Maggie Donnellan
  • Education
  • Class of 2014
  • Maineville, OH

Maineville Native Maggie Donnellan Earns Scholar All-America Honor

2013 Dec 19

Maggie Donnellan, a senior at Capital University and graduate of Kings Mills High School, added another accolade to her decorated 2013 award slate Wednesday, earning first team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Women's Scholar All-America (College Division) honors.

An education major, Donnellan maintained a 3.51 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale through the end of the spring 2013 semester to earn one of 13 coveted spots on the first team. The goalkeeper from Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of two players in program history to be named an Academic All-American. Molly Sheils garnered second team honors in 2009.

"I am so happy for Maggie that she is being recognized for every aspect of her hard work," Capital coach Chris Kouns said. "In our program, we tell every prospective student-athlete that we expect you to be a winner on the field, in the classroom and in life. Maggie embodies all three areas."

To be eligible for nomination, student-athletes must have maintained at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA throughout their career, started more than 50 percent of all games and be a significant contributor to the team. The college division includes all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA institutions.

Donnellan played a crucial role in the Crusaders' run to the NCAA Division III Tournament semifinals, as well as the team's Ohio Athletic Conference regular season championship and OAC Tournament title, in 2013.

One of four team captains, Donnellan was named OAC Goalkeeper of the Year and first team All-OAC after leading Capital to 11 shutouts during the regular season and conference tournament. After recording shutouts in Capital's first two NCAA Tournament matches to help send the team to the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time in school history, Donnellan posted 10 saves to help lead the Crusaders to a 2-1 triumph over No. 14 Thomas More (Ky.), then registered a career-high 18 saves and came up with several clutch plays as Capital knocked off No. 1 Washington (Mo.) in the national quarterfinals. She stopped three of five penalty kicks and converted a PK of her own as the Crusaders advanced to the NCAA semifinals, 3-2 on PKs, following a 1-1 tie through regulation and two overtimes.

Donnellan finished with a 19-5-2 record and led the conference in save percentage (.883) and total saves (151), with both marks ranking among the top 30 in the nation. She totaled eight solo shutouts and started in five others to help the team rank first in the league in shutout percentage (13 of 26, 50 percent).

After earning first team NSCAA/Continental Tire All-Great Lakes Region honors, Donnellan became the first player in school history to earn first team NSCAA Division III All-America accolades. She was also named Academic All-OAC and recently received first team Division III All-Ohio merits from the Ohio Collegiate Soccer Association (OCSA).

All Academic All-Americans will be recognized Saturday, Jan. 18, at the annual All-America Luncheon, held in conjunction with the 2014 NSCAA Convention in Philadelphia.