By John Rosenstock, Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant
Senior member of Longwood Men's Golf TeamSeveral years back when Carra Bunner was enjoying the summer after her fifth grade year, she picked up a field hockey stick and never let go. Carra had an immediate love for the game. She started playing in local recreational leagues in the Virginia Beach area and showed raw talent from the start. Playing for Kempsville Middle School and then moving onto the Kempsville High School program, Carra showcased her talent for college coaches.
“Once I entered high school, I knew I wanted to continue my education by attending college and by my sophomore year I knew I wanted to play field hockey for the college I would attend,” noted Bunner.
Carra was not only a field hockey player at Kempsville, she also ran track in the off-season, though she used to joke with her track teammates that if field hockey was year-round, she wouldn’t give track a second look.
“In college, I get to play two seasons; fall and a tournament season in the spring, which is exactly what I had wished for.”
Playing at a high level like Carra does, she had multiple options as to where to play field hockey coming out of high school. During her senior year of high school, she narrowed the choices down to Longwood, James Madison, Christopher Newport, and Virginia Wesleyan.
“I was instantly attracted to Longwood University because of its Division I status. I also loved the campus. I came on a rainy, gloomy day, but the second I stepped onto campus I knew that Longwood would be my home,” Bunner proudly stated.
Since arriving as a Lancer in 2005, Carra Bunner has been a leader on and off the field for the Longwood Field Hockey program. In her freshman season, she played in all 13 games, and tallied her first collegiate goal in a 6-1 win over Robert Morris. Carra followed up a solid opening year with a tremendous sophomore campaign. She played in all 18 Lancer match-ups, starting in 12 of them. She tallied three goals and three assists for an impressive total of nine points. Carra has continued her strong play into the 2007 season.
Head Coach Nancy Joel stated of Bunner, “Carra’s speed brings a different dimension to any game she enters. She can wreak havoc in an opponent’s defensive line-up.”
Carra Bunner’s qualities and attributes are not limited to the hockey field, however. This summer, she traveled with her church, Eastminster Presbyterian, on a mission trip to Northern Ireland. She and 40 others from around the country gathered to help Hope in Ballymena. The idea is to work with local community groups to address and relieve existing cultural divisions and tensions through youth and family programs.
Bunner recalled some of the interesting things she and her team did while in Ireland. She stated, “We held a vacation bible school and a soccer camp in a (low-income housing) estate. Many children came out everyday and enjoyed being with us as we taught them about the Lord. The children were a joy to work with. While we were teaching them, we learned a little from them too. We also visited families and teens in the estate. We met so many wonderful people. I fell in love with the Irish people and their culture.”
Carra Bunner is certainly a great example of the fine student-athletes at Longwood University. Look for Bunner and the Lancer Field Hockey team to continue their strong play for the remainder of the season.
