Macalester College Vice President of Student Affairs/Director of Athletics Donnie Brooks has named AD Donovan as the new head women’s basketball coach at Macalester. Donovan will lead the Scots after serving as head coach at Division II Alaska-Fairbanks for the past three seasons.
“AD brings a wealth of experience from every level of the game,” Brooks said. “Her coaching journey reflects a deep commitment to student-centered leadership, academic excellence, and building strong, values-driven team cultures. We’re thrilled to welcome AD to the Macalester community and look forward to the energy, perspective, and leadership she will bring to our department.”
In her first season at Alaska-Fairbanks, Donovan guided the Nanooks to their first victory over rival Alaska-Anchorage in 16 years, snapping a 32-game losing streak to the Seawolves. The following year, Alaska-Fairbanks earned its first weekend sweep against Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) opponents for the first time since 2016-17. This past season saw the Nanooks post their highest win total since the 2016-17 campaign. Three of Donovan’s recruits were named to the All-GNAC team during her tenure, with 15 players earning a spot on the Academic All-GNAC team over her three years as head coach.
Prior to her time at Alaska-Fairbanks, Donovan spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Division I Weber State in Ogden, Utah. While at Weber State, she recruited and coached three-time All-Big Sky forward Daryn Hickok, who went on to become the Wildcats’ third-leading scorer all-time. Donovan was involved in many aspects of the Weber State program, including coaching the wing and post players, scouting, recruiting, fundraising, marketing and compliance.
Donovan spent one season as the head coach at Shoreline (Wash.) Community College, where she also taught academic classes in addition to her duties as head coach. The previous year, she served as an assistant coach at Division I Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Ariz., for one season. Donovan also coached at the high school level for one year and was an A PLUS Youth Program/Basketball Education in Action mentor for two years after beginning her coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Washington for the 2012-13 season.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited to be named the head coach of the Macalester College women’s basketball program,” Donovan said. “Macalester’s strong academic reputation as well as its strong commitment to the holistic student-athlete experience make it a truly special place. I’m eager to build on the positive momentum already in place and continue fostering a culture of excellence, growth, and unity. I want to thank Athletic Director Donnie Brooks and the entire search committee for their confidence in me and for the opportunity to lead this exceptional group of student-athletes. Go Scots!”
A native of Battle Ground, Wash., Donovan attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a member of the women’s basketball team and served as team co-captain as a senior. She graduated with a degree in history in 2010, and earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Washington in 2013.
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