Volcano Vista Star David Lunn to Transfer to East Coast Prep School

The landscape of Class 5A boys basketball in New Mexico has experienced a significant shift with the announcement from David Lunn, a prominent guard for the five-time state champion Volcano Vista Hawks. Lunn shared on social media that he will be leaving Albuquerque and will not complete his senior year with the Hawks, opting instead to attend CATS Academy in Boston.

Lunn expressed his belief that this move will better prepare him for college basketball. "I feel like this will allow me to prepare for college next year," he told the Journal. CATS Academy, an international prep school, has recently joined the Nike Youth Basketball League (EYBL) Scholastic, competing against other elite prep institutions and national teams.

With aspirations to elevate his visibility among college scouts, Lunn stated, “Schools have been reaching out and I’ve been looking for good opportunities for myself. Just trying to have some tough teams to play against.” The 6-foot-4, 210-pound player has played a crucial role in Volcano Vista's three championship victories, averaging 20.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists during his junior year.

Volcano Vista coach Greg Brown praised Lunn's contributions, saying, “We’re proud of David and everything that we’ve accomplished together.” Lunn is not the first top athlete from New Mexico to leave high school early; recently, Bella Hines and Jalin Holland made similar transitions to enhance their athletic careers.

While Lunn acknowledged the emotional challenge of leaving Volcano Vista, he reflected on his time with the team fondly. “It was hard trying to figure out what was best for me moving forward,” he noted. This spring and summer, he will be competing with Team Thrill, an elite AAU team from Baltimore. In his social media farewell, he expressed gratitude for his experience at Volcano Vista, stating, “It’s been a blessing to play at Volcano for 3 years... I’m looking forward to this next chapter @CATSBoston.”