Attleboro’s Dunlea Aiming for More Silverware at ECSU

When Emily Dunlea arrived at Eastern Connecticut State (ECSU) as a freshman, new head coach Sarah Tompkins was in the process of making changes to the program. Although the Warriors would only win four games that season (with Dunlea starting nine of the 15 games), growth was happening behind the scenes.

Dunlea explained, “When we came into the locker room we barely even got name plates. Now we have the couches, the fueling, the recovery equipment. My coaches have built this program up to be much more competitive, much more reflective of a DI/DII environment.”

Last season, all that work paid off with ECSU’s first regular season league title since 2016. Dunlea, a former standout at Attleboro High, was in the heart of that success, both on the field as a second-team all-conference defensive midfielder and off the field as a junior captain.

ECSU, which was ranked fourth in the conference in preseason, went a perfect 5-0-2 at home in 2025 and was 5-1-2 in league play to win the title.

“The difference from my freshman year to my junior year was so drastic,” Dunlea said. “About halfway through the season, we realized that we were really in the running for this and that’s when we really dialed in.”

“It meant everything.”

Expectations are much higher going into this season. The Warriors were ranked first in the preseason polls and there is a belief in the locker room that they are the team to beat. It is a confidence born from last year’s success and fueled by a desire to finish even stronger this fall.

The Warriors lost at home to Western Connecticut State in the opening round of the playoffs and Dunlea admitted that they’re using that defeat as motivation in 2026.

“Our next step as a program is to learn how to compete in tournament play because it’s a whole different animal,” Dunlea said. “That’s what we’re really focused on this year.”

She added, “I think the biggest thing is we can’t take our foot off the gas. The tournament is a clean slate, there should be no air of over-confidence that we’re going to breeze by and win. We want to compete, we want to be physical, and I think we can put on a good show this year.”

Coming off a stellar career at Attleboro, where she helped the Bombardiers reach the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade and was a two-time league all-star (as well as valedictorian), Dunlea established herself as a regular starter early in her ECSU career. She played in 10 games as a freshman, starting nine of them. The following season, she made 15 starts and last year started all 18 matches.

Experience can be an important factor in defensive midfield. Positioning, anticipation, reading the game, and knowing where you, your teammates, and the opposition are all supposed to be are key attributes that get built over time. Going into her fourth collegiate season, Dunlea is much more comfortable with her role.

“I’m a little bit more prepared but there’s always more to learn,” she said. “NEFC did a great job of teaching me how to play my position and my coaches here have been so important in sharpening and honing my skills so I can be the best I can be going into senior year.”

Dunlea has two goals and two assists in her career. She scored from the penalty spot to open the scoring just before halftime in a 3-0 win against the Coast Guard Academy (“I kind of under-celebrated, I was told, but I was really excited,” she said) and then finished off a well-worked set piece last year to put ECSU in front during a 4-1 win at UMass Dartmouth.

Although she doesn’t have a lot of scoring stats, Dunlea was still recognized for her impact by being named second team all-conference last year.

“It really did mean a lot to me,” she explained. “At the end of the day, the most important thing for me is that our team did well, so I was so happy with the outcome and it was the cherry on top that I was able to be recognized.”

Dunlea, who was also a two-year captain at Attleboro, is excited for the team’s potential this fall and she understands the importance of setting the tone early and getting the team on the same page to meet the lofty goals they set for themselves.

“Instructions at practices and games, all of that information comes from the coaches but it’s really on us as captains to enforce that and to keep the team excited, really bought in,” she said. “I kind of came in hoping I would take a leadership role in the program at some point. Obviously, coming in I was nervous. The speed of play and the physicality was so much more intense when you get to college but I sort of found my groove.”

She highlighted the team’s supportive culture for making her job easier and for creating an environment that led to success on the pitch.

“The entire team loves each other and when we make mistakes, we don’t tear each other down,” she said. “When I’m out there on the field, I have confidence that my teammates are going to have my back if I make a mistake and my coaches are still going to care about me. It really does provide a lot of comfort.”

ECSU opened the season with a convincing 5-1 win at St. Joseph’s (NY) on Tuesday (Dunlea played 36 minutes off the bench and had a shot on goal) and opens its LEC title defense with a visit from Keene State.

Dunlea is excited about the possibility of another regular season championship and wants to taste more success in the postseason. No matter what, she is going to savor every moment of her senior season.

“I try to wake up and remind myself every day that my goal this year is I want to push my team to be the best and I want to have fun while I’m doing it. This is my last year playing competitive soccer and one way or another it’s going to end, so I might as well make the most of it.”