She would be the perfect poker player — focused and intense, with a game face that would rival that of Pedro Martinez of the Boston Red Sox. She’s quick on her feet with impeccable timing comparable to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. Combine these talents and put them into the body of UCSD volleyball senior outside hitter Stacy Dunsmore.
In a Sept. 17 match against Grand Canyon at RIMAC Arena, the cool-headed Dunsmore became the first-ever Triton to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.
“She’s so calm and collected,” UCSD volleyball head coach Duncan McFarland said. “It’s almost deceptive to watch her. She doesn’t look that intense; she’s very even and focused when she plays, and I think that’s kind of the secret to her consistency.”
Not only has her coach noticed her calm demeanor, but her teammates as well.
“She’s really consistent emotionally,” senior outside hitter Bonnie Wilson said. “Volleyball is really an up-and-down sport and if momentum really matters, she’s very consistent [and] maintains her confidence and composure all the time.”
A consummate team player, Dunsmore has been mostly preoccupied with contributing to the team and hardly glances at her individual achievements.
“It was exciting,” Dunsmore said of her milestone. “I actually wasn’t keeping track or anything so it was kind of a surprise for me.”
Anyone observing her on the court and following her stats on paper can easily surmise that Dunsmore possesses the perfect hand on the drawing table — she can attack, pass, block, serve and dig.
“She’s a very consistent player for us,” McFarland said. “During her time here, she’s been the most all-around player that we’ve ever had. Her attacking skills are good, her passing skills are great, serving skills … she really doesn’t have a weakness in any place of the game.”
Perhaps, one can attribute her abilities to genetics. Her father, Bill Dunsmore, introduced volleyball to her when he played for the all-military team. Considering her childhood, her 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs are quite a feat.
Dunsmore dribbled a soccer ball around for nine years before trading her cleats in for sneakers. Her middle school, Roosevelt Middle School in Oceanside, Calif., started a volleyball team, and the then-eighth grader — curious to try a sport her father always played — tried out. She figured that spiking a ball would suit her tall and slim frame.
“I had played soccer for so long, and it was more of a contact sport; the girls were starting to get bigger than me so I just veered off into volleyball and it was a perfect fit,” the 5-foot-11-inch Dunsmore said.
A psychology major at Earl Warren College, Dunsmore was born 21 years ago in Camp Pendleton, Calif. Her father served in the military for 27 years and unlike most servicemen, was able to remain stationed in Pendleton, which allowed his daughter to play club and high school volleyball.
Dunsmore earned herself All-League and All-County selections during her stay at nearby Vista High School. To round off her accolades, she also snatched a San Diego Union-Tribune All-Academic honor, making her a perfect fit for UCSD.
“Academically, the school’s great, the people are great, [and] I’ve met so many friends,” Dunsmore said. “The volleyball is so great too, it’s gotten better each year; we reached the Final Four my freshman year so hopefully it comes full circle this year so we can get back there.”
As of Sept. 28, Dunsmore is currently second on the Triton all-time list in digs with 1,050; second in total attacks with 2,916; and third in kills with 1,021. Now that she has placed herself in the record books, Dunsmore, along with her teammates, have their eyes set on the ultimate prize — a coveted NCAA Division II national title.
“It’s always been at the back of our minds,” she said. “We like to take it one game at a time; but we’re hoping that’s where we end up.”
