PAGE A18, KEIZERTIMES, JULY 23, 2021
SPORTS
Former Oregon State basketball player Deven Hunter cuts down a piece of the net after the Beavers defeated Cal by a score of 73-55 to clinch the Pac-12 Conferecne title on Feb. 28, 2015.
Hunter will be returning to Oregon State as an assistant coach this season. Randy L. Rasmussen/ The Oregonian
Hunter makes her return to Oregon State
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
Deven Hunter played a pivotal role
in helping build up the Oregon State
women’s basketball team into one of
the premier programs on the west
coast.
As a player from 2012-2016, Hunter
helped the Beavers to two Pac-12 titles,
three NCAA Tournament runs and
a trip to the Final Four in 2016. The
McNary High alum started in 132
of the 135 games she played in and
finished her career fourth in school
history with 893 rebounds.
Now, Hunter will be look to
continue the strong culture she helped
create at Oregon State, this time as an
assistant coach.
After spending time as an assistant
coach at McNary and the University of
San Diego, Hunter was officially named
an assistant coach with the Oregon
2010 — Hunter was one
of the first players he
recruited.
I am just really looking
“From the beginning of
forward to being a part
her time with the Beavers
of Beaver Nation once
I knew Deven had the tools
to be an outstanding coach.
again and returning to
Her understanding of the
this amazing culture."
game and overall savvy
provides her the knowl-
edge and awareness to be
immediately
impactful.
— DEVEN HUNTER
Her passion for both peo-
Oregon State University asst. coach
ple and the game are nec-
essary qualities that put
State women’s program last month.
her over the top. As a player
“It feels amazing to be back. I never at Oregon State, Deven was a force on
really thought I would be back so soon the court, made those around her bet-
to the place I used to play, but I am ter, and helped build this program into
really excited,” Hunter said.
what it is today,” Rueck said. “Since her
Hunter will be working under head graduation, she has impressed me by
coach Scott Rueck, who has been in consistently challenging herself, and
charge of the Beavers program since finding opportunities to develop and
grow as a person and a professional.
The sky is the limit for Deven in our
profession and I am excited to wel-
come her back home.”
After a standout career at McNary,
Hunter enrolled at Oregon State in
2012 and was a part of one of the most
successful classes in school history.
“I had an amazing experience at
OSU. I loved being able to play in
Corvallis, and so close to my home-
town,” Hunter said. “It was really rocky
my first year there, but our senior class
had the goal of reaching the Final Four,
and being able to accomplish that and
check it off the list was incredible.”
Hunter played professionally for a
season in both Puerto Rico and Finland
before returning to Keizer, where she
became a teacher’s assistant in special
See HUNTER, page A23