ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
BRYONY (CHASE) MELCHER
Bryony’s love of basketball started as a young girl when she picked up a basketball as a 2 year old. She began playing as a seventh grader at Shumway Middle School, and then went on to Hudson’s Bay HS where she was a member of the first team to ever beat Prairie. A favorite memory of hers from high school is when she once threw a ball backwards while diving into the stands to save it and it went into the basket for a 3-pointer. She idolized Larry Bird because he couldn’t run or jump, but he could play.
After graduating high school in 1998, Bryony accepted a basketball scholarship to attend Central Washington University, turning down Division I offers to play away from home. She attended Central Washington for one year before getting sick with Mononucleosis and returning home to Vancouver in the spring of ‘99.
She contacted then Clark Basketball Coach, Trev Kiser, about playing for the Penguins. Bryony made the team and during her freshman season at Clark College (’99-00) was named Team Captain, averaging 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. She led the team to a 1st place finish in the Western Division of the NWAACC with a 15-1 West record, and an overall 24-5 season record. Not only did she lead the team in scoring her freshman year, Bryony also averaged 26 points/game in the NWAACC Playoffs that season. She was named 1st Team All Western Region Team and was one of ten players chosen to represent the West in the All-Star game at the end of the year.
In 2000-’01, her sophomore season, Bryony was again voted Team Captain and led the team a 2nd place finish in the Western Division with a 14-2 West record. For the second year in a row, she led the team in scoring and rebounding, averaged 18.7 points and 9.1 rebound per game. Clark finished 3rd in the NWAACC Tournament and ended the season with a 27-5 record. Bryony was chosen as the Most Valuable Player in the Western Division and became the NWAACC Player of the Year and was again selected to represent the West in the All-Star game. She was also named Clark’s Female Athlete of the Year.
Bryony graduated from Clark College in 2001 with an AA degree and a Pharmacy Technician Certification. She turned down Division I basketball scholarships to stay closer to home and play for head coach Tim Hills at Western Oregon University. She played one season at WOU, averaging 10 points and 6 rebounds per game, and then ended her playing career after her junior season due to health issues.
Bryony then took a break from college before heading to Washington State University, Vancouver where she finished her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 2007. She began working for Providence Home and Health Services and was the lead Clinical Technician in their Home Infusion Pharmacy.
In 2002, she married Tim Melcher and they had son Keegan in 2005. Currently, they live in Vancouver where she is active with the Cub Scouts as a den leader for son Keegan’s Cub Scout pack. She also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity building houses for those in need. In addition, Bryony and her husband Tim started the Keegan Klassic Foundation after he son Keegan was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes. She tirelessly works with the Foundation to spread the word about Type I Diabetes and inform parents on its signs and symptoms and how to help children who have recently been diagnosed with the disease.
Bryony was an outstanding leader, teammate and school representative during her two years at Clark College as a student-athlete and will remain one of the best women’s basketball players ever to wear a Penguin uniform.
