Colorado commit Ally Fitzgerald eager for one final run with Marquette HS
CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (BVM) — Every time she steps on the court, Ally Fitzgerald continues to do something special for the Marquette High School girls basketball team. She is eager to do so for one final season this winter, but after that, she will be headed west to play at the next level.
The 6-foot-3 standout is a strong defensive presence, as evidenced by setting the Marquette program record in blocks in her junior season with 266. In addition, she set the single-season program mark as well with 92 swats last year.
“I’m known for my defense,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m a defensive-minded player, but I play hard no matter the situation. Every time I step on the floor, I give 100% … I do a lot of the dirty work, and I love doing the dirty work. It’s really something that comes naturally to me for the most part. I love reading an offense and finding the best way to stop and alter it.”
In addition to her defensive presence, Fitzgerald provided 9.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game last season, helping lead the Mustangs to a district title as a second team all-conference performer.
“I haven’t really been focused on my stats, and I never have been,” Fitzgerald added. “I just did what I could so that we could be successful in that moment but also in the long run.”
The impressive season continued the quick emergence of Fitzgerald’s game and also displayed her passion for the sport as a leader of her team. Although she began playing basketball in kindergarten, it was her least favorite of the sports she played which included soccer, softball, volleyball and swimming.
“Originally, I had no attraction whatsoever,” Fitzgerald said about basketball. “It was my least favorite sport on the list of sports. But over time, I developed a love for the game. Right now, I love the people that I meet, whether coaches, teammates, or opponents, and the life skills that it teaches you. I also just love the support that you get from family, friends and especially the high school community here in Chesterfield.”
Despite her love for basketball, the 18-year-old has continued as a multi-sport athlete, competing in cross country early in her high school career and still playing for the Marquette lacrosse team.
Part of Fitzgerald’s impressive athletic genes come from her father, Matt, who is a former college football player at Ohio University.
“My dad and I are similar in that we are both extremely competitive,” Ally said. “He’s actually taught me so much without me actually realizing it. The three things that he always stresses are discipline, effort and respect.”
Not only has Matt taught Ally the game, but he is also now a big help as the basketball standout soon makes the transition to being a college athlete herself.
“He’s helped me tremendously throughout the recruiting process,” Ally added. “He’s taught me some things to say on phone calls and how to go about answering those questions that have made me more confident.”
Ally’s recruiting process started when she was just a freshman, receiving numerous camp invites. A year later, interest in the 6-foot-3 standout grew even more. In eighth grade, Ally first came to the realization that she could play basketball in college. But as these offers rolled in, she realized the work she would need to put in to actually get to that point.
In addition to hard work, Ally needed exposure, and through the years she has been able to gain plenty of it thanks to her time with Knights Basketball Academy which led to an AAU opportunity with Blue Star St. Louis.
“That was the best decision I made was playing with them,” Ally noted. “You’re playing with top talent in the Missouri and Illinois areas and we’ll travel and play against top talent in the nation. My coaches did a really good job of getting us exposed to great talent and coaches. I’m really thankful for everything that Blue Star has done for me.”
Initially, Ally was sure to look for a great academic and community fit in addition to a strong basketball program in her college search.
One place that had always piqued her interest was the University of Colorado. Growing up, the Fitzgeralds took several ski trips to Colorado, allowing Ally to fall in love with the natural beauty of the state.
“For spring break, my family would always go out to Colorado for ski trips,” Ally said. “With all of those experiences, I knew I always loved the mountains. Because of that and those experiences, I knew that I wanted to end up out west and in the mountains if possible. That had an incredible influence on my decision.”
In addition to Colorado, Ally also took college visits to Air Force, Utah State, Pepperdine and Loyola Chicago. But when it came down to it, Ally’s heart was still set on joining the Buffaloes, where she will soon become a Division I, Power 5 college basketball player.
“Colorado was actually my dream school,” Ally said. “Ultimately, hard work and dedication allowed for it to be an opportunity. It’s incredible to be signed to Colorado when it was my dream school.
“All that it has to offer sold me on it. Academics, athletics, the community, the opportunities, the connections, the activities. And then the coaches really sold me … I really connected with them and their mission.”
Ally hopes her hard work and do-whatever-it-takes mentality will allow her to make an immediate impact as a member of the Buffaloes’ starting five. Off the court, the 18-year-old will study biology or chemistry. A future career in the field likely awaits her, but first, Ally hopes to extend her basketball career a little bit longer.
“If playing basketball is an option for me beyond college, I would love to take it,” Ally noted. “Connections, new people, seeing different parts of the country or world and learning about new cultures, I think that would be an incredible opportunity.”
Ally’s talent has ensured her future will be full of opportunities. However, she also has one in the present, as she looks to lead Marquette to another successful season before finishing her high school basketball career.
In both her freshman and sophomore seasons, Ally helped lead the Mustangs to Missouri’s sweet 16, averaging 7.1 points and 5.9 rebounds as a freshman and 8.6 points and 7.6 rebounds as a sophomore. The district title in 2019 was the first in program history. Marquette has gone an impressive 51-27 with Ally in the lineup, and she is likely to finish near the top in both career points and rebounds within the program.
However, getting further in the postseason has eluded Ally and the Mustangs. But this year, she will look to change that.
“Our goals this season are to win our conference, win another district title and then we want to play in the final four of the state tournament, especially with the last three years having gotten knocked out in the sweet 16,” Ally explained. “It’s been hard … we’re trying to get over that hump.”
The Mustangs have gotten off to a solid start this season, although most of it has come without Ally on the floor, as she suffered a concussion in the first game of the season. However, she has been cleared to return and will undoubtedly have a positive impact for her team, just as she will at Colorado, and in whatever else her bright future holds.
