Two West-Coasters Join Keene State Volleyball

California, here I come? As far Taylor Bright and Riley Bunker are concerned, it was Keene, NH, here we come. The two first-year students from California packed up their volleyball shoes and kneepads and came east to join the Keene State College volleyball team this season.

Bright is a right-side hitter from Folsom, just north of Sacramento, while Bunker, the first libero Coach Bob Weiner has ever recruited, hails from Simi Valley, a half hour outside of Los Angeles – depending on traffic. Although they come from different parts of the state, the two have become fast friends after meeting each other by accident. “Taylor was actually the first teammate I met,” said Bunker. “We ran into each other.”

“I was really happy to find out that there was another player on the team from California,” said Bright. “It’s something we have in common. I can talk to her about stuff from the state. She totally understands what I am saying and knows what I’m talking about.”

The players took different routes to Keene State. Bright, a junior transfer from American River College in Sacramento, first heard about Keene State when she was back home in Folsom watching her high school team play. “A family friend said her daughter was looking at Keene State, so I decided to check it out,” said Bright. “I was blown away by the brick buildings and the beautiful campus. I emailed the coach and told him I was interested in playing and seeing the school.”

Weiner found Bunker through a recruiting service. “We were looking for a libero, so it was a perfect match,” said Weiner. “Riley came for a visit and went home, and a week later she called and said, ‘How would you like it if I came to Keene State?’”

A roster of New England players suddenly had a West Coast flavor to it. Not only are Bright and Bunker from California, they are very talented volleyball players. “They are both going to be huge contributors,” said Weiner.

Bright, who has a black belt in taekwondo and was a two-time MVP of her Folsom High team, has made a seamless transition to Keene State. One of the Owls’ top hitters, she had a season-high nine kills to go with a .381 hitting percentage in a recent win over Framingham State.

Bunker, a first-team All Coastal Canyon League selection as a senior at Simi Valley High, didn’t waste any time making an impact with the Owls. She was named Little East Conference rookie of the week after totaling 62 digs in five matches at Keene State’s Granite State Challenge.

Bright and Bunker are also handling the adjustment off the court as well. “The players on the team have been great,” said Bunker, a secondary education major. “They’ve been like my second family.”

“I feel it’s my time to do the college thing. When my family dropped me off, it wasn’t a sad good-bye – I’m excited about what I have ahead of me,” said Bright, who plans to major in athletic training. “My mom said, ‘Maybe we’ll have Christmas in Keene.’”