Dunn Deal: A Moriarty Senior’s All-Star Journey

When Moriarty High School senior Michaela Dunn answered the phone call from her coach Michael Baguskis, her first reaction wasn’t excitement—it was disbelief.

“I didn’t believe it,” Dunn said regarding the news that she had been selected as a 2025 New Mexico All-Star volleyball player. “It just felt like an achievement because there’s a ton of girls, and somehow I was able to get into it.”

For the Lady Pinto senior, the selection was the culmination of a high school career that began quietly but finished with a roar. Dunn didn’t play volleyball her freshman year, started as a swing player on JV her sophomore year, and only solidified her varsity spot as a junior. Now, she stands among the best in the state.

Dunn’s selection as an All-Star was no surprise to coach Baguskis and he sees it as “gold star” for his entire program.

“Michaela is the calming factor of our team. She is one of the most humble athletes and is always thinking of others. Having another all-star in our program is a great accomplishment for not only Michaela but for those that came before her and for those that will follow in her footsteps,” he said.

A Whirlwind Weekend

The All-Star experience was a blur of instant chemistry. Dunn described a tight schedule involving a media day, photo sessions, and a team dinner that forged immediate bonds among players who were usually rivals.

“We played that afternoon,” Dunn recalled of the exhibition game. “It was crazy. It was astonishing, I guess you can say, how well the two teams came together.”

The “Tall Girl” Question

Despite her success on the volleyball court and the tennis court, Dunn faces one recurring question as a tall female athlete: “Do you play basketball?”

“Every time, it’s the same thing,” Dunn laughed. “Almost every single person that doesn’t know me asks me if I play basketball.”

Her answer is always a polite but firm “no.” She tried it in elementary and middle school but never found the joy in it that she found in volleyball. Instead, she splits her athletic focus between the team dynamic of volleyball and the solitude of tennis.”I like the independence [of tennis],” Dunn explained. “It helps me take accountability and push myself… I can actually achieve those goals by myself.”

Mind Over Matter

That mental toughness was fostered by her former tennis coach, Mr. O’Grady, who gave her advice she still uses when the pressure mounts.

“He told me, ‘Just don’t think of what not to do. Think of what to do,'” Dunn shared. It’s a philosophy of positive visualization that has served her well, whether she is serving a match point or navigating her duties as Senior Class Treasurer.

Life After the Pintos

As graduation approaches, Dunn admits the speed of high school has taken her by surprise. “People would tell me, ‘Enjoy it,’ and I’m like, ‘Whatever, it’s not going to go by that fast.’ But it really does.”

Her advice to younger players is simple: stop complaining. “Don’t complain about certain little things, because once you’re older… you’re never going to be able to play it again.”

Dunn plans to pursue a career as a stenographer after graduation, though she is still weighing her college options and whether she will continue her volleyball career at the next level.

For now, she is soaking in her final days as a Pinto, supported by her parents, Karen and Lorenzo Lujan, and a student body she describes as having a unique “spirit.”

“Being a true Pinto means being through the highs and the lows and still having this energy,” Dunn said. “My friends feel like family.”