by Sean Begin
When women’s volleyball head coach Linda Sagnelli went to San Antonio, Texas for the NCAA Division I Final Four in 2011 she left having met the player who would become a centerpiece to a highly successful Northeast Conference team.
Walking through the Alamodome on Sunday during a talent showcase the day after the final match, Sagnelli and her assistant coach Greg Shell were looking for a middle blocker to add to the team.
“Greg and I went and I was looking for a middle and sure enough their was Rachel in a back court in the convention center,” said Sagnelli. “And I was just very impressed with her athleticism and her discipline and her focus. She was very supportive of the other players on the court, none of whom she knew.”
Rachel is Rachel Dunlap, a senior in her third season with the team who over the summer was named captain alongside junior Makenna Lommori. The title was an acknowledgment from both the coaches and the players on the team of the work and effort Dunlap has put in during her time in New Britain.
A native of Sonora, Calif., Dunlap played high school volleyball for Summerville High School in Tuolomne, Calif. From there she made her way to Texas where she played for Lee College her freshman year.
“I had a few opportunities to go to Division I straight out of high school but they just didn’t feel right,” said Dunlap. “So I went the junior college route. I took that opportunity and obviously I’m thankful because it led me here. I don’t think I would be here if wasn’t for that first step.”
After leaving Lee for Central, Dunlap became an immediate piece in the Blue Devil front court, starting 28 of the 29 matches she played, ranking second in hitting percentage and fourth in kills while leading the team in blocks with 113.
Last season, Dunlap made another jump, increasing her block total by 50 to set a CCSU single season record with 163 total blocks, including 14 in one game, also a program record.
Despite the year at Lee, Dunlap attributes her growth and success as a player to the coaches at Central.
“Who I am today and how I became a better player my sophomore year is 100 percent credit to Central Connecticut,” said Dunlap.
“She’s improved every single year she’s been with us,” said Sagnelli. “I thought, like I think with all players, that she had a lot to work on. But she absolutely met the challenge of learning new hits, working on her footwork, working on her strength.”
Over her two years at Central, Dunlap has added several different hits and attacks to her offense, working closely with Lommori, the team’s setter, to get the timing on their attack down. Defensively, Sagnelli has worked with her to improve her eye sequencing, her ability to see everything happening on the other side of the net and react.
“She has to see the pass and then read the setter and guess what the setter is going to do, and look at the hitter. And then when the ball is released she has to travel the net to get there and try and be involved in a block,” said Sagnelli. “There’s a lot going on. [Middle blocker is] the position I played in college and I know what it takes. She certainly can do it at a high level.”
Even though Dunlap has made improvements defensively, she was already a solid defensive player coming in, and so was able to focus more time on honing her offensive attack.
“We took her where she came in with her blocking and just helped her progress with it and then we really had her focusing on offense so that she could become more of a threat,” said Sagnelli.
Dunlap’s work ethic and effort is part of what earned her the title of captain coming into her final season as a Blue Devil. The other is her leadership ability on and off the court.
“She leads by example,” said Sagnelli. “Whether she’s on the court or doing a pool work out or down with strength and conditioning, she’s just getting after it. I think she’s a very good role model for the younger players on the team.”
“I really feel like that’s a good attribute of mine is my leadership on the court,” Dunlap said. “I’m very thankful [to be named captain]. I was honored and I love having Makenna by my side.”
“It’s easy to be captain with your best friend,” she added. “We get each other. We always have got each other. We have great chemistry together. She’s probably the only person on the court who can look me in the eye and tell me ‘Get out of your head or else.’”
Dunlap had to do just that heading into the season. Focused heavily on the fact that she had only one season of college athletics left, Dunlap “was too much in my own head.” But a change of mindset has made her ready for her final season.
“I’m just focused on having fun this year. I found out if I just let myself play, I’ve been way better. And I’m trying to have the best season that I can without putting too much pressure on myself. I have a limited time and I’m very conscious of that.”
“She’s such a dynamic athlete that we were so happy when she chose to come to Central because we could see in her so much potential and now she’s starting to realize that,” said Sagnelli. “It’s really been fun watching her mature as an athlete and as a person. She has a really bright future.”