Brynn Schmidt wasn’t planning on returning to the basketball court for her senior year. After a pair of tough injuries - an ankle and a tibia - derailed her first two high school seasons, she stepped away from the game entirely as a junior and shifted her focus to volleyball. Basketball, it seemed, was in the rearview.
But then came the call. Actually, several calls - from Hall of Fame coach Kendra Jackson, who wasn’t ready to let a talent like Schmidt walk away from the game.
“Coach Jackson was a very, very big supporter of me playing,” Schmidt said. “She did anything she could to get me on the team, and it’s just been the best thing that’s happened to me.”
It’s not hard to see why Jackson was so persistent. Through six games, Schmidt is averaging over 17 points, eight rebounds, and three steals per contest. Her latest performance - a 24-point double-double against Gallatin - helped push Station Camp to a 7-2 start and showcased just how impactful she’s been since rejoining the hardwood.
“She’s really athletic,” Jackson said. “We’re still figuring out all the kinks, but I think overall she’s done a good job of meshing with what we wanna do offensively and what we do defensively. We’re doing a good job of trying to find her in transition, get her some easy buckets.”
That athleticism has been a game-changer for the Bison. At 5-foot-11, Schmidt brings size, speed, and versatility to a lineup that already featured solid returning pieces in Baylor Ayers and Ella Ohman - both 5-foot-9 or taller. With that trio, Jackson’s been able to tweak her scheme, moving Ohman out to the perimeter on defense and leaning into a transition-heavy style on offense.
Schmidt is the engine at the top of their 1-3-1 zone, using her length and quickness to disrupt passing lanes and create fast-break opportunities. Against Gallatin, she turned defense into offense with three steals and two blocks, while also cleaning up the glass with a couple of putback buckets in the first half. The Bison even tried feeding her on a lob to open the third quarter - a sign of just how much they trust her to be a go-to option.
But for all the impact she’s making now, Schmidt’s return to basketball wasn’t just about stats or schemes. It’s been about rediscovering her love for the game - and finding a team that welcomed her back with open arms.
“It’s been awesome,” she said. “These girls have been great with incorporating me and learning my style, because we have different styles. My coach has a different style, so learning each other and being able to mesh ourselves together and work together as a team - to learn each other and be able to push each other to score and benefit each other.”
Even during her time away from the game, basketball was never far from Schmidt’s life. She grew up with it - and with a pretty impressive role model at home.
Her mom, Jodi Parriott Schmidt, was a high school point guard who hit a late growth spurt, shot up to 6-foot-2, and went on to play at USC. While there, she shared the court with none other than Tina Thompson - the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 WNBA Draft, a Hall of Famer, and one of the most decorated players in league history.
That kind of basketball lineage doesn’t fade easily.
“She’s never forced me to play, but she’s always supported me,” Brynn said. “She trains me on the weekends.
She helps me as much as she can. My mom used to be a point guard, so we’re a little bit different.
She’s just been the best support I’ve ever had. She’s loved me at the times I’ve scored six points a game, and she helps me to succeed even when I’m at 25 points a game.”
Now, with her confidence back and her game rounding into form, Schmidt is quickly becoming one of Station Camp’s most valuable players - not just for her production, but for the energy and leadership she brings to a team with big goals.
“Just being able to play with a team that’s so supportive and a coach that’s so supportive, that just makes me feel so welcome,” she said. “And just being able to help the team as much as I can, it’s a fun environment.”
It’s been a winding road back to the court for Brynn Schmidt. But if her early-season performances are any indication, she’s right where she belongs - leading the charge for a team that’s built to run, built to defend, and built to win.