Dunbar Highlights | Dunbar Album

When Kit Dunbar takes the field for the last time in a Bulls' uniform this spring her hopes are that it is not the last time she puts on a softball uniform.

“The best part of being an athlete is moving up to the next level,” Dunbar said. “Softball is an evolving sport around the world and I'm hoping I can take what I've learned and play somewhere in Europe.”

With 2008 being an Olympic year and European teams breaking up to represent their national teams, Dunbar will have to wait a couple of months before her next move. Patience, however, is something Dunbar has mastered and taken advantage of through the years.

The Clearwater, Fla., native spent two years at Western Kentucky before transferring to USF in 2007. Dunbar started in only 13 games in a Big Red uniform before making the decision to transfer.

“I went to Western Kentucky because they had recruited me since I was a sophomore in high school,” said the Countryside High alum. “I didn't think I had an option and I really liked the school and the coaches. Unfortunately, when I got there the coaches that had recruited me were gone and it was a different experience than I had expected.

“There were a lot of reasons for me to come to USF. I knew they had a good team and I was going to have to work hard and be patient if I wanted to play. But I also knew that I wanted to learn and this was the place to come for that.”

Dunbar quickly got to work upon her arrival at USF and landed a spot in the starting lineup.

She started 48 games last year, amassing a .380 hitting average in 142 at bats while leading the team with 17 multiple-hit games. A Second Team All-BIG EAST honoree in 2007, she recorded a .408 slugging percentage, scored 25 runs off of 54 hits, and drove in 11 RBI.

“Opportunities are limited,” Dunbar said. “I've always known that when they're given to me I have to try my best. When Coach (Ken) Eriksen gave me an opportunity I had nothing to lose. I had a choice, I could sit on the bench or I could work my way into the lineup and prove myself.”

With a league-leading 160 at bats in 2008, Dunbar leads the BIG EAST in batting average (.400), and hits (64), playing a major role in the Bulls' first place, 14-2, conference standings.

Success is nothing new to Dunbar. The sociology major was a four-year letter winner at Countryside High and in 2002 helped her team to a No.1 national ranking and a state championship. Dunbar garnered many awards and honors through her four years at Countryside.

“Winning a state championship was definitely a highlight in my playing career,” Dunbar said. “This is a team sport and when the day comes that I have to stop playing, I'm going to miss having a team. I am going to miss the friendships that I made. USF softball is a family and it's going to be a hard experience to top.

“The only thing I would change about my softball career is I wish I would have come to USF for four years instead of two. This is the right place if softball is your passion and you want to learn as much as you possibly can about the sport.”

Her passion for softball has been a lifelong affair. Dunbar comes from a softball family, her mother, aunt and grandmother played softball, and her father has been her coach since she picked up a glove.

“My family played a role when I chose to transfer to USF,” Dunbar added. “They didn't get a lot of opportunities to watch me play when I was in Kentucky. They're a big part of my life because they keep me level headed and grounded. They're not only my biggest fans, but my biggest critics and that only helps me get better.”

Her love for the game and work ethic are evident to Dunbar's teammates.

“She is one of the most hard-working people I know,” fellow senior Laura Wolf said. “She has an internal fire that you don't find often. She is motivated and it's contagious when you're on the field with her.”

That motivation was obvious earlier in the season when, after struggling at the plate against No. 10 LSU, Dunbar recovered and registered a perfect game against Fordham. She went 3-for-3, scored one run and had one RBI, which fired the Bulls to a 7-0 victory.

“I don't remember stats or individual games,” Dunbar said. “I just know when I'm not at my best and I know that I have to stop thinking about it and just play. I play softball because I love it and it's natural to me.”

She has been doing just that since the Fordham game and continues to be one of the most consistent batters in the Bulls' lineup.

“Perseverance and determination are the qualities that make Kit successful,” head coach Ken Eriksen said. “She is relentless in her approach to the game and she's been that way since she got here. She's the kind of player that will practice and play hard. There's nothing more a coach can ask for from his athlete.”

There is little doubt that Dunbar's softball days are far from over. When she puts on the Bulls' uniform for the last time, she will only have another challenge before her. With her drive and passion, chances are she's going to achieve whatever she sets her mind to.