The 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter and libero led the Thunderbirds to a 39-1-2 record and the Class AA state championship this past season. A 2017-18 Under Armour First Team All-American, Cole recorded 333 kills, 292 digs and 74 service aces. The Long Island Player of the Year, she was also named a First Team All-American by FloVolleyball and earned First Team All-State honors for the third consecutive season.
Cole has maintained an A average in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball on scholarship at Duke University this fall.
Cole has raised funds to benefit pediatric brain cancer research and has volunteered locally on behalf of youth volleyball programs. “Mackenzie Cole is the best defensive player I have ever seen,” said Lori Kessler, head coach at Shenendehowa High. “When she was in the back row, she was all over the place and showed an amazing read on the game. She made an impressive transition to outside hitter this year and was very effective hitting around blockers and finishing points. She’s also one of the strongest servers we’ve faced.”
