Commitment Profile
Countdown: Narcissa Summerall Goes with Big Green
by James Hill, 15 October 2012
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Ever since she was a little girl, Narcissa "Narni" Summerall has wanted to attend Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H.
The Charleston, S.C., native said she often visits her uncle and aunt who live minutes from the Dartmouth campus, and she has fallen in love with the Upper Connecticut River Valley.
In the fall, Narni will fulfill her longtime wish to attend the ninth-oldest university in the nation (founded 1769), as a member of the Big Green women's tennis team. Narni, a five-star recruit, has given a verbal commitment to Dartmouth coach Bob Dallis, and she will help her new team compete in the Ivy League.
"Academically, Dartmouth is phenomenal," said Narni about her new school, named among the top 10 institutions by U.S News & World Report. "I sat in on some classes during my unofficial visit and felt I connected with how the professors were teaching. Their level of engagement with the students was exciting to see.
"It was the only school I visited. I knew if Coach Dallis offered me a spot, I would take it. He is so motivated about tennis and helps the team to improve. I knew I wanted to be part of it. I really want to use my college career to improve as much as possible, and he fully understands and supports that."
Coach Dallis is in his 11th year at the helm of the Big Green. His most successful season was 2011, when Coach Dallis guided Dartmouth to its first-ever Ivy League Championship. The squad ended the season ranked 54th in the nation, and Coach Dallis was named the Wilson/ITA Northeast Region Co-Coach of the Year.
Ivy League schools, which compete in the NCAA Division I, do not offer athletics-based scholarships. The Dartmouth athletics website describes the institution as "a mecca for the highly motivated student-athlete." Narni embraced this statement by saying, "Everyone who plays wants to be there and truly enjoys tennis. My expectations are to be a good teammate, try my hardest in practice and matches, and represent the Big Green as best as I can."
