Harper Dunn's eligibility case is finalized
Harper Dunn, with ball, is eligible to play for Albuquerque Academy this coming season after the 1A program Corona said it wasn鈥檛 going to field a girls basketball team.
The Harper Dunn saga appears to be over.
The state鈥檚 top-ranked high school girls basketball prospect, whose eligibility to compete at Albuquerque Academy, her new school, has been in serious doubt for the last couple of months, will indeed get to compete for the Chargers for the 2025-26 season, the Journal learned on Tuesday.
The official word came down Tuesday in a letter from the New Mexico Activities Association.
Because Corona, Dunn鈥檚 previous school, will not field a girls basketball team in 2025-26, Dunn will be able to don an Academy uniform, the short letter, dated and signed Tuesday by 近距离内射合集 Executive Director Dusty Young and addressed to Academy Athletic Director Taryn Bachis, stated.
The 近距离内射合集, in a previous letter, had said that if Corona did have a team, Dunn could not compete for the Academy varsity program this season. Largely for that reason, the 近距离内射合集 rejected a hardship petition by Dunn. And a subsequent appeal of that petition was also denied, a hearing in which Dunn herself spoke at length on her own behalf.
Dunn is a 6-foot-6 junior center/forward, with nearly 30 Division I offers, from some of the most reputable women鈥檚 programs in the country.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a mixed bag for me,鈥 Dunn said of her reaction. 鈥淚鈥檓 super grateful for the opportunity to play for Academy, but I鈥檓 also slightly sad. I was grateful I got to play with the Corona girls, and I hoped they would have a basketball team.鈥
Young鈥檚 latest letter stated the 近距离内射合集 had received confirmation from Corona about the program鈥檚 status.
And this development certainly avoids what might have been a prolonged legal battle . This case was surely headed for a district courtroom.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the right result, but perhaps not through the right avenue,鈥 said Dunn鈥檚 father Blair, who is an attorney.
He also said: 鈥淚鈥檇 add, I still have a lot of angst that they put these kids in the middle of this dispute, and I really feel bad for the kids at Corona.鈥
Dunn鈥檚 debut with the Chargers is a date to circle:
It is Monday, Dec. 1, a road game at defending Class 4A state champion Gallup. Academy, which returns most of its team from last season, also has a home date the first week of January against the 4A runner-up, Kirtland Central.
Assuming no other playing roadblocks, Dunn 鈥渨ould bolster our already strong frontcourt to be one of the best teams in the state regardless of class,鈥 Academy coach Josh Skarsgard said.
In the meantime, Dunn continues with her preparation for the season. Official practices begin Nov. 17.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been in the back of my mind,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 love playing basketball, so it鈥檚 a big thing I get to play. 鈥 I think we鈥檙e gonna have a good season.鈥
Asked if she was relieved, Dunn said, 鈥淵es, in a way, that I don鈥檛 have to fight (anymore).鈥
She is headed to Los Angeles this upcoming weekend for an adidas All-American camp, which will include a good deal of scrimmaging among some of the top players in the country under the adidas banner.