BRAINERD — Since seventh grade Karley Dunham just knew.
Her belief and hope were reaffirmed as a freshman when the 6-foot outside hitter was promoted to the Brainerd Warriors varsity volleyball team.
Dunham just knew she was going to play college volleyball. She was right. The senior will play next season at Bemidji State University. To solidify her role on the team, Dunham committed her offseason to becoming better. She played with the Kandi Elite 17-1s AAU club team that went 28-0 and
won the Gold Division Gold Bracket
June 24-29 in Orlando, Florida.
“In seventh grade, I just realized that I love volleyball,” Dunham said. “I didn’t see going without it. When I was a freshman, too, I just knew four years wasn’t enough for me. Both my mom and my aunt played college volleyball. They were always big supporters of my playing. We have some family friends who like it so they were all big influences on me. I just really liked it for myself. My parents weren’t pushing me to play. They just supported it and helped me get better. I just really liked it on my own.”
This fall she’s proven her worth by leading or being in the top three of most statistical categories for Brainerd.
In 50 sets played, Dunham has 126 kills for a 2.5 kills per-set average. She’s hitting .195. She leads the team with 35 ace serves and has added 17 blocks, 336 digs and 209 serve receives.
Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch
While she’s leading in most statistical categories, she’s also leading with her voice and actions.
“She’s really helping the younger kids,” Warriors head coach Rick Kuehlwein said. “She’s matured as a young lady. She’s ready for the next level and she’s looking forward to it. She’s a pretty good role model. She’s a captain. She’s a two-year captain. I’ve only had two of those before in my tenure here. In my 35 years of coaching, I’ve only had three two-year captains and she’s one of them. That speaks a lot.”
I’ve learned a lot with my attacks and I was able to translate that to my defense.
Karley Dunham
Dunham said she recalled how her older teammates like Kate Stadum treated her as a freshman and she wanted to pass that on to her younger teammates.
“I think for me this year it was really important because I remember when I played as a freshman,” Dunham said. “We have three freshmen on the team who have all seen playing time. For me to relate with them was important. I think it’s just built a lot of relationships and a lot of trust in our team. I just wanted to display that same leadership I received when I was young and build those relationships with the younger girls.”
In Brainerd’s 3-1 loss to Class 3A’s
Thursday, Sept. 26, Dunham finished with 17 kills, five blocks, 20 digs and two ace serves.
Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch
“I just had a lot of confidence going into that game,” Dunham said. “I have a lot of family from Alexandria so they were all there. I just had a lot of people I knew in the stands so I just wanted to perform. Plus, some of the girls on the Alexandria team I play on my club team with so it’s always fun to compete with them. I just really wanted to perform well and show out against them.
“Their blocker that was on me, I play with, so I knew how she performs. Both of the people that blocked me I knew how they operated so that helped me out a lot. I just kind of found where the defense was struggling and really shot for those spots.”
Kuehlwein was pleased with Brainerd’s start against the CLC-leading Cardinals. The Warriors won the first set 25-23. After a hiccup in the second set, the Warriors battled Alexandria to 25-22, 25-22 final sets.
“We were trying to get her the ball a little more often,” Kuehlwein said. “A tournament ago, I yelled at my setter and told her you need to get the ball to Karley. She’s the only one who is finishing on our team right now. We had her ready to play against Alexandria. She’s playing outside hitter for us this year, but when she goes to Bemidji she’ll play right-side hitter. That’s a natural position for her. We have her outside because we need to hit more. She hits everywhere well.”
Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch
Kuehlwein said Dunham’s arm extension from the right side is much higher which will make her a more effective right-side hitter. He said it’s higher and quick and she’s a natural right-to-left hitter when she’s swinging.
Dunham said she’s also picked up different shots and she’s adjusting her speed and strength on her attacks depending what she sees from the defense.
It’s her defense, however, where she believes she’s made the biggest improvement.
“I just feel a lot more comfortable playing in the back row,” Dunham said. “I felt more comfortable reading other players and what they were going to do and just getting to the ball faster and seeing all of the different attacks. I’ve learned a lot with my attacks and I was able to translate that to my defense.”
Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch
In a 3-1 loss to Fergus Falls Sept. 24, Dunham tallied 33 digs, nine kills and two ace serves. Brainerd went 2-2 in the
Saturday, Sept. 21 and Dunham collected 49 digs and 19 kills to go with an ace serve, and block.
“I would say that my reading off of the opposing team’s attack has improved,” Dunham said. “I’ve just been really trying to figure out where they’re going to go around the block and watch their shoulder and hand. Just throughout the season, I think I’ve improved a lot in that aspect of it.”
Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch
For her four-year varsity career, Dunham has played in 297 sets and owns 556 kills, 93 ace serves, 107 blocks and 552 digs.
“She’s good in the back row,’ Kuehlwein said. “She’s not as good as she can be, but she plays really well. She wants to win and it wears on her a little bit because she knows we can win more.”
Said Dunham: “I think we’re building confidence. We’ve switched our lineup a lot. We have a lot of players that are stepping up and I think that in the next few games, we’re definitely going to be seeing some good outcomes. We’ve been working hard and once we start switching things up things are starting to click.”
JEREMY MILLSOP may be reached at 855-5856 or jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jeremymillsop.
Kelly Humphrey
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Outside hitter
Year: Senior
Age: 18
Height: 6-foot
Career highlight: Winning AAU National title last summer with the Kandi Elite club team
Other sports: Golf
Grade-point average: 3.8
Favorite class: Math or biology
Favorite teacher: Dawn Maine, Spanish Teacher
Favorite food: Pasta or sushi
Favorite show: “Gilmore Girls”
Favorite musician: Zach Bryan
Favorite athlete: Kerri Walsh Jennings, Olympic Beach Volleyball player
What sport do you wish you would have played: Hockey
Who inspires you: Mom and Aunt Angie Grove
Future plans: Attend Bemidji State University, play volleyball, and major in bio-chemistry major and minor in Spanish
Parents: Emily and Brian Dunham
Other notable performances
Ruthie Owen, volleyball, finished with 29 digs, six kills and an ace serve against Fergus Falls.
Lindsay Hunt, girls’ soccer, scored two goals against Detroit Lakes.
Haylie Crutcher, girls’ soccer, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Irondale and scored one goal against Detroit Lakes.
Mya Tautges, girls’ swimming and diving, won two individual events and helped two relays to first against Alexandria.
Madi Miller, girls’ cross-country, ran a second-place time of 20:57.7 to lead the Warriors to first at Becker.
Ben Stadum, boys’ cross-country, ran a second-place time of 16:53.8 at Becker.
Leah and Rebekah Soukup, girls’ tennis, finished the week 3-0 at No. 2 doubles.
Aralyn Marcelo, girls’ swimming and diving, won two individual events during the Warriors Wave War Invite.
Avery Duerr, girls’ swimming and diving, won two individual events during the Warriors Wave War Invite.
