BURLINGTON, Vt. – Elyse MacDonough was named 2021-22 Vermont Girls Basketball “Gatorade Player of the Year,” recognizing the Rice Memorial High School sophomore as the top player in the state. She led the Green Knights to a 19-1 record this past season, including the Division 1 State Championship.
Only a sophomore, MacDonough was named to the First Team All-State and the First Team All-Metro honoree. She also was named to the Vermont Division 1-2 Dream Dozen.
MacDonough is the fourth Rice Green Knight girl basketball player to earn the honor from Gatorade.
Elyse has older sisters: Emma, who plays college ball for D-2 St. Michaels; and Ava, who is a senior on the Rice Memorial Team and has also signed a letter of intent to play at St. Michaels.
MacDonough plays AAU basketball for the Lone Wolf Athletics, where for the last 17 years the girls’ Gatorade POY has played their AAU basketball.
Lone Wolf Athletics has been run by Wayne Lafley and consists of four girls’ teams of various ages. Players come from all over Vermont and some areas of New Hampshire and New York. They are one of the top organizations in the New England area.
Written by Don Lloyd of Springfield, Vt.