village 16 km south of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland. The village stands on the N26 national primary route from Swinford to Ballina and has a railway station served by trains between Dublin and Ballina.Situated between the Nephin and Ox...
.
Both sisters were called up to the national squad in August 2011, ahead of the Euro 2013
UEFA Women's Euro 2013
The 2013 UEFA Women's Championship, or just Women's Euro 2013, will be held in Sweden from 10 July to 28 July, 2013.- Bids :Candidates of European national associations of staging UEFA Women's Euro 2013 were...
qualifying series.
External links
- Mary Therese McDonnell at Illinois Fighting IlliniIllinois Fighting IlliniThe Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
- Mary Therese McDonnell at UEFAUEFAThe Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
- Mary Therese McDonnell at FAIFootball Association of IrelandThe Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...