Brianne Stepherson was part of the first women’s basketball revolution.
Originally committing to UConn, which was just beginning its trek into big-time in the late 1990s, she later de-committed and attended Boston College.
But it was a lot of fun as the new century turned, especially at the top, with Pat Summitt at Tennessee going head to head against Geno Auriemma and UConn.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Stepherson, now 44, married to her wife, Angela, in Upland, Calif., about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. “Girls were getting so much more opportunity. The high school game was growing. Women’s basketball overall was starting to grow. I loved it.”
Women’s basketball, or so we thought, had finally arrived.
Then the last year happened, particularly the last few months.
We got some of the most incredible and entertaining basketball in the world … played by women, culminating in some incredible women’s college regionals and Final Four matchups.
The ratings were eye-opening for the men’s and women’s championship games. The women outdrew the men, 18.7 million to 14.8 million.
“Womens’ basketball has arrived,” said Stepherson. “I’m just talking myself; I was never into the women’s game like I’ve been the last two years. Never. and I was a big WNBL fan growing up, which was before the WNBA. This is different.”
Stepherson’s “story” is unlike any thanks to a discreet Massachusetts rule that allows middle school students to represent the high school on its athletic teams when those grades are under direct “jurisdiction” and “supervision” of the high school principal.
As a 12-year-old phenom in the sixth grade, she was handed the ball at Masconomet Regional, a very good Cape Ann League program at the time, as its starting point guard.
“It was a little tough at the beginning,” recalled Stepherson. “Here was I was, 12 years old, being named the starting point guard. I understand. There were probably a few girls, in higher grades, not excited at the situation. But it eventually settled down and everything worked out.”
Six years of high school basketball – she was an Eagle-Tribune All-Star all six years and MVP the last one – and Stepherson helped draw local interest to the sport.
The girls at Methuen and Haverhill had helped put the sport on the map in the Merrimack Valley from the 1980s through the 2000. Then along came other programs, including Andover.
Stepherson spent five years as BC’s starting point guard – lost a year to knee injury – averaging 8.8 points and 4.2 assists over her career there.
After she stopped playing she remained in the area and started a career in personal training and running an AAU program.
“A friend of mine was moving out to California and I needed a change. I asked her if she had room for one more and I left,” said Stepherson of her 2007 move.
She did some more training in Redondo Beach and became enamored with the weather.
At one point, still searching for her purpose in life, a BC grad she knew set her up with an interview for an import/export company in 2009.
She became a terminal manager when the workforce became unionized – United Longshoreman Workers Union (ULIW), Local 23 – in 2017.
Being part of a union was up her alley as her dad and brothers were union members back in the North Shore and Boston area.
“I love it,” said Stepherson. “I really do. I did my thing with basketball and personal training, but this has been perfect for me. I love being part of the group here.”
Being part of this group has a basketball angle, too, she said.
With the recent meteoric growth and interest in women’s basketball, Stepherson has noticed that this is beyond girls playing and watching.
Unlike the UConn-Tennessee explosion from a quarter-century ago, this women’s basketball resurgence has grasped the attention of boys and men.
“Most of the people in the union are guys and we talk basketball all of the time,” she said. “And so many of them were into Iowa, LSU, South Carolina, Caitlin Clark, Juju Watkins and everybody.
“I got more texts from my guy friends than I did my women’s basketball friends,” said Stepherson. “That tells me something.”
Stepherson believes this revolution has more meat on the bone, with so many great players and hopefully making the sport an endgame for so many women.
And the fact that college and even high schoolers can make money off their name adds even more publicity.
“I’m their biggest fans,” said Stepherson. “I think our time has finally come. I’m already looking forward to the WNBA Draft and that season. I know my guys friends are too.”