Ellie McDonald

Height:
5-10
Class:
Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown:
Gilbert, Ariz.
High School:
Perry
Major:
Global Studies

2021 | JUNIOR SEASON

Played in 15 team duals and two pairs tournaments for a combined 25 contests in which she went 14-11 overall...played at No. 5 pair with Kylee Johnson going 5-10...they went 5-2 in three-set matches...opened season with two wins at the Cactus Classic in Tucson, Ariz., (March 6-7) recording a win over No. 20 Arizona State's Maddy Salazar and Lila Bordis in three sets 8-21, 28-26, 16-14 to help Broncos upset the Sun Devils, also beat Stephen F. Austin's Makenzie Leblond and Callie Neumann 21-8, 21-8 to help secure a 4-1 Boise State victory...went undefeated at Corban University's March AVCA Pairs Tournament (March 12-13) to win the Silver Flight title, collected key wins over two Portland duos and two wins over Bronco pairs beating Maya Watkins and Yasmin Tan 9-21, 21-11, 21-18 in the semifinal followed by a win over Sierra Land and Katie Martin 21-19, 17-21, 15-13 in the final...defeated No. 15 Arizona's (March 21) duo of Abby Russell and Dana Parker 15-21, 21-18, 15-12...went 4-1 at Corban's April AVCA Pairs Tournament (April 2-3), defeated Washington's Kyra Petersen and Ashley Shook 21-18, 12-21, 15-7 in the Silver Flight consolation semifinal match (final was not played), also beat a team from Oregon and two from Corban...recorded straight-set win over Houston Baptist's (April 9) Kristen Kleymeyer and Mary Alper 21-19, 21-18 to help Broncos to 3-2 win...closed season with a win over Utah's Hannah Stahle and Macy Rideout 21-6, 21-7 as Broncos swept the Utes in regular season finale at Boise State Beach Classic (April 16-17).

2020 | SOPHOMORE SEASON

Played in four matches before the season was abruptly ended in March because of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic...played with Katie Martin splitting time between No. 2 and 3 pairs going 1-3 overall...first match as a Bronco came at Arizona’s Cactus Classic (Feb. 21-22) where the duo opened with a three-set 19-21, 21-15, 15-10 victory over San Francisco’s Lauren Speckman and Emily Zinger, then lost in two to Missouri State, both on court two; played on court three on the second day of tournament where they fell in straight sets to teams from Arizona and Arizona State.

2019 | FRESHMAN SEASON

Competed in all 19 matches during season splitting time between playing with Jensen Allen (6-6) and Kylee Johnson (2-5) going 8-11 overall...began (three matches) and closed (nine matches) season competing with Allen sandwiched around seven contests with Johnson...Allen/McDonald opened season with a straight-set victory over Benedictine’s (Feb. 23) Amanda Gooding and Mykahla Smith 21-5, 21-9 as Broncos won 4-1...competing with Johnson the tandem went 2-1 at Pacific Northwest Invitational (March 9-10) on court three collecting wins over Oregon’s Josie Cole and Ally Haden 21-17, 21-15, as well as Portland’s Sarah Strong and Jessie Brigham 21-14, 21-11...at Heineken Hawai’i Invitational (March 16-18) went 2-0 paired with Allen against Nebraska’s No. 4 pair Anezka Szabo and Hayley Densberger 21-15, 21-19 in the first meeting, then won at No. 3 versus Madi Kubik and Mari Kurkova 21-17, 21-17, as Boise State claimed three team wins over the Big Ten’s Cornhuskers that week...McDonald and Allen recorded a pair of victories at Utah Beach Classic (April 13) on court three defeating Colorado Mesa’s Lindy Dixon and Hailey Crane 21-11, 21-12, then Utah’s Lauren Sproule and Jessica Villela in a competitive two sets 25-23, 24-22.

PERRY HIGH SCHOOL

Was a nominee for AZCentral’s Beach Volleyball Player of the Year in 2018...Arizona All-State senior year...came to Boise State from Gilbert, Ariz., where she graduated from Perry High School in 2018...played for the 20th-ranked beach volleyball team in the nation...McDonald and teammate Matea Suan went 18-1 on the season in 2018, with significant wins over Corona del Sol and Xavier College Prep...senior year, the Perry Pumas went a perfect 8-0 in the regular season, won the Arizona DI Premiere Region Championship and earned the No. 1 seed into the AIA Division I Beach Volleyball State Championship...PHS won the first officially sanctioned state title at the 2018 tournament and finished the 2018 season with a 12-1 record.