PORTLAND, Ore. --- The University of Portland women's basketball program has added Brianna Chambers and Megan Osmer as assistant coaches, announced first-year head coach Cheryl Sorenson. Chambers spent the past seven years as the head coach at Dominican University of California, while Osmer has been the Director of Women's Basketball Operations at the University of Washington since 2011.
 
"We are fortunate to have both Brianna and Megan on board as we start our new chapter here at UP," Sorenson said.
 
"I am excited about the opportunity to join coach Sorenson's staff and the Athletic Department at the University of Portland," said Chambers. "Coach Sorenson has such a genuine personality and a passion for what she does, you can't help but be motivated and energized. I'm looking forward to helping her carry out her vision for the UP women's basketball program."
 
"I am beyond excited to join coach Sorenson's staff and the University of Portland athletics family," Osmer said. "I am also extremely grateful for the opportunity to get back on the court. I believe there is a tremendous opportunity to do great things here, both on and off the court. The vision that Cheryl has, along with her constant energy and enthusiasm, I feel the potential for our program is endless. I'm looking forward to learning and growing under her leadership." 
 
While head coach of the Penguins, Chambers guided the Dominican program through a transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. She coached a handful of First Team All-PacWest Conference Selections, several second-team all-league and honorable mention honorees and a league freshman of the year. The Penguins advanced to the PacWest Conference Tournament and boasted a team GPA of 3.2 during Chambers' tenure.
 
"Brianna has the experience of a head coach, she's a great recruiter, and she brings an energy to the gym that the players respond to," noted Sorenson. "She has a true interest in developing student-athletes on and off the floor and I admire her approach to the job. She is a great asset to this program and I am thrilled to be working with her."
 
Before taking the top position at Dominican, Chambers was an assistant coach at Cal State Monterey Bay for three seasons (2004-07), where she also assisted with program's transition to NCAA Division II. She assisted with every faucet of the program with the Otters and she helped recruit and coach a pair of all-conference selections.
 
After a standout multi-sport career at Bakersfield's Shafter High School, Chambers, a point guard, played basketball and was on the track team at Bakersfield College. She then played basketball and softball at Menlo College before playing one season at Cal State Bakersfield, where she graduated with degree in communications in 2002. Chambers earned her Master of Arts in Sport Management at USF in 2008 and she began her coaching career as the head coach at Golden Valley High School in 2003.
 
Osmer was with the Huskies for three straight 20-win seasons and three consecutive trips to the WNIT.
A native of Bellevue, Wash., Osmer was responsible for a variety of roles as the team's DOBO, from handling team travel logistics to managing the team's budget, running summer camps, on-campus recruiting and donor/alumni relations.
 
Before heading back to the Pacific Northwest, Osmer spent three seasons as an assistant coach with San Jose State. With the Spartans, Osmer worked with the post players, managed and coordinated academic goals, while also assisting with recruiting.
 
Osmer played prep basketball at Bellevue High School. She then played one season at Michigan State before transferring to D-II Lynn University. In three seasons at the Boca Raton-based school, Osmer established herself as an effective interior presence, and still ranks in the top five in both blocks and rebounding. During her senior season, she led the Sunshine State Conference in rebounding and was the Fighting Knights Team MVP.
 
Following her 2006 graduation from Lynn with a degree in communications/broadcasting, Osmer added international basketball to her resume. She played with the Manchester Mystics in the United Kingdom for two seasons. While with the club, she also ran coaching sessions for local boys and girls and was an assistant coach for their U-16 team. Osmer also worked with the U-20 Great Britain team as a team manager/assistant coach at the European Championships in Ohrid, Macedonia.
 
"Megan has international playing experience, assistant coach experience, and was a highly regarded director of operations at UW," said Sorenson. "Her wide range of experience will be a great strength for our program. She has a zest for life and the game of basketball that easily rubs off on everyone around her. I'm excited to see all the ways that she will contribute to the program."
 
Chambers and Osmer join fellow first-year assistant coach Steve Lowe and Jazmine Foreman to complete the UP staff. Foreman will take on the role of Director of Women's Basketball Operations after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Pilots.