By Jordan Boitnott
Mary Dunn of the women’s basketball team is a fifth-year senior studying professional communications and is preparing to finish her master’s program next year. Dunn is a leader both on the court and academically for Youngstown State University women’s basketball team, posting the second-highest GPA in Division 1 basketball.
Dunn said the keys to her academic success are time management skills and keeping her priorities straight.
“I mean school has always been a number one priority, even in my undergrad I was super devoted to school,” she said. “So, I think it’s just like even more elevated now because grad school is definitely a lot more difficult than I even expected it to be. So, I think just always focusing on making sure that school is first and just really time management.”
On top of pursuing her master’s, Dunn also helps tutor her fellow teammates when she can.
“Definitely I’m more of one of the helpers. I help just because me and a couple of my teammates really do hold a really high standard and it’s expected on our team to get really good grades, our goal is to get A’s, ” she said.
Dunn feels her strongest asset as a player is her ability to be consistent night in night out.
“I’m definitely a consistent player, and I go in every day and work as hard as I can. Plus, with my experience, it definitely helps. I know I need to do a lot better and I expect a lot more for myself,” she said.
Dunn said she looks back fondly on her time here at YSU and wouldn’t change a thing.
“I had no idea what would happen, and I definitely made the right choice. I’ve seen all sides of it. I’ve been, you know, the first team all-conference player and I’ve also been the player on the bench,” she said. “I’ve been the middle player, so I think through everything, I wouldn’t change anything. I’ve had a great experience here.”
After she graduates, Dunn has high aspirations for herself. Once her basketball career concludes she said she would like to get her Ph.D and become a college professor in communications.
“I possibly want to play professionally, that was always my plan, but now I just keep coming back to YSU. So, I’m not sure, if I want to still do that, but if I do that, that’s [what] I would like to do for a couple years,” she said.
Dunn was able to lead the charge Saturday by helping the team recover from a 12-point halftime deficit with a double-double recording a game-high 25 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.
Dunn and the Penguins will be in action again Friday night at Purdue Fort Wayne.