Stanford star Cameron Brink will finish her collegiate career this season and enter the WNBA draft.
The nation’s No. 1-ranked shot blocker announced her decision on social media on Tuesday, two days after second-ranked Stanford lost 74-61 to No. 5 Southern California in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game in Las Vegas. The Cardinal (28-5) dropped to fourth in this week’s AP Top 25 while USC rose to third.
Brink could have returned for a fifth year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to athletes competing during the interruption from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am excited to announce that I will be declaring for the 2024 WNBA Draft,” Brink wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Although I am excited for that next chapter, we still have unfinished business and so much to accomplish in my final season at Stanford.”
The 6-foot-4 Brink is Stanford’s second-leading scorer at 17.8 points per game and the leading rebounder, averaging 12.0 boards — ranking her third in the nation. She has blocked 109 shots this season and is averaging 3.52 per game, both top marks in the country.
She has swatted 406 shots for her career, recently becoming the 17th Division I player with 400 career rejections, and is one of 10 players who are Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalists.
Brink is 19 blocks shy of the Pac-12 record of 425 set by Oregon State’s Ruth Hamblin.
“Cam has had an exceptional college career and fully embraced what it means to be a Stanford student-athlete during her time on The Farm,” Hall of Fame Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said in a statement.
“She worked hard to improve each and every year, helped us win a national championship, and has a lengthy list of very well-deserved awards and accomplishments. Simply put, she’ll go down as one of the best in program history.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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