Mackenzie Bunnell '21 Recruiting Profile

I have always found my best self through sports. The camaraderie, emotions, and lessons sports have brought into my life drive my passion to constantly push harder and work toward achieving my goals. I have always looked up to the girls playing at the college level, and wish to be a college athlete so I can continue to work toward new achievement and inspire younger athletes to do the same.

Academically, my interests lie mainly in liberal arts. I work hard to understand class material, and ask effective questions to help fill gaps in my knowledge. My classroom experiences so far have taught me to listen to others and speak thoughtfully and respectfully. I like to write, creatively as well as analytically, and hope to take writing classes in college. I also enjoy the arts, especially filmmaking. I would describe myself as creative, hard working, and enthusiastic to learn in a classroom environment. 

I bring my hard working attitude to the court as well.  Most coaches I've had would describe me as coachable and adaptive to whatever is thrown my direction. I am competitive, but also have a positive attitude and believe there is something to be learned from every win and every loss. I treat all teammates with respect and make it a point to always have their back, no matter what they may need. Off the court, I always put in extra work in the weight room or on the track to make sure I am as strong, conditioned, and agile as possible.

Character wise, I would describe myself as determined, empathetic, and self-aware. I always consider all of the best options before making a decision and can be hesitant at first, but once my mind is made up it is hard to change. This also applies to goal setting. Once I begin working toward something, I almost never give up. I always do my best to understand the people around me and don't often have trouble trying to "step into someone else's shoes." This helps me to be a kinder person and better teammate. I recognize my strengths, but also my areas for improvement, and am always looking to change in new ways to be the best version of myself possible. All of this stuff sounds really serious, but I also love to have fun! Thank you for taking the time to read my statement. I have included below some words from my coach.

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I have coached Mack for the past two years on the Lawrenceville Varsity Volleyball team and have witnessed her growth as a player, leader, and student-athlete. She has become a strong utility player, but most of her playing time comes from playing opposite. 

Mack's strong desire to make contributions to our team, and play with some outstanding athletes, led her to be extremely flexible and willing to meet our team's needs, not what she necessarily wanted. She put aside her expectations of playing outside when she saw that we needed a strong opposite and she excelled in the role.

You want Mack on your team because she:

• 1. is extremely coachable--she studies the game and asks questions to better understand strategy and she listens to tips for skill improvement with enthusiasm. She's one of those players that makes adjustment easily.
• 2. exhibits an exemplary team mindset. She pushes the team in training, cheering everyone on and never cutting corners. And, she never lets her personal expectations hamper what the team needs. I'm sure if we tell her next year that she will have to be a middle blocker she will embrace the position as opportunity not setback. She's just that kind of player.
• 3. embodies a contagious winning spirit and positive attitude. When she comes off the bench she goes to each of her teammates of the floor to psych them up and pushes them to work harder.  
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Mack is one of the most flexible and committed girls I have coached in nearly 20 years and you would be lucky to have her skill and attitude on your team. I'd be happy to answer any additional questions. Best of luck with your recruiting process and fingers crossed for a "normal" 2020 season. 

Warmest regards,

Karla Cosgriff

[email protected]

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Karla A. Cosgriff
Cell: 860-966-6167
Skype: karlacosgriff