• Honorable Mention All-American (2014, 2015)
• First-Team All-Ivy (2014, 2015)
• Ivy League All-Tournament Team (2014)
• Ivy League Rookie of the Year (2012)
• Second-Team All-Ivy (2012)
At Cornell
Career: Donovan was a two-time honorable mention All-American selection and a three-time All-Ivy honoree, with consecutive first-team selections over his final two seasons. As a senior, he led the Big Red in points (64) and assists (25) while finishing second overall in goals (39). He was just the 10th player in Cornell history to post at least 50 points in consecutive seasons, with 58 points as a junior and 64 points as a senior. He graduated ranking in the top 10 in Cornell history in points (fourth – 189), goals (eighth – 119) and assists (eighth – 70). A 2015 Tewaaraton Trophy nominee, Donovan was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2012.
Junior (2014): The quarterback of the Big Red offense, Donovan led the team in both points (58) and assists (23) and was second overall in goal (35) en route to an honorable mention All-American selection. He was a first-team All-Ivy honoree after ranking second in the conference in points per game (3.62), fourth in goals per game (2.19) and sixth in assists per game (1.44). The model of consistency, Donovan registered at least two points in all but two games during the season. He had eight hat tricks on the year and had at least five points on six occasions, including a career-high six points vs. Hobart (3-3), Brown (4-2) and in the Ivy League Tournament vs. Penn (3-3). For his performance vs. the Quakers, Donovan was named to the Ivy League All-Tournament team. He also picked up 30 ground balls and caused four turnovers on the season.
Sophomore (2013): Donovan had a solid sophomore season, starting all 18 games as a member of the Big Red’s attack unit. He ranked fifth on the team in both goals (27) and points (35), while handing out eight assists. Donovan had at least one point in all but two games on the season and finished with at least three points in seven contests. He posted a season-high five points against Dartmouth with three goals and two assists. Of his 35 points, 10 came during the postseason and 13 came during Ivy League play.
Freshman (2012): Donovan was named the fifth Ivy League Rookie of the Year in Cornell history and picked up second-team All-Ivy honors after taking over the reins of the Big Red offense and leading the team in points (32) and assists (14) despite consistently drawing the opposing team’s top defender. His 1.08 assists per game average ranked eighth in the Ivy League and he finished the year ranked third on the team in goals (18). Donovan registered at least one point in all but two games during his freshman season and posted a multi-point game in 8-of-14 contests. He registered a career-best four goals against Army and at Princeton, while handing out a personal-best three assists vs. Denver. He was also named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week five times during the season, the most by any player in the 25-year history of the award. Donovan finished the season with 31 ground balls and four caused turnovers.
Prior to Cornell
Donovan earned two varsity letters at Seton Hall Prep before attending The Lawrenceville School for the 2011 season. After helping Seton Hall to the Essex County tournament in 2010, he led Lawrenceville to the NJISAA championship and MAPL championship in 2011. Donovan was named first-team all-state and was selected to the Inter-AC Invitational All-Tournament team in 2011. He also won Lawrenceville’s Pershing Trophy for lacrosse.
Personal
Matthew Richard Donovan is the son of Timothy and Katherine Donovan and he has one older brother, one older sister and two younger brothers. His grandfather, Eddie Donovan was the head men’s basketball coach at St. Bonaventure from 1953-61, leading to the Bonnies to a No. 3 national ranking in 1961. He went on to serve as head coach (1961-65) and then General Manager of the New York Knicks, winning an NBA championship in 1970, before becoming the General Manager and Executive Vice President of the Buffalo Braves, where he won the NBA Executive of the Year Award for the 1973-74 season. Donovan is enrolled in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
