Ursuline Academy’s McGonigle, one of Delaware’s top distance runners, signs with DI Cornell
WILMINGTON, Del. (BVM) — Ursuline Academy senior cross country and track and field runner Alaina McGonigle is as consistent in her running as she is as a contributor for the Raiders programs. As one of the top distance runners in the state of Delaware, even being considered one of the two fastest returning runners for the upcoming outdoor season, McGonigle’s consistency has brought her and the Raiders many different individual and team accomplishments.
The connection between McGonigle and the Ursuline Academy teams has been long standing. Unlike many high school athletes, McGonigle began her time running at her school when she was in the third grade. While this may be a difficult change for some, this early experience allowed McGonigle to not only learn the tricks of the sport but also to establish herself around some of the coaches within the program.
“I started running for Ursuline when I was in third grade since my older sister, who is two years older than me, was running before me and I would always go to the practices so that’s when I got introduced to the sport,” McGonigle said. “I’ve been running ever since and I think the environment Ursuline provided was very supportive and allowed me to keep going in the sport for so long.”
Throughout her running career, McGonigle grew and began to impress. Before she had even made it to high school age, she was already contributing heavily to the Raiders’ cross country team, finishing in 10th place at the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association cross country state championships in the 5000m. So, by the time she hit the high school levels, the program’s expectations of her were high. McGonigle not only reached expectations, but ran right past them.
As only a freshman, McGonigle placed 3rd in the 5K at the cross country state championships while also placing 11th in the 800 meter and sixth in the 1600 meter at the DIAA Indoor Track Championships. That spring, the freshman performed even better during the track and field outdoor championships, finishing in second place in both the 800 meter and 3200 meter while helping Ursuline to a state runner-up finish as a team.
“It was honestly a lot to take in,” McGonigle said. “I think it brought a lot of nerves and stuff to state and everything, but my sister was still on the team and all her friends were there, so I think that team environment helped relax the stress. Having coaches like Coach Fisher helped me a lot with everything from strategy and training and everything in between so they prepared me for everything that could come with the races being so young.”
As a sophomore, McGonigle would reach levels even she never had before. In cross country, though her finish in the state championship 5K would slip to 10th place, the Raiders would win the event giving McGonigle her first state championship as a member of the team.
“It was crazy,” McGonigle said. “I never really thought that in prior years that would ever be a possibility. … When we got to state and we won it was a huge accomplishment. We were all very happy and it was the first time in many years Ursuline cross country won state. It was an amazing experience.”
During her indoor track season, McGonigle improved her finishes from the year before, finishing in second place in the 800 meter and third in the 1600 meter. However, McGonigle saved her best for last during her sophomore campaign as she would finish third in the 800 meter at the outdoor track and field state championships and would win the 1600 meter, giving McGonigle her first individual state championship.
“It was a really awesome thing to experience,” McGonigle said. “Being able to have all that come together and end up winning that title was a really amazing experience.”
During her junior year, McGonigle maintained her consistency in running, finishing eighth in the 5K at the cross country state championships, helping the Raiders defend their state title in the process. During the indoor season, McGonigle finished fifth in the 800 meter and fourth in the 1600 meter. As the junior prepared to defend her outdoor state championship for the first time, the world would have other ideas as the COVID-19 pandemic would cancel the DIAA’s spring sports season and McGonigle’s opportunity to defend her title.
“It was really disappointing when we found out the season would be canceled and we wouldn’t be able to have a junior track season,” McGonigle said. “But I think it motivated me and many others on the team to work. We never knew what was going to happen so we all stayed in touch and trained together, not in person, but over Zoom and stuff.”
Once the DIAA allowed athletes to return to sports this fall, McGonigle was ready. This time, as a member of the cross country team, the senior again helped Ursuline win a state championship, their third consecutive victory.
“It was really great,” McGonigle said. “The whole season was kind of messy just not knowing if we were going to compete. But being able to get that last state championship was great. A lot of our younger varsity runners really stepped up and everyone really came together as a team, so that was a really good thing for Ursuline as a whole.”
While she still has both her track and field seasons to focus on, McGonigle had one more thing to complete first.
Being one of the best runners in the state, McGonigle had garnered attention from a number of schools to participate at the collegiate level. For McGonigle, the opportunity to not only compete at the highest level, but also get an education from some of the best institutions in the country, was too much to pass up. On Dec. 15, McGonigle signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her cross country and track and field career at Cornell University, an Ivy League school in Ithaca, N.Y.
“It was a big weight taken off my shoulders,” McGonigle said. “Just starting the whole process so long ago and with coronavirus it threw a wrench into a lot of plans for visits and everything. But being able to sign to Cornell was one of the best feelings ever, especially after so long. It was a really great day. I was really happy.”
The biggest differentiator between Cornell and other programs McGonigle was looking at was the challenge it would provide her both as an athlete and a student. McGonigle wanted to push herself in college and the Ivy League school provided just that.
“I went to Cornell first and from the first time I was there I really liked it. It was always very high on my list,” McGonigle said. “I obviously wanted to run in college, but I also wanted the school to be sort of rigorous academically and athletically so I think Cornell put all the pieces together for me.”
With her future decided, McGonigle will look to improve her finishes of the indoor season while also returning to the podium in her outdoor season. Having missed her entire junior outdoor track and field season, McGonigle is excited just to return to the outdoor tracks for the first time in over a year. With a state title to defend, McGonigle will also have some added motivation to show she still belongs atop of the Delaware distance running totem pole.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” McGonigle said. “I’m feeling pretty confident about this season. I’m really excited about what I can do individually and what Ursuline can do as a team.”
