OA Vault: Tommy McDonough

About this episode

Tommy McDonough shares his journey as a runner and student-athlete, discussing the impact of the pandemic on his life and college decisions.

On this episode of Inside the Play Call, Shawn is joined by Tommy — a runner, golfer, hunter, and recent Orange Arrow intern — who takes us through his unique journey on and off the track. A Pittsburgh native, Tommy shares how the pandemic disrupted his senior year of high school and shaped his path forward. From picking up golf during COVID to navigating college decisions after a lost application, Tommy’s story is not one to miss. He opens up about starting at community college, making the leap to Pitt, and the grind of life as a student-athlete — early flights, long days, little sleep, and everything in-between. He also reflects on his time as an OA intern and what he’s carrying forward from his experience.

People in this episode

Host: Shawn

Guest: Tommy McDonough

Topics covered

• running
• golf
• hunting
• student-athlete experience
• college decisions
• pandemic impact

Keywords

• Orange Arrow
• internship
• Pittsburgh
• community college
• University of Pittsburgh

Mentioned in this episode

Products: golf clubs

Books & works: Inside the Play Call

Places: Pittsburgh

More episodes of Inside The Play Call with Orange Arrow

• OA Vault: Bella Perkins · December 25, 2025 · 41 min
• The Weight · December 18, 2025 · 9 min
• OA Vault: Dr. Rosie Cheng · December 4, 2025 · 38 min
• OA Vault: Dr. Rich Milner · November 27, 2025 · 41 min
• OA Vault: Hank Poteat · November 20, 2025 · 1h 4m
• OA Vault: TEN for OA - Round of Applause · November 13, 2025 · 15 min