Faces of MAC: Kai Doneker

According to Kai Doneker, there’s no secret to his success. “I practice as much as possible since I simply love the game. It’s usually the highlight of my day.” Nonetheless, he managed to go from initially not qualifying for Oregon State’s Racquetball team to being the No. 5 men’s singles player and part of the No. 3 doubles team in the nation. The Beavers beat BYU in the USA Racquetball Intercollegiate Nationals in March, and Doneker didn’t lose a game in the tournament on his way to the team victory.

Not bad for a 20-year-old who didn’t start pursuing the sport until he was 15. “I have played tennis since grade school, so I already had hand-eye coordination. When one of my friend’s moms put us in a racquetball lesson, it just clicked,” he recounts. “I love how fast, intense, and variable the game is. It’s also so interesting to see how much of a skill gap there is. Sometimes I feel so confident in my ability to win, and then I get absolutely humbled by someone who has been playing longer than I’ve been alive.”

Soon his name will sit alongside some of those who’ve humbled him when it gets added to court 10, where MAC Racquetball honors their world and national champions. “That community is very inclusive and welcoming; they always encourage me to play more and try harder. It doesn’t hurt that the MAC has some of the best courts I’ve ever seen,” Doneker enthuses.

“My coaches Hank [Marcus], Georgette [Blomquist], and David [Szafranski] were instrumental in developing my game. I go to MAC every time I come back to Portland, which is quite often. I play racquetball for a few hours, maybe do some weight-training, and hit the steam room — there’s nothing quite like it.”

Doneker also credits the support of his whole family for contributing to his accomplishments, particularly singling out his mom, Laura Torgerson, when it comes to instilling a love of competition, self-improvement, and athletics in general. “I’m grateful to them for putting me into sports programs and encouraging me. I just got my mom, who was a varsity tennis player, into racquetball, so maybe I’m returning the favor.”

He’s looking to give back in other ways, too. After deciding on OSU because of its well-respected engineering program, he transitioned from his initial plan to be a mechanical engineer to studying environmental engineering. “I want to have a positive impact on the environment, and I like taking more chemistry. After college, I hope to get a job in the field and travel.”

Outside of racquetball, Doneker participates in an array of sports, including snowboarding, soccer, and squash. He also enjoys hanging with his fraternity brothers, reading science fiction, and playing piano.