GAYLORD ― A few months ago, Gaylord senior Addison McDonald was committed to Albion College.
One of the stars for both the Gaylord girls basketball and volleyball teams, McDonald had been pledged to continue her basketball career about three hours and over 200 miles away from home.
Lately, however, some factors have been tugging at the former Blue Devil’s heart.
After thinking things over and decommitting from Albion, McDonald made her new plans official on Thursday, April 23, announcing her new commitment and signing with Kirtland Community College, planning to continue both her volleyball and basketball career just 30 minutes south down I-75 in Grayling, Mich.
“I could just instantly feel the family feeling between the school’s coaches and teams,” McDonald said of Kirtland after signing with the volleyball and womens basketball programs.
Finding an opportunity closer to home to start her college career was a major factor in McDonald’s decision. Her younger sister, Maiya, will be a senior at GHS next year and has been one of Addison’s biggest supporters throughout the past four years. She said she wants to return the favor while she can, be someone her younger siblings can lean on and be a role model for young Gaylord athletes.
Meanwhile, the chance to continue both her volleyball and basketball careers was too good to pass up.
“I am extremely excited to get the opportunity to play both of my favorite sports,” said McDonald. “Both sports have taught me so much on the court and off, and I wasn’t quite ready to give them up yet.”
McDonald has been a top-level middle hitter for Gaylord volleyball over the past four seasons, reaching the 500 kill milestone during a match this past fall. She was also GHS basketball’s top scorer, averaging 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in her final season.
After her two-year stint with Kirtland, McDonald hopes to continue her athletic career at a larger university, whatever that opportunity may be.
“I would like to thank my parents for loving me and giving me the opportunities to get to the point I am at, all the coaches I’ve had over the years for making me fall in love with both sports and pushing me at practice,” McDonald said, “and finally, all my teammates for pushing me to be the best that I can.”
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Two-sport star Addison McDonald commits to Kirtland Community College
Reporting by Dylan Jespersen, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
