After playing in 96 matches over a three-year career, many while in excruciating pain, Wisconsin defensive specialist Amber MacDonald is hanging up her jersey.
The 5-4 senior-to-be announced she is retiring from the game, sharing her decision with teammates on Monday, despite a scholarship offer from coach Kelly Sheffield.
“It was probably the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,” MacDonald told the Madison State Journal. “It came to where I couldn’t do everyday activities. I couldn’t brush my teeth with my right hand or open a door knob. That’s just no way to live.”
MacDonald’s injury struggles began just six matches into her rookie season, when she was plagued with a partially torn tendon in her right wrist. Despite the injury, the Alpharetta, Georgia native racked up 219 digs (1.87 per set) as a rookie, while also adding 38 assists and 13 aces, while playing in all 117 of the team’s sets. She managed a career-best 15 digs vs. Colgate in just her second match as a Badger.
At season’s end, MacDonald had surgery and came back to play in 110 of the team’s 122 sets as a sophomore, pulling up 209 digs (1.90 per set), including a season-high 12 twice, and serving up 18 aces.
Despite another surgery on scar tissue, MacDonald was back again for her junior year, played in 92 of the team’s 113 sets, notching 79 digs (0.86 per set), six assists and four aces. She managed a season-high 10 digs twice.
In her tenure, the Badgers went 76-22 and made two Sweet 16 appearances and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2016.
Through all of the ups and downs of the wrist injury, it was a minor concussion that forced MacDonald to miss three matches, the only ones in which she did not play in her three seasons. All together, she played in 95 matches, starting 44, totaling 507 digs (1.59 per set), while adding 53 assists and 35 aces.
Sheffield had high praise for the Badgers’ 2017 team captain.
“In a lot of ways for the past 12 months she’s been our North Star,” Sheffield said. “She represents what the program is about on and off the court. She was the example of all that we’re about and that’s why she was a unanimous captain’s pick.
“You could make a highlight film of the digs she made in the right back over her career and some awfully big serves she came up with. She contributed to a lot of wins with the number of big plays she made over her three years here.”
Although she is hanging up her jersey, don’t be surprised to still see her on the Badger sidelines in some capacity as either a manager of student assistant.
“Just because I can’t play doesn’t mean I’m done with this,” MacDonald said. “Of course, I would’ve liked to have finished out my career and finish my senior season. There will be a void in my life, for sure, without volleyball. It’s been my identity for the last 10 years.
“But I had a great career. I got to be a captain of a top 10 program and a starter for a top 10 program. I feel like I really accomplished all the things that I set out to do here. I got to play at the highest level of volleyball and I’ll always be able to say that.”
It has been an honor to be a Badger and to play in front of the greatest fans in the world. Thank you for 3 amazing seasons. On Wisconsin!❤️ https://t.co/6xCtjQ0Mtz
— Amber MacDonald (@amacdonald319) January 25, 2018
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