Sophie Brunner

Last updated

Sophie Brunner
Personal information
Born (1995-08-30) August 30, 1995 (age 30)
Freeport, Illinois, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight187 lb (85 kg)
Career information
High school Aquin (Freeport, Illinois)
College Arizona State (2013–2017)
WNBA draft 2017: undrafted
Playing career2017–2020
Position Forward
Number25, 22
Career history
2017 Phoenix Mercury
2017 San Antonio Stars
Career highlights
  • 3× First-team All-Pac-12 (2015–2017)
Stats at WNBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing the Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Pan-American Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2015 Canada Team

Sophie Brunner (born August 30, 1995) is an American former professional basketball player. She played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils before joining the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Contents

Early life

Brunner was born August 30, 1995 in Freeport, Illinois. She attended Aquin High School in Freeport and led the school's basketball team to state championships in her junior and senior years. [1] [2] She was a two-time first-team all-state selection by The Associated Press . [3] In 2012, The News-Gazette named Brunner first-team all-state and the top girls basketball player in the Rockford, Illinois region. [4] However, she was not a highly-ranked college basketball prospect; ESPN ranked her a zero-star recruit. [5]

In 2020, The Journal Standard named Brunner the greatest girls basketball player in Freeport-Rockford region history. [6]

College career

Brunner committed to play college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils. [7] In the 2013–2014 season, her freshman year, she averaged 7.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and recorded four double-doubles on the season. The team qualified for the 2014 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament; Brunner recorded 14 points and nine rebounds in a win over the Vanderbilt Commodores and seven points and ten rebounds in a loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. She was an honorable mention to the Pac-12 all-freshmen team. [1]

In her sophomore season, Brunner averaged 11.9 points and 1.2 assists per game while starting every game of the season; additionally, her 7.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game were the highest among the Sun Devils. [1] In January 2015, Brunner was named the Pac-12 player of the week after notching a win against the Washington State Cougars and two wins against the Arizona Wildcats. [8] She tallied 14 points and six rebounds in a win over the Ohio Bobcats in the first round of the 2015 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. In the second round of the tournament, she recorded her sixth and final double-double of the season, with 17 points and 11 rebounds in a victory against the Little Rock Trojans. She was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection. [1] Brunner was selected to play for the United States women's national basketball team at the 2015 Pan American Games; she contributed six points, six rebounds, and three assists in the second contest of the Games, a victory against the Dominican Republic. [9] Team USA went on to win the silver medal. [10] [11]

Brunner earned a second selection to the All-Pac-12 first team in her junior season. She led Arizona State in points (10.7), rebounds (7.4), and steals (1.7) per game, while additionally averaging 1.9 assists. She missed six games early in the season with an ankle injury. Brunner recorded five double-doubles and led Arizona State to the team's third consecutive NCAA tournament berth. [1]

In the 2016–2017 season, Brunner's senior year, she started in every game. She contributed 1.2 steals and 1.8 assists per game, while her average points (13.6) and rebounds (7.4) led the team. She recorded five double-doubles [1] and surpassed 1,000 career points. [12] On December 11, 2016, Brunner made a game-winning shot with six seconds left in overtime to defeat the Kentucky Wildcats. [13] She led the Sun Devils to the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in four years, [1] tallying nine points, five rebounds, and four assists in a first-round win against the Michigan State Spartans, [14] and was named first-team All-Pac-12 for a third time. [1]

While playing at Arizona State, Brunner earned the nickname "Paws" for her large hands and proficient rebounding ability. [15]

Professional career

Brunner was not selected in the 2017 WNBA draft, but she was signed in free agency by the Phoenix Mercury and made the team's season-opening roster. [16] [17] Later that season, the Mercury traded her to the San Antonio Stars. [18]

After her WNBA career, Brunner played for professional teams in Turin and Sesto San Giovanni in Italy. [19] [20] She returned to her home in Illinois during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Italy, [21] which brought her third season in Italy to an early end. [22]

Coaching career

In 2020, Brunner became an assistant basketball coach at Rockford Christian Schools in Rockford, Illinois. [23] [24] She also began teaching at Rockford Public School District 205. [25]

Career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold Career best°League leader

WNBA

WNBA regular season statistics [26]
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2017 Phoenix 304.3.000——1.30.00.00.00.30.0
San Antonio 102.0———0.00.00.00.00.00.0
Career1 year, 2 teams403.8.000——1.00.00.00.00.30.0

College

NCAA statistics [27]
YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGTOPPG
2013–14 Arizona State 332221.1.497.000.6366.41.00.90.31.47.6
2014–15 Arizona State 353526.7.543.000.7317.61.21.80.32.111.9
2015–16 Arizona State 272728.6.530.500.6847.41.91.70.22.110.7
2016–17 Arizona State 333328.7.514.393.7207.41.81.20.31.913.6
Career12811726.2.523.375.6947.21.51.40.31.911.0

Personal life

Brunner has three siblings. She majored in education studies at Arizona State University. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Sophie Brunner – 2015–16 Women's Basketball Roster – Sun Devil Athletics". Arizona State University athletics. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  2. ↑ Trowbridge, Matt (May 19, 2020). "Greatest games No. 2: Brunner, Erdmier save Aquin". Rockford Register Star . Archived from the original on January 20, 2026.
  3. ↑ Trowbridge, Matt (February 20, 2013). "Brunner repeats as 1st-team All-State". The Journal Standard . Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  4. ↑ Trowbridge, Matt (March 19, 2012). "Champaign paper names Sophie Brunner best girls player in Rockford area". Rockford Register Star . Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  5. ↑ Metcalfe, Jeff (February 23, 2017). "Sophie Brunner brought ASU women back to greatness". The Arizona Republic . Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  6. ↑ Trowbridge, Matt (October 24, 2020). "Freeport's greatest girls basketball players No. 1: Sophie Brunner 1 of a kind". The Journal Standard . Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  7. ↑ Trowbridge, Matt (November 21, 2012). "Prep Basketball: ASU has big plans for Aquin's Sophie Brunner". Rockford Register Star . Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ "ASU's Sophie Brunner named Pac-12 player of the week". Fox Sports . March 5, 2020. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  9. ↑ Metcalfe, Jeff (July 17, 2015). "ASU's Brunner helps U.S. women in rout at Pan Am Games". The Arizona Republic . Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  10. ↑ Metcalfe, Jeff (July 20, 2015). "ASU's Brunner takes Pan Am Games silver with U.S. women". The Arizona Republic . Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Sophie Brunner, U.S. take silver at Pan Am Games". Rockford Register Star . July 21, 2015. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Sophie Brunner reaches 1,000 points in No. 23 ASU women's basketball win". The Arizona Republic . November 26, 2016. Archived from the original on August 7, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Sophie Brunner's shot lifts ASU women's basketball over No. 18 Kentucky in OT". The Arizona Republic . December 11, 2016. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Aquin's Sophie Brunner helps Arizona State to first-round NCAA tourney win". Rockford Register Star . March 18, 2017. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  15. ↑ Metcalfe, Jeff (January 7, 2016). "Undersized Sophie Brunner continues to play big for ASU women". The Arizona Republic . Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  16. ↑ Metcalfe, Jeff (May 12, 2017). "Former ASU star Sophie Brunner makes Phoenix Mercury season-opening roster". The Arizona Republic . Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  17. ↑ "ASU's Sophie Brunner among 12 to make the Phoenix Mercury roster". KTAR-FM . May 13, 2017. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  18. ↑ Leber, Scott (June 30, 2017). "Brunner Traded To San Antonio". WTVO . Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  19. ↑ Trowbridge, Matt (December 29, 2018). "A conversation with Sophie Brunner". Rockford Register Star . Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  20. ↑ Taft, Jay (July 9, 2020). "Sophie Brunner ready to take leap from star player to coach, starting at Rockford Christian". Rockford Register Star . Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  21. ↑ Leber, Scott (March 18, 2020). "Local basketball standout Brunner back from Italy, in self-isolation". WTVO . Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  22. ↑ Bayne, Derek (June 30, 2020). "Brunner joins RC girls basketball staff, Lawver named head coach". WREX . Archived from the original on February 6, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  23. ↑ Leber, Scott (June 30, 2020). "Sophie Brunner finished playing pro basketball, named girls assistant at Rockford Christian". WTVO . Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  24. ↑ Taft, Jay (June 20, 2020). "Sophie Brunner, Ted Lawver signed on to lead Rockford Christian girls basketball team". Rockford Register Star . Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  25. ↑ Leber, Scott (March 9, 2025). "Sophie Brunner reflects on Aquin's back-to-back state championship teams; now gives back through coaching". WTVO . Archived from the original on August 12, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Sophie Brunner WNBA Stats". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on October 30, 2025. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Sophie Brunner College Stats". Sports-Reference . Archived from the original on August 30, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
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