skip navigation

Triple Threat Athlete of the Week: Lexi Donarski, Aquinas

09/26/2019, 2:00pm CDT
By Norbert Durst

Name: Lexi Donarski
School: Aquinas High School
Year: Senior 

Volleyball Honors: Four-year starter for coach Nellie George and the Blugolds... second-team all-Mississippi Valley as a freshman... helped team win conference title and first-ever state tournament appearance... WVCA honorable mention all-state and first-team all-MVC as a sophomore... helped team win conference title... MVC Player of the Year, WVCA Division 3 first-team all-state, and La Crosse Tribune Player of the Year as a junior... led team to MVC title... three-year team captain... Blugolds are currently 21-3 overall and 7-0 in MVC play this season, ranked No. 3 in Division 3 WVCA Coaches Poll... has helped Aquinas to a 100-23 record in her career... has compiled 1,208 kills, 194 blocks, 868 digs and 106 aces so far in her career... 

Basketball Honors: Enters her senior year as a three-year starter for coach and father Dave Donarski... has helped lead the Blugolds to three state tournament appearances... back-to-back Division 4 state champions... Blugolds finished as the D4 state runner-up in 2017... three-time Division 4 WBCA all-state... three-time WisSports.net All-Tournament Team at State Tournament, including being named MVP last season... Associated Press first-team all-state as a junior, second-team as a sophomore, and third-team as a freshman... three-time La Crosse Tribune first-team all-area, including being named Tribune Player of the Year twice... three-time first-team all-MVC... named co-Player of the Year in the MVC as a junior... has led Aquinas to three conference titles and a perfect 36-0 record in league play... Blugolds are 82-2 overall in her first three seasons... competed with WI Flight Elite in AAU... ranked No. 12 nationally in the ESPN Hoop Gurlz class of 2020 rankings... the 5-foot-10 point guard enters her senior year with 1,476 points, 258 rebounds, 380 assists, 245 steals and 77 blocks in her career... committed to Iowa State... 

Track & Field Honors: Enters her senior year as a three-year varsity performer for coach Geoff Wilhelmy and the Blugolds... holds school records in high jump, 200m, 4x100 relay, and 4x200 relay... first-team all-MVC in the 100m, 200m, high jump, and 4x100 relay as a freshman... named conference runner of the year... state qualifier in 100m (6th place), 4x100 (4th place), and high jump (6th place)... as a sophomore was first-team all-conference in 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100 relay... conference runner of the year... state qualifier in 100m, 200m (4th place), and 4x100 (2nd place)... as a junior was first-team all-conference in 100m, 200m, and long jump... second-team all-conference in 4x200... state qualifier in 100 (5th place), 200m (3rd place), long jump (3rd place), and state champion in 4x200 relay... helped Blugolds capture Division 3 state title... 

Favorite Sport (and why): "My favorite sport is basketball because it is so competitive, and it is such a team sport. I like that you can individually control parts of the game, but you have to rely on your teammates to be able to win games." 

Best Part of High School Sports (and why): "The best part of high school sports is being on multiple teams and getting to know all of my teammates. I love being able to represent Aquinas in each sport." 

Best Advice from a High School Coach: "The best advice I’ve been given would be to not let one play set you back. Whether in basketball or volleyball, everyone will have a bad play. It’s the way a person gets through a mistake and bounces back that allows them to really become a good player."

Most Memorable Moment in High School Sports: "I have a couple top memorable moments. During my sophomore year, we were able to win state basketball after losing in the championship the year before. Then, the following year, we were able to win our second state championship in a row. That same year, our girls track team won team state."

Best Part of Playing Three Sports: "I love the cross-training that three sports provide for me. Different aspects of each sport help develop me as an athlete. Jumping in volleyball, lateral movement in basketball, and speed in track help me to excel in all three sports."

Toughest Part of Playing Three Sports: "The hardest part about playing three sports is time. It is difficult to find time to work on the sport that is not in season."

Favorite Opponent (and why): "My favorite opponent in conference is Onalaska because of the energy that is brought to each game. The packed gym with the awesome atmosphere is a very fun environment to play in during conference. Melrose-Mindoro is my favorite team to play against in post-season because of the rivalry that has developed in the last couple years. Both teams are very talented and have great programs."

Favorite Professional Athlete: "My favorite professional athlete is Stephen Curry. I had the honor of being able to meet him this summer and attend his camp, and I saw how good of a role model he is to all young athletes."

Favorite College Team: "My favorite college team is Iowa State. It had been a dream of mine to play there ever since I was young, and now I’m only a year away."

Cumulative GPA: 3.929

Toughest Individual You’ve Competed Against (and why): "The toughest people I’ve played against are Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. They are both ranked in the top 5 in the country, and I have been fortunate enough that my high school team has travelled to play them these last few years."

Most Admired High School Teammate (and why): "I cannot pick just one teammate. I played with Kyah Steiner, Madessa Collins, and Jessa Peterson growing up and they have all been teammates I have admired. Megan Scheidt was a great teammate because she never hesitated to put the team before herself. This year with Courtney Becker, Kayla Bahr, and Taylor Theusch should be a special one because we have spent so much time together and they are great teammates. The trait that these people share is their competitiveness."

College Plans: "I have verbally committed to play college basketball at Iowa State University. I am planning on majoring in business."

Activities Outside of Sports: "I am involved in National Honor Society. I am also involved in IMPACT which is a school service group, which allows me to volunteer in the community in a variety of ways. I am also in Interact, which is part of the Rotary Club, and it is another service group."

I Find it Relaxing to: "(I find it relaxing to) go on the river with my family and friends. I enjoy tubing, water skiing, and jet skiing. " 

Favorite TV Show: "My favorite TV show is One Tree Hill." 

Favorite Subject: "I would probably have to choose math for my favorite subject. By process of elimination, it’s the only one left." 

Favorite Website: "My favorite website is Snapchat."

Other Family Members: "Dad – Dave Donarski – my Aquinas High School Basketball coach; Mom – Pam Donarski; sister - Macy Donarski – 2023 grad – current freshman – will get to play volleyball, basketball and track with her this year." 

Tag(s): Triple Threat AOTW  News Archive  GBB News  News  Norbert Durst