Rachel Thun-Blankenship

Classroom

Rachel Thun-Blankenship maintains a 3.19 GPA in psychology and will graduate in December 2017. She has been named to the Tulsa President’s List twice, the Dean’s List three times and the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll seven times. She is also a two-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team selection.

Character

Thun-Blankenship is a true leader and leads by example. She makes those around her better, not just on the field, but in life. She responds well in the face of adversity, can always be counted on to give her best, no matter the situation, and she performs well under pressure and is very respectful and coachable. She works to get better even though she’s the best player on the team, and she always looks to improve herself in life. Whatever she does, she does to the best of her ability, always paying attention to detail. She is the epitome of what a student-athlete should be.

Community

Thun-Blankenship is highly involved in the community, volunteering five days a week for four months at Laurette Institute for Brain Research, where she helped individuals with eating disorders and anxiety disorders. She leads a weekly Bible study with current and former TU student-athletes, and also serves as a weekly volunteer for a church youth group for at-risk children and a small group leader for eighth- and ninth-grade girls. She also has volunteered with World Outreach Church, helped lead worship with TU’s FCA and volunteered for the Salvation Army Thanksgiving Meal Drive. On the field, Thun-Blankenship works with Project 61, a free week-long church/sports camp for children living in the most at-risk parts of Tulsa. With Project 61, she has served as a coach (2016), and as the photographer/videographer (2017). She also volunteered as an assistant coach for WSA Soccer Club, with the MTSC free soccer clinic and Tulsa Soccer Club.

Competition

Prior to her senior season, Thun-Blankenship has started in 55 of 58 career games. She has scored 27 goals and added 24 assist for 78 points and ranks first in assists, sixth in points and seventh in goals scored in Tulsa’s top 10. She is a three-time American Athletic Conference First Team selection. As a junior, she was also selected as the American Midfielder of the Year and picked up NSCAA NCAA Division I Women’s All-Northeast Region Third Team accolades.

Thun-Blankenship led the team in goals (12), assists (9) and points (33) as a junior; goals (7), assists (8) and points (22) as a sophomore; and assists (7) and points (23) as a freshman. She was second with eight goals as a freshman. As a freshman, she was tabbed to the NSCAA Division I All-Northeast Region Second Team, Top Drawer Soccer Freshman Best XI Second Team, and American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie team honors.