The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2023
A 2003 United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-American, four-time NSCAA All-Region selection, USC Scholar All-American Third Team selection and a United States Youth National Team member, the name Kelly McDonald can be found on countless pages throughout Texas women’s soccer program record book. Now Dr. Kelly McDonald Freeman, she not only helped lead the Longhorns to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001, but also helped spark a program-best eight consecutive postseason berths. As a senior during the 2004 campaign, McDonald Freeman and her teammates not only earned the program’s first postseason win with a 3-0 win over North Texas in Austin, but also guided the Longhorns to the third round of the NCAA Tournament, the furthest any Texas women’s soccer team has advanced in the postseason. McDonald Freeman, who was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team in 2002, still holds the program record for career goals in the Big 12 Conference postseason tournament with six, while no other student-athlete in program history has more than four. She is also still tied for the most career points credited in the Big 12 Conference postseason tournament with 12. McDonald Freeman scored five game-winning goals during the 2003 season before adding four more game-winners a season later in 2004. In four seasons on the pitch for the Longhorns, McDonald Freeman accumulated 110 career points, which remain the second most in program history, and she is one of only two student-athletes to surpass the 100-career point mark in UT history. In 83 career starts, which is tied for the 10th-most in program history, McDonald Freeman became the program’s all-time goal leader with 46, while also being credited with 18 assists, tied for the ninth-most by in program history. Her 37 points during the 2002 season and 32 points the following season are the fourth and seventh most, respectively, in the Longhorns’ single-season history. On Oct. 10, 2003, McDonald Freeman became just the third student-athlete in program history to equal the single-match record of four goals when she accomplished the feat against Baylor. She remains the only Longhorn to score four goals against a Big 12 Conference opponent. McDonald Freeman is tied for a program best with three Golden Goals, including a pair against nationally-ranked opponents No. 22 Nebraska on Oct. 26, 2003, and No. 7 Kansas on Nov. 5, 2004, both occurring well after the 100th minute of play in each match. After graduating from the Forty Acres, McDonald Freeman was accepted into dental school, which she finished in four years. She since opened a private practice dental office in Lone Tree, Colo., while passing along her love for the sport of soccer down to her children.
