Tuesday, November 7, 2017 
 
 TIP OFF 2017
5B

Dunston’s Michigan teammates have 
noticed the work ethic Joe instilled.

“The work ethic and the theme of 

‘hardest-working team in America’ 
is set by our other senior Jillian 
Dunston,” 
Barnes 

Arico said at Media 
Day. 
“If 
you’ve 

watched 
us 
play, 

(Dunston) … will do 
everything 
that’s 

needed to be done 
to help our team be 
successful. Whether 
that’s 
taking 
a 

charge to win a 
game, whether that’s 
a dive on the floor 
for a loose ball, get a key rebound or 
whatever we need to do.”

This was on full display throughout 

the WNIT run, where the senior 
amassed 54 rebounds – including 13 in 
the championship game. The forward 
also took a crucial charge at the end 
of regulation, forcing Georgia Tech’s 
leading scorer Zaire O’Neil out of the 
game. Then she hit two clutch free 
throws in the second overtime to pull 
Michigan ahead of the Yellow Jackets.

Those efforts found their way onto 

the stat sheet. What Dunston did 
before the start of the third overtime 
didn’t — but was perhaps even more 
important.

She told her teammates that they 

would win by 10. This must have given 
the Wolverines the confidence they 
needed. They outscored Georgia Tech 
13-3 in the final overtime, winning 
89-79.

***

None of this should be a surprise. 

Dunston’s 
grind-it-out 
mentality, 

hard-nosed 
style 
of 
play 
and 

persistence on the glass has been a 

constant throughout her career. With 
565 rebounds, Dunston ranks 16th in 
program history. If she can replicate 
her 286 boards from last season, she 
will finish tied for second most all-

time.

That ability helped 

her as a sophomore, 
as 
Dunston’s 
role 

increased, 
playing 

19 minutes per game 
and making nine spot 
starts. But the real 
strides came between 
her 
sophomore 
and 

junior seasons. All the 
dedication paid off. All 
the hours of training. 

All the time in the gym.

“I think patience and confidence 

was the biggest thing that propelled 
me my junior year,” Dunston explains. 
“I learned the impact I can make. I 
don’t have to be the leading scorer to 
have an impact on this team. I think 
that’s why I was able to have such a 
successful season.”

Last 
season, 
Dunston 
finally 

became an impact player, starting 
every game at forward spot while 
averaging 5.8 points per game and a 
team high 7.7 rebounds.

A lot of what Dunston brings to the 

court often gets overlooked. Grabbing 
rebounds and playing solid defense 
isn’t as glamorous as scoring 20-plus 
points a night. Players like Katelynn 
Flaherty and Hallie Thome consume 
much of the spotlight, earning the 
preseason and postseason accolades. 
This doesn’t bother Dunston, but she 
does envy her teammates’ ability to 
light up the scoreboard.

“I don’t mind not being the 

highlighted player because I know 
what I do for this team,” Dunston said. 

“But some days I do want to be that 
leading scorer. I sometimes do wish 
I could put the ball in the hoop like 
Hallie and Kate can. But you take your 
role, you embrace it, and you do the 
best you can.”

Dunston already does the little 

things well. This offseason, she 
worked on becoming more like 
Flaherty and Thome — and the scorers 
have taken notice.

“I think she’s going to be a big 

scoring threat,” Thome said. “Her 
ability to attack the basket and to be 
able to knock down a jump shot has 
really improved.”

Dunston doesn’t need to score 

20 points per game — her other 
contributions do enough. But her 
offseason efforts to add another 
aspect to her skillset only shows how 
determined she is to help her team 
improve upon last year’s finish.

***

Dunston 
has 
clearly 
found 

her role on the team as a hard-
working rebounder that does all the 
little things. Yet all that Dunston 
contributes doesn’t go unrecognized 
by her teammates.

“She’s 
grown 
so 
much 
since 

our freshman year,” said Flaherty, 
Dunston’s 
roommate. 
“She’s 
an 

incredible athlete. She has great speed 
and quickness and she rebounds well 
for us.”

Dunston’s most valuable assets are 

intangible and cannot be seen in the 
box score; she prides herself on her 
leadership skills.

“Everybody looks up to her,” said 

freshman guard Desha Church. “And 
we all respect her.”

Not only is she a leader, but anyone 

that watches Dunston play can see the 
energy and passion she approaches 

the game with. Whether it’s going up 
for a rebound, ripping the ball out of 
the hands of the opponent or laying 
out for a loose ball, she feels that she 
“can bring a spark when needed” – 
and her teammates agree.

“She is a positive energy all the 

time,” Flaherty explained. “She’s 
probably one of the funniest people 
I know. She always 
looks on the bright 
side of things and it 
is very inspirational 
to be around her.”

Her 
buoyant 

personality is clear 
from just watching 
how she interacts 
with 
teammates 

prior to games – 
dancing, 
laughing 

and 
performing 

elaborate handshakes. This vigor was 
immediately evident to freshmen such 
as Church.

“Her energy at practice is – well, 

if she wasn’t at practice, you would 
notice,” Church said. “She makes a 
presence. I’ve never seen her down 
before and she just makes you feel 
good if you’re down. And even outside 
of basketball, she is always positive.”

This sort of high-energy player 

and personality is what Barnes Arico 
saw out of Dunston as a high school 
recruit.

“I think every program needs a 

Jillian Dunston,” Barnes Arico said. 
“She’s just a really special kid and 

we’ve been fortunate to have her in 
our program.”

This season, the Wolverines will 

look to Dunston to continue their 
success and avoid another late-season 
skid.

Looking back, Dunston admits 

that the Wolverines may have let 
their ranking in the top 25 get to 

their 
heads. 
She 

acknowledges that the 
losing streak hurt them 
in the end, and likely 
cost them a trip to the 
NCAA Tournament – 
and all they can do now 
is learn from it.

She also explained 

that finding out that 
the Wolverines weren’t 
selected to the NCAA 
Tournament 
was 

devastating – and this motivates her.

As a senior, Dunston feels a 

responsibility to establish the team’s 
culture and not allow the group to 
become complacent. This may prove 
the difference in earning an NCAA bid 
or not. If the Wolverines learn from 
last season and make adjustments, 
Dunston 
believes 
Michigan 
will 

continue to make a national name for 
itself.

And with Media Day marking the 

beginning of a new season, Dunston 
can’t help but smile.

The season hasn’t started yet, but 

Dunston’s sure of one thing – “This 
year is going to be even better.”

KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily

Dunston grabbed 12 rebounds in Michigan’s 65-43 win over Grand Valley State.

The early part 
of her career 
was tough. It 
was a journey.

I think every 

program 

needs a Jillian 

Dunston. 

KATELYN MULCAHY/Daily

Dunston, now a senior, will be an integral leader for the Wolverines as they attempt to go dancing for the first time since 2012-13.

