DAVIS, Calif. — Second time is, hopefully, the charm for former UC Davis women's basketball standout
Morgan Bertsch, who signed a contract with the WNBA's Dallas Wings, it was announced by the club on Monday.
The 2019 graduate with a degree in biomedical engineering returns to the franchise that selected her in the third round (29th pick overall) of the 2019 WNBA Draft after spending the winter with Sparta&K Vidnoe in the Russian Professional Basketball League. Bertsch was the first UC Davis player to be drafted by a WNBA club and the first from a Big West Conference school since 2011.
"Morgan had a very good training camp last year," said Dallas Wings President & CEO Greg Bibb in a team-issued press release. "I think a season of professional basketball in Russia, where she has played very well, will prove to be a big help for as she returns for her second WNBA camp. I expect a very strong showing from her and I'm eager to see how her game has developed since last year."
Added Head Coach Brian Agler, "We are excited about having Morgan back in camp. She was impressive last year and has been very productive this season playing professionally in Russia."
WNBA teams open training camp on April 26, with the Wings scheduled to open the 2020 season on May 15 on the road against the Seattle Storm.
Through 14 games, Bertsch is averaging 13.8 points and 5.6 rebounds for her club in Moscow, shooting 56 percent from the field, while averaging 14.3 ppg and 4.7 rpg while shooting 57 percent from the floor in 10 EuroCup games. All told, she has reached double figures in 17 of the 24 games — including five 20-plus point performances with a high of 28 against MBA Moscow, and a trio of double-doubles.
The all-time leading scorer in the history of both the UC Davis men's and women's programs with 2,422 points for her career, Bertsch averaged a conference-best 23.6 points per game while shooting .495 from the field as a senior, setting school single-season records for points (754), scoring average, free throws made (183), and most 20-point games in a season (23), while finishing her career as the holder of 11 different school all-time marks, ranking third on the Big West all-time scoring list, and scoring in double figures in each of her final 67 consecutive games.
She was named the 2019 Big West Player of the Year and Tournament Most Valuable Player.
A four-time All-Big West selection — including first-team honors in each of her last three seasons — she helped lead UC Davis to Big West regular season titles in each of her last three collegiate seasons, including a 25-7 overall record and 15-1 league mark in 2018-19, laying claim to the conference tournament crown and the program's second NCAA Tournament berth as a Division I program. All told, the Aggies were 97-35 in her four seasons, finishing with three of the top five highest single-season win totals in the history of the program.
Nationally, Bertsch ended her senior campaign ranked No. 4 in the nation in scoring, No. 9 in total points, No. 6 in free throws made, No. 10 in free throw attempts, and No. 7 in field goals made. In addition to her conference-best scoring average, she also led the league in field goals made and free throws made, while ranking third in field goal percentage and fourth in blocked shots.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 15 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE
Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit https://give.ucdavis.edu/ATHG/324041 for more information.
