McDonald joins Fisher after three years as the player development coach of the Bishop Kearney Selects Girls Hockey Program. In addition, he is owner/leader of Maverick Hockey Development, where he designs custom hockey development programs for all Rochester Area youth hockey organizations.
Prior to his time at Bishop Kearney, McDonald served as the head women's ice hockey coach at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) from 2006-2018, where his 12-year overall record was 205-154-29. He led the team to the Division III Women's Ice Hockey National Championship, where the team clinched the title in 2012. In addition, the team had four NCAA Tournament appearances, and achieved two Division I CHA Playoff Conference Championships, two Division III ECAC West Playoff Conference Championships, and three Division III ECAC West Regular Season Titles. In 2009 and 2011 respectively, McDonald was named Conference Coach of the Year, and in 2011 and 2012, he was named National Coach of the Year Runner-Up.
Between 2003-2006, McDonald served as the assistant coach of the men's Division I ice hockey team at RIT, which at the time competed in the Atlantic Hockey Association, and as assistant coach of the men's Division III team, competing in the ECAC West. He also served as assistant coach of men's ice hockey at Utica University for one year.
Professionally, McDonald played for the San Angelo Outlaws in San Angelo, Texas, and the IK Viking club in the Swedish Professional League. McDonald is a graduate of Niagara University where he was a member of the NCAA Division I men's ice hockey team through his undergraduate career.Â
"I am truly humbled and honored to be the first head coach of the St. John Fisher University women's hockey program. The culture and commitment the Athletic Department has is second to none. I'm extremely grateful to be joining this staff and begin building our hockey program from the ground up within their standards," said McDonald. "Fisher's strong academic and athletic programs will give us the opportunity to quickly build our program into a perennial contender and challenge teams, not only in the UCHC, but nationally. Rochester has an amazing hockey community that is only getting stronger with the addition of both men's and women's hockey."
