A group of four Northwestern Lehigh seniors were celebrated recently for committing to continuing their academic and athletic careers at Division 1 schools. All four of the seniors are coming from sports programs that have been extremely successful over their time as Tigers.

For Abby Dunstan, playing Division 1 softball is a dream coming true.

Ever since she learned the differences in college divisions, Dunstan knew that D-1 was where she wanted to be.

In pursuit of that, Dunstan has played for elite travel teams. She spent this past summer playing for the Virginia Stars.

Softball has taken Dunstan from the youth fields of New Tripoli to Richmond, VA, Clearwater, FL, and Kokomo, IN. Her college softball is going go take Dunstan to Atlanta, GA, where she will attend Georgia Tech.

“The education I am going to get played a huge role,” said Dunstan. “When I went down for my visit, I heard recruits say that it feels like home and I really didn’t know what that meant but it truly did. I felt like it was going to be my home away from home. It’s a place where I know I am going to be pushed, but I really think I am going to thrive there. I didn’t think I was a city girl, but when I went down there [to Atlanta], I really can see myself going there for four years.”

Dunstan has pushed herself both academically and athletically to meet the standards of Division 1 schools that she dreamed about. On the field, Dunstan has become one of the best all-around players in the area and has found herself on all-state teams and was the Times News Player of the Year last season.

In her junior year, Dunstan hit .516, posted a .573 on-base percentage, and a 1.021 slugging percentage. Of her 49 hits, 23 went for extra bases, and nearly half of those (11) were home runs.

Defensively, not many runners take chances against her and they don’t look for pitches to get past her, because very few do. Her high school career has been pushed along by her teammate, battery mate, and friend Emma Freeman, who just happens to be one of the best pitchers in local softball. The two make quite a pair on and off the field.

“Being best friends with somebody and then being able to play with them for as many years as we have is something that I am blessed with,” said Dunstan. “Being able to tell people that you played with the same girl since seventh grade or whenever it was and you’ve become best friends, is something that not many girls are able to say.”

For the past three seasons, Kate Farber has coached Dunstan and has been impressed not just with her athletic skills, but with her leadership and communication skills with the other players.

“She’s able to lead the team without saying anything,” said Farber. “But she also has a vocal piece and is not afraid to speak her mind. She’ll let everybody know when we need to pick it up and when we’re playing great. She steps in the batter’s box with total poise and confidence. A lot of that is contagious.

“She does a ton of stuff with our youth. We’re trying to build back up our youth program because there was a lull for a couple of years, but Abby and the other girls are doing a great job of sparking that interest again.”

Dunstan and her senior teammates have won one Colonial League title and a District 11 championship and over the past three seasons are 66-14, with appearances in the PIAA semifinals in each of those years.

They will look to cap their careers with another set of league and district medals, as well as some state tournament hardware.

“I think about (senior season) a lot, and it’s almost hard to talk about because it goes both ways,” said Dunstan. “The four years the seniors have been here, we’ve had an amazing career but at the same time we fall short just about every year. This year it’s our last go around and our last chance to win. It’s going to take a lot of work, but we’re ready for it.”