Merion Mercy Academy’s Brynn Donnelly is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week
The senior midfielder and second-year captain recently scored her 100th career goal for the Golden Bears. A first team All-Main Line girls’ lacrosse selection and an AACA all-star last spring, she was an all-around performer, scoring 47 goals, dishing out 28 assists, winning 82 draw controls and collecting 54 ground balls. A three-sport athlete at Merion Mercy (field hockey, swimming, lacrosse), Donnelly will continue her lacrosse career at Fairfield University.
Q: Tell us a little about your 100th career goal, how the play developed and what your first reaction was when you realized it was your 100th.
A: My 100th goal during the Prendie game was a super special moment for me! Going into the game I sat at 99 goals, so my teammates and I had thought out a play we wanted to run the first time we got the ball on attack. One of my best friends on the team, Fiona Kirk, had been talking all week about getting the assist for my 100th. I had gotten the first draw of the game and sent the ball to Fiona to get the play going. I cut across the middle and shot low. It was so exciting having all my teammates there to celebrate this special moment with me.
Q: The post-game excitement was pretty special too, right?
A: We had a big celebration after that game with balloons and cake. All my friends came to the game and took me out to dinner afterwards. The past week in school so many people have come up to me congratulating me and telling me how proud they are. It’s such a great feeling knowing that my hard work on the field the past four years is paying off!
Q: What aspect of your game did you work on most during the off-season?
A: During the off season I worked a lot on my fitness. I do tons of wall ball to keep my stick skills sharp. My team also played in the YSC winter league over the winter which is always super fun! My goal was to come back a better and stronger player for my senior season!
Q: How do you view your leadership role (on the field and off) as a captain?
A: I think of myself as a more vocal leader on the field. I usually am the one calling plays or trying to settle things down. After something goes wrong, I get the team together to talk about things we can clean up to avoid making the same mistakes. Off the field, I try to make things fun at practice and school by setting a positive example for the whole team. Captains lead really fun team activities like pasta parties and competition days!
Q: Tell us a little about your start in lacrosse. What originally attracted you to lacrosse? Who have been your most important lacrosse mentors, and what was the most important thing each of them taught you?
A: I did tons of sports growing up, lacrosse peaked my interest at an early age because of the quickness of the game. I started playing for my township team when I was in 3rd grade and haven’t stopped since. I have had many amazing lacrosse mentors over the years. My Philly Blast coaches and teammates have all made me into the player I am today! They helped me become a smarter player and helped me to clean up the parts of my game that weren’t so strong.
Q: What has been your favorite lacrosse experience with the Philly Blast?
A: My favorite Blast memory is definitely playing at the Midatlantic Club Championships this past summer. It was one of the last times my team would ever play together so we had to make the most of it. We played four games over the weekend and did a lot of fun team stuff! I’ve made such amazing memories with my Blast friends and still talk to them all the time. It’s so special knowing that I will be playing against some of them next year at Fairfield, and it will be nice to see a familiar face on the opposing team!
Q: What do you think you might want to major in at Fairfield University
A: I am undeclared though I really like finance and marketing. I took a personal finance course at Merion and loved it – it was one of my favorite classes!
Fun facts – Brynn Donnelly
Favorite book: The Fault in Our Stars.
Favorite TV show: The Office.
Favorite movie: A Cinderella Story.
Favorite athlete: Charlotte North.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Power.
Favorite team: Philadelphia Eagles.
Favorite place to visit: Florida or Sea Isle City N.J.
Person I most admire, and why: “My Mom and Dad for going out of their way to support me through the college recruiting process and cheering me on at tons of tournaments and games.”
Family members: parents Ann and Dennis, older sister Erin and older brothers Colin and Kevin.
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by her coach.)
