Colfax basketball standout Brynn McGaughy grabbing national attention

LEWISTON – Coming off a State 2B girls basketball championship, Colfax sophomore Brynn McGaughy is still putting in work on the basketball court – and some major college teams are taking notice.

McGaughy last week competed with the Meta Hoops Idaho AAU club team at the Elite is Earned Spring Invitational.

McGaughy clearly impressed some important people at those games.

On April 25, McGaughy announced a scholarship offer from Stanford, one of the premier women’s college basketball programs in the country, and was offered by West Virginia of the Big 12 Conference a day later.

Those are just two of many offers for the 6-foot-2 post, who since the start of 2023 has also announced offers from or been recruited by Michigan, Utah, California, Colorado, Arizona State, Oregon, USC, Washington State, Gonzaga, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Montana State and more.

In her two years of high school basketball, McGaughy has cemented herself not only as one of the best players in Washington, but one of the best in the Pacific Northwest in general.

In her last three games of competition at the State 2B tournament, McGaughy averaged 26.3 points and 15 rebounds per game – impressive numbers in the highest level of competition in her classification, and made even more impressive considering she fouled out of the state championship game and could have finished with better stats.

McGaughy’s height and unique skill set – she has the handles and shooting of a guard and the footwork and power of a forward – has put her on the map of recruiters, and the process has gone well for her.

“The process has been great,” McGaughy said. “My (travel) team is awesome and they really help me reach my full potential. There’s college coaches out here and it’s great because that’s what I want. I’m trying to get these big-time offers so I can make a decision by my junior year.

“But I think there’s more to come and the hard work is really paying off.”

With Meta Hoops Idaho, McGaughy has been playing on the Adidas circuit against AAU teams from all over the country, of which the Elite is Earned Spring Invitational was a part .

Being on the circuit has led to McGaughy lining up against some of the best players in the country and the competition has only continued to motivate the sophomore.

“When I play really, really great basketball players – I play my best,” McGaughy said. “Last weekend when we were over in California, I played against this girl – her name is Olivia Edwards – she lives in Tacoma, she’s 6-3, played for USA Basketball, she’s only a freshman … and we battled. We played great games against each other, I had 32 points and I played the best game probably of my whole life. And it was against maybe the best team in the Adidas circuit. And we beat them.”

McGaughy’s success on the Adidas circuit also helps bring more eyes to her hometown .

Colfax is a town of around 2,800 people that had one of the best 2B teams in the state, coming off a 2023 championship and a 2022 second-place finish at state. The national recruiting of McGaughy will bring more eyes to a small-town program not accustomed to the spotlight, something that presents a unique and interesting challenge for the Bulldogs.

“I think for sure it invites this new challenge,” Colfax coach Jordan Holmes said. “Every season is going to be new. Whether you are looking for redemption as this last season was, or this next year it’ll be a target on your back, I think it invites that excitement of a new challenge. And to see your kids rise up and step up to the plate will be good.

“And for Brynn, this November, it’ll be about, ‘I’m really good. And I’m this elite-level athlete.’ I think she really needs to own that. And I think we can’t hide away from that or shy away from that. It’s just a fact. And really, it’s a blessing and it’s who she is.”

Holmes said that although the winter season is about the team and the goal of winning another state championship, this spring and summer for McGaughy is about continuing to make her mark and have a long list of colleges from which to choose. That’s exactly what she plans on doing.

“I hope to develop more as a player,” McGaughy said. “Right now, I’m not near where I want to be. I want to be the best. To do that, I’m just going to have to keep going to the gym and grinding like I always do. My goal is to get more of those East Coast coaches to look at me. My dream school is UConn. And all those teams over there – it would be so cool to reach out to them and see if they’re interested in me.

“Those are just a couple of goals. Also just growing as a team and getting better. There’s so many aspects, but I’m just excited for the future, really.”