SANTA BARBARA – Several months after representing SBCC men's basketball on the All-Western State Conference First Team, sophomore forward Brycyn Gossett is staying local and heading to NAIA school Westmont to continue his collegiate playing career.
The Goleta, CA native started in 22 of his 23 appearances for the Vaqueros this past season, leading the team in both rebounds (5.1 rpg) and field goal percentage (.529) while scoring a third-leading 9.1 points per game. He was the only non-guard to average over a steal per game, coming away with 1.1 swipes on average. He was also second on the team in blocks (7).
"Brycyn embodied what it means to be a Vaquero over the last three years," head coach Devin Engebretsen said. "His determination to be successful both in the classroom and on the court is a testament to his character and overall grit. We are going to miss him immensely, but Westmont is gaining a great young man and player for their program. He is bound to do great things."
Gossett was a beast on the offensive glass in particular, where he pulled down 2.7 boards per game. That mark was good for seventh in the entire WSC.
His 52.9 shooting percentage ranked eighth in the conference. He was also extremely reliable at the foul line, where he finished second on the team shooting 82.4 percent.
The former Dos Pueblos High School standout opened the year with six straight games grabbing more than six rebounds. On Dec. 10, he pulled down a season-high 10 boards, also scoring 18 points for his lone double-double of the year.
He would score 18 or more on two other occasions, including his career-best 26-point, 7-rebound outing on 12-of-20 shooting at Moorpark on Jan. 26.
Gossett also received interest from D-II schools both inside and outside of California, but chose to stick with his roots and stay close to home. He is set to join a Westmont team in 2022-23 that has had a winning record every year since 1996-97.
