FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 15, 2023) - Northern Arizona volleyball assistant coach Rachel Dunlap will sport a new title entering her seventh season on the volleyball staff. Head coach Ken Murphy on Tuesday announced the promotion of Dunlap to associate head coach ahead of the 2023 season.
"Rachel is a great coach and mentor to our team," Murphy said. "She impacts every phase of our program and has made significant contributions to our success over the years. I know that I speak for the rest of our staff and players when I say how grateful I am for all that she brings to our program."
The Sonora, California native, who joined the Lumberjacks in May 2017 after spending the 2016 season as a volunteer coach at Yale, made an immediate impact upon arriving in Flagstaff. In her first season at NAU, the Lumberjacks closed the year fifth in the Big Sky in blocks per set, an improvement from ninth the year prior.
Dunlap's second season in 2018 saw Northern Arizona sweep both the Big Sky regular season and tournament championships to reach the NCAA Tournament. The Lumberjacks, under Dunlap's guidance, finished the 2018 season 32nd in the country in total blocks (308.0) and opponents hit .164 against NAU, good for 24th best in Division I.
"Being here for a while now, my investment in NAU Volleyball is very meaningful to me," Dunlap said. "It is something that I have cherished for a long time now and am very excited to be able to continue my career here and honored that Ken would give me such a title. This is a testament to our kids and that they make this a fun place to be."
Since then, NAU has finished three of the past six seasons in the top 60 in opponent hitting percentage and has assisted the Lumberjacks to three winning seasons in the process.
Before making the leap into coaching, Dunlap played three seasons at Central Connecticut State. In her final two seasons, she finished in the top 25 nationally in blocks per set and became the Blue Devils all-time leader in blocks with 163.
Dunlap graduated from Central Connecticut State with a bachelor's degree in exercise science in 2015. She received her master's degree in digital audience strategy from Arizona State University in 2020.
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