Sitara Gunapu Sitara Gunapu 6'0" | MB Santa Clara | 2028 CA plays with energy and a strong sense of team connection, especially in competitive environments. She embraces challenging moments and stays engaged as her team works through them, helping maintain momentum and push through high-level matches.

At the net, she is focused on continuing to develop her explosiveness and ability to close space against faster offenses. Her awareness of the pace of the game and what is required at higher levels is a strong indicator of her growth.

Her approach reflects a player who values both competition and team chemistry, which continues to shape how she contributes on and off the court.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Sitara competed up as a 15s team playing 16s, and her tone showed fearless buy in. She was proud of taking on the challenge head on and anchoring front row defense with blocking designed to slow down strong offenses so her team could run their own. One moment she highlighted was using herself as a decoy when they were down in the second set, drawing the opposing middle away to open one on one chances for her pins, and it worked, flipping the set and winning the match. That is a middle who understands impact beyond kills. Next, she is focused on lining up with the hitter, dropping the inside arm to take away sharp cross, and sharpening her eye work with the ball setter ball hitter sequence. Off the court, she loves time with friends and training with her sister who plays college volleyball, and she is proud of turning a corner in computer science, a class she once struggled with.

Her next tournament is Power League Qualifier 1 at Cal Expo in Sacramento.

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247