Mary Therese McDonnell

Mary Therese McDonnell (born 26 August 1986), is an Irish American soccer defender. She is a Republic of Ireland women's national football team player. After being released from St. Louis Athletica's preseason training camp in March 2010, she rejoined the Chicago Red Stars for 2011.

Mary Therese McDonnell
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-08-26) 26 August 1986
Place of birth Orland Park, Illinois, United States
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Windy City Pride
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2007 Illinois Fighting Illini
2008 Boston Renegades 5 (4)
2009 Sky Blue FC 0 (0)
2009 Chicago Red Stars 0 (0)
2010 St. Louis Athletica 0 (0)
2011–2012 Chicago Red Stars 8 (0)
International career‡
2008– Republic of Ireland 21 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 13, 2013
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of April 2, 2014

College career

McDonnell attended Carl Sandburg High School[1] then spent four years at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign studying speech and hearing sciences.[2] In 2012, she played for the University of Illinois College of Law Club team, Learned Foot, in the Champaign County Soccer League helping the Learned Foot win the title.

Club career

After graduating McDonnell played for Boston Renegades in the 2008 W-League season, scoring four goals in five games.[3]

McDonnell was assigned to Sky Blue FC in the 2009 WPS Draft. However, she was released the week before the squads were finalised[4] and instead joined Chicago Red Stars as a developmental player.[5] 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.[6] The Red Stars released McDonnell in September 2009.

She then attended St. Louis Athletica's preseason training camp,[7]

International career

McDonnell first appeared for the Republic of Ireland in three friendly games against the United States in September 2008.[8][9] 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."[10] Mary Therese and elder sister Shannon featured in Ireland's qualifying campaigns for Euro 2009 and World Cup 2011.[9] Daughters of Ian and Jean McDonnell, their eligibility for the Irish team derived from their grandfather; who was from Foxford.[11]

Both sisters were called up to the national squad in August 2011, ahead of the Euro 2013 qualifying series.[12]

References
  1. Heather Warthen (1 May 2009). "Sandburg welcomes home soccer standout". The Orland Park Prairie. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  2. "6. Mary Therese McDonnell". FightingIllini.com. Archived from the original on 22 April 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  3. "Boston Renegades". USLsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  4. "Transactions: 2009". WomensProSoccer.com. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  5. "Chicago Red Stars Announce Opening Day Roster". WomensProSoccer.com. 25 March 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  6. Mary Therese McDonnell (9 July 2009). "Mary Therese Blog: Inside the Irish National Team". WomensProSoccer.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  7. Lauren Salter (8 March 2010). "Women's Professional Soccer: St. Louis Athletica Training Camp Begins Today". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  8. "McDonnell Joins Irish National Team". FightingIllini.com. 19 September 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  9. "Irish sisters look forward to French challenge". Football Association of Ireland. 24 February 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  10. Ken Ryan (27 July 2011). "McDonnell Sisters Honored to be Representing Ireland on Soccer Field". Oak Forest Patch. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  11. "Senior Women Player Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  12. "Irish Squad set for Swiss Double Header". She Kicks. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.


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