COLLEGE SOCCER: OWEGO’S McDONALD SIGNS WITH BINGHAMTON (2024-06-03)

By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Reports
OWEGO — Erin McDonald had an impressive soccer career at Owego Free Academy. Now, the senior standout will take her talents just a few miles down the road to Binghamton University.

On Monday, McDonald, who scored a program record 93 goals and dished out 22 assists for the River Hawks during her career, signed her National Letter of Intent to become a Bearcat.

McDonald discovered several drawing cards at BU.

“I loved the campus,” she said. “I loved the girls and the coach, and I was really aiming towards a Division I level just because I knew that I could do that. And being at a high level for so long, I thought it would be a weird adjustment to go anywhere else. But I really loved the team and the culture.”

She intends to study biology and move on to the medical field.

I'm thinking maybe pediatrics or orthopedics right now, but I don't know yet,” she said. “I know somewhere in the medical field at least.”

This past fall, she scored 34 goals, including seven games with 3-plus goals, and she doled out four assists.

Owego would go on to win the Section IV Class A championship, falling to eventual state champion Rye in the state playoffs. McDonald was also a member of the Section IV Class B co-champions in 2021.

She was named a New York State Sportswriters and Coaches of Girls Sports third team all-star in 2023 and fourth team all-star in 2022, a pressconnects Elite 10 all-star twice, a STAC Central/East all-star and the All-Tioga County Player of the Year three times.

McDonald’s impressive career accomplishments came despite missing five games due to injury during her junior year.

Her work ethic and competitive nature should be a plus as a Bearcat.

“I definitely am hardworking,’ she said. “I think all of the girls are though, and we're all pretty competitive and having that competitive nature between us helps us get better using one another.”

McDonald is ready to do what is needed to be a benefit to the Bearcats.

“Well, coach (Neel Bhattacharjee) says I'm playing the outside back and I've never played that position, like seriously ever, even at school or club, so I’m definitely trying to figure out the tactics of that position, because I don't really know much about it.”

Print Friendly Version