GRAND FORKS, N.D. – One of the top teams in The Summit League will get even tougher entering next season, as Cian McDonnell has inked his National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play his collegiate tennis career at the University of North Dakota beginning in 2021.
 
McDonnell, who has previously ranked fourth in the High Irish Ranking, has had a strong international career during his amateur career. The Belfast, Northern Ireland, native shined on the international stage in 2019 at the Four Nations Tournament, a competition between England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, by claiming all six of his matches while competing for Ireland.
 
He also had a strong showing at the Irish National Championships, earning a pair of titles and a runner-up finish in 2019. McDonnell captured the U-18 Boys Doubles title and reached the title match of the U-18 Mixed Doubles division before claiming the Irish Singles National Championship crown.
 
McDonnell intends on majoring in psychology at North Dakota and is the son of Sorcha Wolsey and Sean McDonnell.
 
North Dakota had its 2020 season abruptly end due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but ended the year with a program-record nine straight wins and captured a 9-2 (2-0 Summit League) mark.