Elite girls basketball player Harper Dunn on her way to Albuquerque

Albuquerque, prepare to welcome Harper Dunn.

Dunn, one of the country’s premier girls basketball recruits, wants to be donning a new uniform next season. Corona High’s skilled post player, already New Mexico’s all-time leader in blocked shots and a player in high demand at prominent college programs from coast to coast, is planning to transfer to Albuquerque Academy, the Journal has learned.

Among the factors that went into this decision was an obvious one: Dunn is making the change in order to help her competitively segue in two years to an elite Division I program.

“I want to achieve my goals of playing for Team USA next year, and to be as ready to see minutes in games and academic success as a freshman in college as I can be,” Dunn said in an email to the Journal. She could not be reached for a phone interview Friday. “That requires that I spend more time in the gym now and less time on the road.”

The 6-foot-6 Dunn, who has 29 Division I offers, is entering her junior year. Dunn is rated as the 20th best prospect (and No. 3 among post players) in the country by espnW in its Super 60 rankings for the Class of 2027. She is ranked No. 28 by 24/7 Sports.

Dunn in May was invited to try out for the USA Basketball U16 national team. She made the first cut of 22, but not the second and final cut of 12 in Colorado Springs. She has previously said she hopes to earn another invite next year.

Corona, located just over 100 miles to the southeast of Albuquerque, is a Class 1A co-op program with Vaughn. Academy is a strong, and rising, Class 4A program.

Dunn has not yet officially enrolled at the Academy, though that is imminent, her father Blair Dunn said, adding that she is fully qualified academically to take on the rigors of Academy’s classroom demands.

New Mexico Activities Association executive director Dusty Young, when reached on Friday, said he could not comment on the eligibility status of an individual player.

Dunn was living on her grandparents ranch near Corona the last few school years. Her father and stepmother, former La Cueva High and University of Oklahoma standout Beky Preston, live in Albuquerque.

“We are super excited to have Harper back home here in Albuquerque,” Blair Dunn said. He said the travel required at Corona was taxing for both his daughter and for the family. “We feel very fortunate that … my parents’ ranch (was) able to be what Harper needed for the last few years.”

Dunn is the second high-profile basketball player this offseason to transfer into an Albuquerque school. George Smith of Robertson transferred from the Class 3A state champion Cardinals to 5A runner-up Sandia earlier this year.

Dunn was a major force for Corona/Vaughn, averaging over 22 points and nearly 20 rebounds per game.

But Corona clearly was not fully challenging Dunn and her considerable skill set. Assuming Dunn is ruled eligible, Academy would immediately be a top contender for a state title next March. The Chargers return virtually their entire roster from last season, when they posted a 24-5 record and earned a 5 seed for the playoffs. They lost in the state quarterfinals.

Dunn recently completed her club season for Denver-based Hardwood Elite. One of the D-I coaches who watched her in a Cincinnati event earlier this month was UConn legend Geno Auriemma.