Durango High School’s Rob Coddington played for Dave Taylor at the University of Wyoming in 1996.
Now, one of the players Coddington has coached will have the same opportunity, but at a different school.
Blake Dunlap, a senior at DHS, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at Chico State University in Chico, Calif. He will play for the Wildcats under coach Taylor at the Division II school in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
“I love baseball, and I’m excited to play it at the next level,” said Dunlap, son of Aaron and Julie Dunlap. “Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted to go to California, and I am excited to work hard and earn my spot.”
Dunlap, a three-year varsity player who was named to the CHSAA Class 4A All-State First Team in 2013, is an outfielder with a lot of pop in his bat. In three seasons, Dunlap has a .503 batting average with five home runs, 15 triples, 24 doubles, 70 runs batted in and 74 runs scored. He also has good speed, stealing 18 bases in his career, eight of which have come this season.
His scholarship will cover the total expenses of his tuition and fees.
“Blake will get a chance next fall to have a big piece of the puzzle. I don’t bring in freshmen with the idea of bringing them along slowly,” said Taylor, who has more than 400 career victories and is closing in on 300 wins at Chico State. “His swing is not something you see every day in a high school senior. His barrel stays through the strike zone a long time, and, with his speed, we think he will be a plus-batting average guy.”
Taylor said Dunlap will get work at all three outfield positions until they know exactly where to put him.
Coddington was persistent in his attempts to gain Taylor’s recognition of Dunlap, and Taylor said he instantly liked what he saw in Dunlap’s swing.
“He is a good coach and a great guy,” Coddington said of Taylor. “He’s been very successful everywhere he has been, and I think it will be a great place for Blake to become a better baseball player.”
Coddington commended Dunlap for his competitive spirit, which has helped him in the field, at the plate and even on the mound as a pitcher.
“He’s always been a solid player with a good focus to the game,” Coddington said. “He plays hard, and the kid really loves the game. He does what it takes to help the team win.”
Chico State is a winning program with 18 postseason appearances and two national championships in the last 19 years. The team boasts a 33-8 record this season and is closing in on another CCAA championship game berth while holding the No. 8 rank in the country.
“I hope I have a good baseball career there, and hopefully I can get from there to the minor leagues or something,” Dunlap said.
Dunlap credited Coddington and his parents for their support through the years, and thanked them for getting him to where he is now.
“I wouldn’t be the player I am today without (Coddington),” he said. “My parents have always been there and supported me a lot. My dad has coached me since I was a little kid in baseball and football, and that’s been big for me.”
Another thing that caught Taylor’s eye was Dunlap’s commitment in the classroom.
“We see a correlation in good kids and good athletes that have that determination to succeed in whatever they set out to do,” Taylor said.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
