Lightning Strikes Twice: LI Lutheran Places Three Players on 2026 McDonald’s All-American Team
Olivia Jones, of Bay Shore, and her teammates Erin McDonald and Savannah Swords were presented with their All-American jerseys in a ceremony at the Old Brookville School on Wednesday.
Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville made history once more on Wednesday, as three Crusaders girls basketball players—Emily McDonald, Savannah Swords and Olivia Jones—were honored with their jerseys as members of the 2026 McDonald’s All-American team.
This marks the second time in program history that LUHI has placed three players on the prestigious roster in the same year, following the 2024 selections of Kate Kaval, Silas Swords and Kali Heckel. Head coach Christina Raiti emphasized that the achievement stems from intentional recruiting, player development, and a team-first culture where individual stats often take a backseat to collective success.
The trio arrived at LUHI unranked and unheralded, yet each forged a unique path to national recognition.
Savannah Swords, the program’s glue player, missed her entire junior season with a torn ACL but returned efficiently to lead. Emily McDonald, once an unknown from Buffalo, stepped into expanded roles amid injuries and became a confident leader. Olivia Jones, who committed early at age 12, persevered through limited minutes in her first two years before emerging as one of the school’s most decorated players.
“They could’ve averaged 30-40 points anywhere else,” Raiti said, “but here, it didn’t matter who stepped up—as long as we got the job done.”
The honor reflects not just talent but grit, integrity and heart, qualities celebrated by a McDonald’s representative who praised the program’s ability to produce winners year after year.
The three will suit up together for the McDonald’s All-American Game in Phoenix, bringing built-in chemistry that few teams can match. After that, Olivia heads to Vanderbilt, while Emily and Savannah will be roommates at Kentucky.
For now, they’re embracing the moment—family, friends, framed jerseys, and perhaps a surprise drive-thru shift at McDonald’s—before the next chapter begins.
