TEMPE, Ariz. – Sophie Brunner, who helped lead the Arizona State women's basketball team to 98 wins and four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, will be on the opening day roster for the Phoenix Mercury when the WNBA squad opens its 2017 campaign on Sunday against the Dallas Wings.
Brunner, who earlier this week participated in commencement ceremonies (BAE Educational Studies, Minor Family and Human Development), was invited to the Mercury's training camp last month and now has earned a spot on the team's active roster.
Brunner capped off her Sun Devil career by earning honorable mention recognition on the 2017 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America Team for the second consecutive season. One of two players in program history to be named All-Pac-12 first team three times, Brunner joins current Indiana Fever guard and new Sun Devil assistant coach Briann January as current Sun Devils in the WNBA.
A starter in 117 of 128 career games, Brunner helped lead the Sun Devils to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. She had 20 points and nine boards in ASU's near upset of eventual national champion South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19. She concluded her Sun Devil career second on ASU's all-time list in career rebounds (921), third in points (1,405) and field goals (551), eighth in field goal percentage (.523) and ninth in free throws (288). Brunner's 177 career steals came 10 steals short of breaking into ASU's all-time top 10.
Off the court Brunner was equally brilliant as she earned Pac-12 All-Academic recognition three times, including second-team honors this season, and earlier this year was in consideration for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors after being named to the CoSIDA All-District 8 Team.
Brunner, who earlier this week participated in commencement ceremonies (BAE Educational Studies, Minor Family and Human Development), was invited to the Mercury's training camp last month and now has earned a spot on the team's active roster.
Squad ?? #SunDevilsGraduate pic.twitter.com/jFwdWqsvca
— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) May 8, 2017
Brunner capped off her Sun Devil career by earning honorable mention recognition on the 2017 WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches' All-America Team for the second consecutive season. One of two players in program history to be named All-Pac-12 first team three times, Brunner joins current Indiana Fever guard and new Sun Devil assistant coach Briann January as current Sun Devils in the WNBA.
A starter in 117 of 128 career games, Brunner helped lead the Sun Devils to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. She had 20 points and nine boards in ASU's near upset of eventual national champion South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19. She concluded her Sun Devil career second on ASU's all-time list in career rebounds (921), third in points (1,405) and field goals (551), eighth in field goal percentage (.523) and ninth in free throws (288). Brunner's 177 career steals came 10 steals short of breaking into ASU's all-time top 10.
Off the court Brunner was equally brilliant as she earned Pac-12 All-Academic recognition three times, including second-team honors this season, and earlier this year was in consideration for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors after being named to the CoSIDA All-District 8 Team.