During the 1949 basketball season, Charlie Dunn was the starting guard on Bob Tuttle's outstanding basketball team. That 1949 team ended up 30-0 and won the CIF Championship.  Charlie also won individual honors' being selected first team All-Tournament at the prestigious Beverly Hills Invitational, and was chosen first team All-CIF.  

 

     Charlie enrolled at Ventura College in the fall of 1949.  During his freshman year, Charlie was a starting guard for Coach Elmer McCall's basketball team.  One of Charlie's teammates was the incomparable Ernie Hall, himself a 2007 VC Hall of Fame inductee.  Charlie earned first team All-Western State Conference, second team All-Southern California.  This team had a chance to go to Hutchinson, Kansas to play for  the national championship, but the Pirates were edged 58-56 by LA City College.  In that memorable game with nearly 1,000 VC fans in attendance, Charlie scored 13 points, second only to Ernie Hall's 23. 

 

     During Charlie's second year, 1950-51, he was again the starting point guard for McCall's team. The 1951 team brought Ventura College its first California State Basketball Championship in its 21-year history. With the State Championship, Ventura was off to the National Championship Tournament in Kansas.  In the NJACC National Tournament, Ventura easily defeated Weber JC 98-69.  In the second round the Pirates defeated Amarillo, Texas and it was on to the semifinals.  While the Pirates lost this game to Northeast Mississippi 71-68 they defeated Moberly, Missouri for third place.  VC ultimately was awarded second place when the Mississippi team was disqualified for using an ineligible player.  After this tournament, the California community colleges agreed to no longer participate in the NJCAA National Tournament. 

 

     Upon graduating from VC, Charlie transferred to Marquette University, where he played for Tex Winter in 1951-52. He completed a successful junior season, but was drafted into the Army before his senior season. After the Army, Charlie completed his education at UC Santa Barbara, earning a bachelor's degree and teaching credential. 

 

     While Charlie is well known for his playing accomplishments, he may be best remembered as one of the county's foremost coaches. He coached at Oxnard High, Camarillo High, and was Jim Whalen's assistant at VC. Charlie was the head coach of the VC women's basketball team from 1980-87. During that time he won three WSC titles, and finished with a 139-49 record.  

 

     Charlie and his family reside locally.