Briannica Tye moves into the role of graduate assistant at Cumberland after one year as the team’s point guard, helping the program to unprecedented heights during the 2012-13 season. She served as a student assistant last season while completing her undergraduate degree.
The Aurora, Ill., native played one season for the Bulldogs, averaging 8.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.0 steals while earning Second Team All-Mid-South Conference honors. CU posted a school-record 33-3 mark, winning the Mid-South Conference regular season and tournament titles while reaching the Fab Four at the NAIA National Tournament.
Tye’s flair for the dramatic served her well on many occasions, hitting a 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock to ice a victory at No. 9 Campbellsville University in January, and connecting on the game-winning baseline jumper with 6.5 seconds remaining against Shawnee State in the semifinals of the conference tournament. Her 3-pointer from the top of the key back-rimmed at the buzzer in the national semifinals.
She netted 20 points twice during the year – at Georgetown College and versus Lindsey Wilson at home – while posting five or more assists nine times during the campaign.
Tye played one season at Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pa., before transferring to Cumberland, averaging 12.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.5 steals per game for the Colonials. She played in all 32 contests, starting 29, registering double figures in 23 games and seven or more assists in seven outings.
She spent one year at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo., earning All-Conference and All-Region as well as NJCAA Honorable Mention All-America accolades while averaging 13.3 points, 5.6 assists (11th most in country) and 2.0 steals per game for the Cardinals.
Tye played her freshman year at IUPUI, appearing in 21 contests with 16 starts and averaging 8.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game for the Jaguars. She scored in double figures 10 times, including a season-best 18 points versus South Dakota State.
She received her bachelor’s in Business Administration from Cumberland in December 2013 and is currently enrolled in the master’s program for Sports and Exercise Science at CU.
