Honors
Three Letters (2021, 2022, 2023)
Academic All-Big Ten (2022, 2023, 2024)
Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023; Spring 2022, 2023)
Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2021, 2022, 2023)
2023-24 (Senior)
Gabby Donahue was a key contributor for the Huskers both individually and in relay events. Early on in the season, she took a second-place finish in the 100 freestyle at a dual with South Dakota State (53.96). Donahue added two third-place finishes in the 100 backstroke event this season. She logged a 58.47 against Kansas (Nov. 3) and a 57.76 against Rutgers (Feb. 3). Donahue earned her season-best time in the 100 backstroke at the Big Ten Championships (56.79).
Donahue tallied two career-bests this season. The first came in the 500 freestyle at a dual with Omaha (Nov. 18). She finished in 5:15.78 and captured a fourth-place finish. At the mid-season Hawkeye Invitational, Donahue logged a career-best in the 200 freestyle prelims (1:55.19).
2022-23 (Junior)
Donahue continued to drop time, while making significant contributions in both individual events and relays during her junior season. Donahue posted career-best times in all three of her individual events at the Big Ten Championships, including an appearance in the 200 IM finals. With a 2:02.82, Donahue went on to finish 24th in the 200 IM. She was on the cusp of qualifying for the 100 backstroke final, placing 25th with a 54.49. Donahue added a career-best 51.29 in the 100 freestyle to finish 45th.
Donahue was one of five Huskers to wrap up the season at the CSCAA National Invitational Championships. She pitched in a fourth-place 100 IM finish and was a member of four relays at the invitational.
At the Hawkeye Invite (Dec. 1-3), Donahue earned a spot in the 100 backstroke A Final and went on to finish fifth with a 55.04. She added an 11th-place finish in the 100 freestyle with a 51.39. Donahue also pitched in impressive relay efforts, as a member of the third-place 400 freestyle and 200 medley relays at the mid-season invitational.
Earlier in the season, Donahue swam to two individual third-place efforts in the 100 freestyle (58.13) and the 100 backstroke (58.13) at the Iowa dual. She followed that up with another top-five finish in the 100 backstroke at the Kansas dual (58.48).
2021-22 (Sophomore)
Donahue was one of NU’s top swimmers in the backstroke events throughout her sophomore campaign. She kicked off her season at the South Dakota State dual, where she swam in two winning relays, the 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay. Donahue added a second place finish in the 200 IM. At the dual against Iowa (Oct. 23), she swam to a runner-up finish in the 200 backstroke and placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke. She added another top-five finish in the Minnesota dual, swimming to fourth in the 200 IM. In the following week, she finished fourth in the 100 backstroke against Kansas (Nov. 5).
At the Mizzou Invitational (Nov. 17-19), Donahue produced three top-15 finishes, including an appearance in the finals and an eighth-place finish in the 200 IM (2:08.95). She also finished 11th in the 200 backstroke (2:03.68) and 12th in the 100 backstroke (55.94). A pair of third-place finishes in the 100 back highlighted the end of dual season for Donahue.
At the Big Ten Championships, Donahue swam a career-best time of 2:00.94 in the 200 backstroke. She also swam in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM at the conference meet.
2020-21 (Freshman)
Donahue brought a championship resumé with her to Nebraska and showed that she is poised to be a major contributor during her first season with the Huskers. At her first Big Ten Swimming Championships in Minneapolis, Donahue tied for 32nd with a career-best time of 55.28 in the 100 backstroke. She added a time of 2:01.20 to finish 39th in the 200 backstroke at the Big Ten meet. Donahue added another collegiate best (2:02.05) to finish 32nd in the 200 IM at the Big Ten Championships. She capped her conference meet with a 23.55 in a 50 freestyle time trial.
Donahue, who also represents Trinidad in international competition, captured four top-five individual finishes during an abbreviated 2021 regular season. She took third in the 200 IM in a dual with Iowa (Jan. 16), while adding a fifth-place finish in the 100 backstroke against the Hawkeyes. She also raced to a third-place finish in the 100 back in a home dual with Illinois (Jan. 23), while adding a fifth-place finish in the 100 free in a career-best 53.49 against the Fighting Illini.
Before Nebraska
Donahue helped Oviedo High School to a Florida Class 4A team title with an individual win in the 100 back (54.72) and relay wins in the 400 free and 200 medley relay. She also finished third in the 200 IM (2:01.98). Donahue, who swam for the Blue Dolfins Swim Club, also represents Trinidad in international competition. In the summer of 2019, she finished 11th in the 100 backstroke at the Pan Am Games, while finishing third in the 50 backstroke, 200 IM and 400 IM at the CCCAN Swimming Championships. She added a fourth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke and seventh in the 100 backstroke at CCCAN. In April 2019, she won the 50-meter backstroke, 100-meter breaststroke and 200-meter IM at the XXXIV Carifta Swimming Championships. She added a runner-up finish in the 100 backstroke and took third in the 100 freestyle.
Personal
The daughter of Brian and Karen Donahue, Gabby was born Feb. 4, 2002 in Oviedo, Fla. She has three sisters, Emma, Ally and Caroline, and a brother, TJ. A marketing and management double-major, Gabby earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2022 and 2023. She is a four-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll selection, and a three-time member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team. She also attended Berkeley Prep and H.B. Plant High School in Tampa.
Career-Best Times
| Event | Time | Meet (Date) |
| 50 Free | 23.55 | Big Ten Time Trial (2021) |
| 100 Free | 51.29 | Big Ten Championships (2023) |
| 200 Free | 1:55.19 | Hawkeye Invite (2023) |
| 500 Free | 5:15.78 | Omaha (2023) |
| 100 Back | 54.49 | Big Ten Championships (2023) |
| 200 Back | 2:00.94 | Big Ten Championships (2022) |
| 100 Breast | 1:07.58 | vs. Omaha (2022) |
| 200 IM | 2:01.47 | Big Ten Championships (2023) |
| 100 Fly | 58.79 | At Illinois (2022) |