Women’s basketball student athlete Brittany McPherson always knew a fifth year was in her future after suffering a season-ending knee injury her sophomore season. Global pandemic or not, she knew she’d stick around.

“I would have played a fifth year regardless of Covid,” McPherson said. “But it definitely made me want to play that much more.”

McPherson was sidelined during her sophomore season after a breakout rookie campaign. She fought back as a junior and appeared in all 25 games, starting 13. She led the team with 2.6 assists per game while scoring 6.9 points and tallying 3.8 rebounds per game.  

As McPherson transitioned into more of a leadership role on the team, she recognized the group of student athletes as more of a family that just a basketball team.

“I am so excited about this season,” McPherson said. “We have an amazing group of players, coaches, and people on the team this year. I say people because we’re more than just a team, we’re a family. This is a really special team this year and I believe we can have a great season.”

McPherson highlighted the defensive strength of the current squad heading into the start of their conference schedule.

“We work extremely hard to put pressure on anyone we play against and we take pride in our defense,” McPherson stated. “This team is selfless and always thinks about each other. With that being said, we could work on being a little more selfish. We all want to pass and get our teammates a good shot, but we have been working on taking our own shot.”

McPherson sets high standards for herself on and off the court. Outside of her role as a student athlete, she is working towards a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction as well as working on her general education and special education credentials.

“My hope is to have my own classroom in the near future,” McPherson exclaimed.

McPherson has played in all four games of the 2021-22 season thus far, starting all four. She is averaging 33 minutes per game and leads the team averaging 14.8 point per game.

“The Chapman women’s basketball program means everything to me,” she stated. “I have had the best experience both on and off the court. This program is family.”