By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Her first two appearances in the NCAA Division 3 Women's Track & Field Championships may not have gone the way she hoped, but Alison McDonough’s resiliency and will to compete at a high level has brought her back to the national stage.

"It's crazy and unbelievable," said Bridgewater State University's Alison McDonough (Halifax, Mass.). "It's many different feelings and emotions."

During the national indoor championship meet in Winston-Salem, N.C., in March, 2022, McDonough finished 20th in the preliminary race of the 60-meter hurdles event after hitting the first hurdle.

Then, at the outdoor meet in Rochester, N.Y., in May 2023, McDonough was injured when she hit the first hurdle and fell, preventing her from finishing the preliminary race.

"I haven't done too well at the nationals,'' said McDonough.

She will get a third chance to compete at the NCAAs after qualifying for the 2024 NCAA Division 3 Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Va.

McDonough is seeded 15th in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.77 seconds at the Division 3 New England Championships on Feb. 25. Her preliminary race is Friday at 1:30 p.m. with the final on Saturday at 3 p.m.

After what happened last spring at the NCAAs, McDonough decided to return to the team as a graduate student for the winter and spring seasons this year.

"I didn't want that (falling in the preliminary race) to be the end of my college career,'' said McDonough.

She has put together a strong indoor season, earning All-Division 3 New England honors with a time of 8.77 to finish second and All-New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association honors with a time of 8.84 to place fifth.

McDonough was an All-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference choice after winning the long jump with a school record and the 60-meter hurdles.

"I think when I finally decided I wanted to come back, I put in a lot of time working on my hurdling form,'' said McDonough. "I regained my confidence and knew that I could do it.

"I really relied on friends to keep pushing me along.''

McDonough can still picture those two mishaps at the NCAA Championships, knowing she was taken out of the competition just as they were getting going.

"At the indoor race, I hit the first hurdle and it was heartbreaking,'' said McDonough. "You work so hard, put all the time into it and then for it to end like that, it was tough.

"It hurt to know that your season came to an end because of a simple thing like that.''

Last spring in upstate New York, McDonough was unable to finish the preliminary race after falling right away.

"It was worse that time because I didn't finish,'' she said. "That was heartbreaking, too. I was hurt when I fell on my left side and was all cut up and bruised. I hurt my hip. It was another bad experience.''

Now comes a third opportunity, this time in Virginia, and McDonough is ready to go after a successful indoor season.

"I'm excited,'' she said. "I definitely want to get out there again. "I've been there. I have the experience. I've been running really well."