McQuade, who was playing in United's development squad just two seasons ago, has taken to life in the Barclays Women's Championship like a duck to water, starting all but one game thus far and winning the September award.
United's number 21 got her first-ever Championship goal earlier in the season against Portsmouth Women with the Magpies well-placed in the table going into Sunday's trip to league leaders Birmingham City Women - but she admits she was not always confident of becoming a regular under Becky Langley this term.
"On a personal level, I feel like I've adapted to the Championship really well," McQuade told newcastleunited.com. "I even picked up the club's Player of the Month award, which I didn't expect.
"I've had consistent minutes this season which I would've never expected coming into a tougher league with no experience at this level.
"Up until the Charlton game - where I had a knock - I'd started every match. This season was all about getting my first start, proving my point and trying to keep that shirt because there was pressure and I wasn't sure I could handle it, but I seem to have done alright."
Despite being a new team in the division, United have only found themselves behind for a handful of minutes this season, which was right at the death against Durham Women.
So McQuade knows there are plenty of positives to take moving forward as the squad prepares for a double-header away from home against Birmingham and Bristol City Women.
"We're always very critical of ourselves," McQuade admitted. "We know that we could be sitting higher in the table had we managed some games better.
"On the flip side, if someone had told us that six games into the season we'd only have been behind for five minutes, I think a lot of people might've laughed and thought that was overly ambitious.
"So we've proven that we're capable of going ahead against teams in this league, but it's just about game management right up until the final whistle."
Coming off the back of an international break, Langley's squad travel to Birmingham's St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park this weekend looking to extend their unbeaten run to three games.
The Blues currently sit top of the Championship but are only five points ahead of Newcastle having played one game more, and United's versatile midfielder sees this weekend as an opportunity to pick up three points.
"There are a lot of tough games in this league and that includes going away to Birmingham," she said.
"Like every game, we go into it knowing that anyone can beat anyone on their day which has been shown in the results throughout the league this season.
"We treat this just like any other game and there's no reason why we can't come away with three points."
Newcastle United Women's next home game sees them return to St. James' Park to take on Southampton Women in the Women's Championship on Sunday, 17th November (kick-off 2pm BST). Tickets are on sale now from book.newcastleunited.com.
