Women's Soccer Rylee McDonnell: A Leader On The Field, In The Classroom And Beyond

Rylee McDonnell will say a teammate dragged to her first Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meeting in her freshman year. She has always been drawn to leadership positions and is currently the Co-President of SAAC and a team captain of the women's soccer team. She also boasts one of the highest grade-point averages with a biology and chemistry double major, but how does she do it all?

"I have always been good at recognizing when it was time to do work and when it was time to relax and have fun, and I was able to carry that skill into my college life," said McDonnell. "Every week, I would plan out what classes, exams, or assignments were happening when I had practice or work, and when I had free time to complete my schoolwork. I would fill in the tasks I needed to complete at certain times, and I would make sure that I completed them."

McDonnell is a very active student-athlete at Goucher. Along with women's soccer and SAAC, she has been a front desk worker at the SRC, a game management member for women's lacrosse, a Supplemental Instructor, a Teaching Assistant, and a member of the Biology and Chemistry Club. McDonnell admits juggling all of those activities can be difficult, but she finds the time whenever she needs it.

"Being a student-athlete is hard," said McDonnell. "There are times when you need to bring your homework to Friday night team bonding or study for your exams on the bus rides to and from games. But if you are motivated to do well, you will. The athletic community of Goucher is so supportive. Coaches help in any way they can, and your teammates make for great study buddies."

With such a busy schedule, it is interesting to look back at why McDonnell chose Goucher.

"I loved the feel of Goucher's campus," said McDonnell. "It was its own little bubble within the busy city of Towson. I enjoyed that there were days that I could take advantage of all the shops and restaurants right off-campus or the quick drive to Inner Harbor, but that I also could relax on the Great Lawn or take a walk in the woods if that was what I was in the mood for."

The chance to play soccer and study abroad piqued her interest in the school, but like many athletes, it was meeting her future teammates on her recruiting trip that sealed the deal.

"We hung out and watched a movie in the theatre in P. Selz, and the whole team just seemed to get along so well, and I got along very well with the other prospective students," said McDonnell. "I knew then that I wanted to be a part of that group, and it was not long after that that I committed."

Teammates have always been important to McDonnell. The community that she has built with her teammates is what she believes makes the women's soccer team standout.

"Everyone is so different in terms of personalities, majors, music preferences, but we all mesh so well somehow," said McDonnell. "I trust each one of my teammates to have my back, and I'll always have theirs. When we're on the field, we're teammates! But when we're in the locker room or classroom or dining hall, we're best friends. I will always cherish my memories of pregame locker room dance parties, Friday night team bonding sessions, and countless weekend brunches in Mary Fisher and Stimson."

McDonnell played three seasons for the Gophers women's soccer team. The senior started all 52 games she played in the Gophers defense and scored a goal in her freshman campaign. A moment that she looks back as her favorite moment wearing the Blue and Gold was the squad's 2-0 win against Juniata in October 2019.

"It was the first conference win of my Goucher career, and everyone had worked so hard and played with everything they had to get it," said McDonnell. "I think we all felt it when we stepped on the field for that game junior year, we knew it was our game, and we did everything we could to get that result. It was a great feeling."

The current climate might mean that McDonnell has played her final collegiate soccer match, but she has been active in many things. She has come a long way since being dragged to her first SAAC meeting and volunteering for the MG3 Dodgeball Tournament in her freshman year. 

 "When I found my footing in SAAC, I decided it was something I wanted to continue doing," said McDonnell. "It was neat to see how all the different teams worked together to create this event (MG3 Dodgeball) for the entire population of Goucher students."

SAAC hosts events to bring student-athletes and non-athletic groups together. The group also works with Special Olympics, and they put together a Trick-or-Treat event for children in the Towson area in the fall of 2019. The members of the executive board also meet with other Landmark Conference SAAC groups to discuss NCAA legislation. 

"We are the bridge between the athletic and non-athletic groups of Goucher's community," said McDonnell. "One of our main goals is to host events to get these groups to interact and form friendships." 

SAAC did not allow a virtual fall semester from doing a community event. The group put together a Virtual Spirit Week with a theme for each day.

"The Virtual Spirit Week was an offshoot from how SAAC responded to virtual NCAA Division III week last spring," said McDonnell. "We hosted a virtual spirit week so all athletes could participate on social media. We had a great turnout last spring, and we decided that it would be a fun way to close out this difficult virtual semester." 

McDonnell was named the Goucher Athletic Department recipient of the Scholar Award for 2019-20 and will graduate in the spring. She plans to take a year off before attending medical school to pursue a career as an OBG-YN.

McDonnell has been a leader for the Goucher women's soccer team and the athletic department for the last four years. Her career at Goucher started because of a movie night and taking a risk by going to a SAAC meeting. She has been #GoucherProud of her experiences, and she has been an example of how someone can use his/her time to the fullest to #GopherGreatness.