Alanna McDonough was named an assistant coach for the Hamilton College men's and women's cross country and track and field teams in Auigust 2021. She previously was the interim head track and field coach at Smith College during the 2021 outdoor season, McDonough helps with all aspects of the cross country and track and field programs. She is responsible for the jumps, hurdles and multi events in track and field.
McDonough served as a cross country and track and field assistant coach at Smith from 2019 through the winter of 2021. She was an assistant at her alma mater Colby College where she helped coach the cross country and track and field teams for two seasons apiece from 2016 through 2018. McDonough was Colby's primary throws coach for the shot put, weight throw, discus and javelin during the 2017 indoor and outdoor seasons. She coached distance events as a member of the Falmouth (Maine) High School track and field staff during the 2018-19 season.
McDonough, who grew up in Andover, Mass., was a three-time track and field all-American at Colby. She finished fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2016 NCAA Division III outdoor championships and sixth in the same event at the 2015 national meet. She just missed another all-America honor in 2014 when she ended up 10th in the steeplechase. She captured fifth place in the mile run at the 2016 NCAA indoor championships. McDonough qualified for the NCAA cross country championships every year from 2013 through 2015 and finished in the top 80 each time.
McDonough earned all-NESCAC honors in cross country twice for finishing in the top 14 at the conference championship meet. She was all-NESCAC all four years in track and field after she captured first place in the steeplechase at the conference meet from 2014 through 2016 and landed in third place in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2013 NESCAC championships.
McDonough still owns Colby women's team records in the mile, steeplechase and indoor 4x800-meter relay. She received the college's 2016 Bill Millett Award, which is presented to the male and female student-athletes who have contributed the most to Colby athletics in their four years.
McDonough was a women's team captain for the Mules' cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field teams. She was also head of the Colby Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). McDonough has a bachelor's degree in environmental science with an education minor and a master's degree in exercise and sports studies.
