MOBILE, Ala. – This upcoming season, the South Alabama women’s basketball program will welcome six newcomers to the squad.  The final newcomer, the lone junior college transfer in the class, is Meghan Dunn, a 5-6 guard from Birmingham, Ala.  Dunn lettered the past two seasons at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala.  Last season, she was named the Alabama Community College Conference Player of the Year and earned first-team NJCAA All-American honors after averaging 14.2 points and 2.1 steals per game.  For her contributions to the game during the 2011-12 season, her jersey was chosen to be hung in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame’s “Ring of Honor” in Knoxville, Tenn.   Dunn was also a four-year letterwinner at Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala., prior to attending Shelton State.  Recently Dunn sat down with www.USAJaguars.com.

You’re from Birmingham, Ala.  Have you always lived in Alabama?  What was it like growing up there?
“Yes, I have.  Growing up, I always had a good home, a good school and education, good friends and good environment.  It was nice to grow up there.”

When did you start playing basketball?  How did you get involved with the game?
“I started playing when I was in the second grade.  One day, my dad just signed me up to play in a rec league in Pleasant Grove (Ala.) and it just went from there.”

What do you like most about playing basketball?
“I really like the intensity of the game and the people around it.  I just really love the game.”

What do you believe is a strength of your game and why?
“I have to say my (basketball) IQ, because, I know the game real well.  One of my former coaches used to tell me that it was like having another coach on the floor when I was playing.”

What factors led to your decision sign with South Alabama?
“When I came on my visit to South Alabama, I just bonded real well with the team.  They all just seemed cool to be around.  I like coach Pietri and all the other coaches.  When I was here, it just clicked that this is where I should be.”

What are you majoring in here at South Alabama and what do you are plan on doing after graduation?
“I’m majoring in education.  I hopefully can be a special education teacher and eventually become a coach.”

How long have you known that you wanted to do that as a career?
“I’ve always wanted to be a coach and one day I was just sitting in my room thinking about it.  I just thought that I would be more helpful and could give more back if I was a special ed teacher.  It’s just something I wanted to do.”

For all of the South Alabama fans that will read this on the web site, try to sell yourself.  What kind of player can fans expect to see when they watch you this season?
“I bring a lot of intensity and I’m a good shooter.”

In high school, you where part of a very successful program, winning the state championship as senior and advancing deep into the playoffs as a junior.  How did that experience help you develop as a player?
“Playing in front of a lot of people in the bright lights helped me a lot.  It was something that I had always wanted to do.  You become a more focused player.  It’s fun playing on the big stage, but at the same time, you just have to be focused while you’re playing with all the lights and all the people watching and all of the pressure.  It’s just something that a lot of people should experience.”

What did it feel like for you to have your jersey chosen to be displayed in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame’s Ring of Honor in Knoxville, Tenn.?
“It was an honor.  My junior college coach (Madonna Thompson) went there to see it and told me that it was hanging along with Brittany Grinner’s, Maya Moore’s, Seimone Augustus’ and others.  It’s just an honor to have my jersey hanging up with theirs.”

How do you think your time at Shelton State will help you as you move up to the Division I level?
“My time at Shelton State made me a better shooter and a better defensive player.  My basketball IQ also got better being around coach Thompson.  She helped me a lot in just learning the game better.”

What was it like being named the Alabama Community College Conference Player of the Year?
“When they told me that I had won, I was shocked.  I was expecting Ashley Grimes (UAB signee) to win it, because she’s really athletic.  It was an honor for me to be named the ACCC player of the year.”   

What do you think will be your biggest adjustment moving from the junior college level to the Division I game?
“I think it’s going to be the level of intensity and the pace of the game.  I’m just going to work hard.”

What are your goals for the upcoming season – both individually and for the team?
“I want to be able to contribute to the team as much as I can.  Individually, I want to continue to become a better player and student-athlete.”

What professional or collegiate player do you try to pattern your game after and what is it that you like about their game?
“Maya Moore.  I just like the way she plays and hopefully I can play line her one day.”

Who would you say has had the biggest impact on your life, either as a person or as a player?
“Coach Darrell Barber.  He was my AAU coach when I was younger.  He helped me a lot with my work outs in the summer time.  He was just a real intense coach and made me want to play my best.”

What things do you like to do off the court?
“I like to shop.”

Do you have any talents other than basketball?
“Not really.”

If you could play any other sport, what would it be?
“Volleyball.  I played it in middle school and enjoyed it.”

Who was the main coach at USA to recruit you?  Describe your relationship with that coach during the recruiting process.
“Coach Pietri and coach “B” (Bobby Brasel) both recruited me.  I was about to go to the national tournament when they were really recruiting me.  I was hard to talk to coaches and practice at the same time.  I didn’t want to put too much stress on me during that time, so I really just waited to come on my visit.  When I came on my visit, I realized that I wanted make South Alabama the next place that I played at.”

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Off the Court with Lady Jag…
Brittany Webb (July 13)
Taylor Jenkins (July 27)
Diamonisha Sophus (Aug. 3)
Sharon Sanders (Aug. 10)
Brianna Wright (Aug. 17)
Meghan Dunn (Aug. 23)
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