McDonnell will anchor Sporting Kansas City's pregame and postgame shows and conduct in-game interviews from the sidelines during locally televised matches in 2015.
"This is a dream come true," McDonnell said. "I've always thought that if I could get a melting pot and throw sports, news and entertainment into it, I'd have my dream job. Now, I have that and I look forward to working with the SKCTV crew this coming season."
McDonnell joins play-by-play announcer Nate Bukaty, color commentator Andy Gruenebaum and lead analyst Jake Yadrich on the SKCTV broadcast team for the club's 20th season in Major League Soccer. KSHB's sister station, KMCI-TV, is the local broadcast partner of Sporting Kansas City, airing all regular season matches not nationally televised on FOX Sports 1 or ESPN2. In addition, KMCI's television host Crystle Lampitt will return as a contributing feature reporter for select locally televised matches.
Before arriving at KSHB, McDonnell spent two years in her native Philadelphia, serving as a traffic reporter and fill-in anchor. She also reported from the Philadelphia Eagles' sidelines during the 2013 National Football League season.
McDonnell graduated in May 2012 from Villanova University with a Bachelor's degree in communication and specializations in journalism and media production. While at Villanova, she was an on-air model for QVC, appeared in commercials on local tri-state area television and hosted Villanova basketball's annual Hoops Mania event.
For the past several years, McDonnell has helped raise awareness for pediatric cancer through partnerships with St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, a pediatric cancer charity.
