Morgan Bertsch Bio
Morgan Bertsch (born April 20, 1997) is an American professional basketball player who plays as a forward. Standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) tall, she is currently a free agent after a professional career that has spanned the WNBA and top leagues across Europe. Bertsch first gained national attention as the all-time leading scorer in UC Davis Aggies history, men’s or women’s program, before being selected by the Dallas Wings in the 2019 WNBA draft. She has since built a reputation as a versatile forward with scoring range, rebounding strength, and shot-blocking instincts.
After her college career, Bertsch expanded her game overseas, competing in Russia, Poland, Belgium, and Spain. She has also had two stints with the Chicago Sky and two with the Dallas Wings, with a brief stop at the Phoenix Mercury in 2024. As of 2025, she continues her professional journey as a free agent pursuing her next opportunity.
Early Life and Background
Morgan Bertsch was born on April 20, 1997, in Santa Rosa, California. She grew up in the same community where she would later become a local sports legend, attending Santa Rosa High School. At Santa Rosa, Bertsch was a four-year letterwinner on the basketball team and quickly established herself as one of the most dominant post players in the region. Her combination of size, mobility, and shot-blocking made her a difficult matchup from the moment she stepped onto the varsity floor.
As a junior, Bertsch averaged 13.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, earning first-team All-North Bay League honors. In her senior season, she elevated her game to another level, averaging 17.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game while leading the Panthers to a 28-5 record. She set Santa Rosa High School single-season records for points (536), rebounds (336), and blocks (139), and was named the North Bay League MVP and The Press Democrat All-Empire Player of the Year. Bertsch was also an all-state high jumper on the school’s track and field team, illustrating her rare athletic ability for a player of her height.
Despite her standout high school career, Bertsch did not play AAU basketball, and UC Davis was the only NCAA Division I program to extend her a scholarship offer. That offer became the foundation for one of the most decorated careers in Big West Conference history.
Path to Basketball
Bertsch’s path to the professional level ran directly through the UC Davis Aggies, where she spent five seasons from 2014 to 2019. During her freshman year, she redshirted from the basketball team and instead competed for the UC Davis Aggies women’s track and field team as a high jumper. She finished in a tie for fourth at the Big West Conference Championship with a jump of 1.71 meters, a result that highlighted her athletic upside beyond the basketball court. She also competed as a high jumper during her sophomore and junior seasons, finishing fourth and third, respectively, at the Big West Championships.
When Bertsch joined the Aggies’ basketball lineup, she wasted no time making an impact. She broke the program record at the Division I level for points scored as a freshman and ranked second all-time for freshmen at UC Davis. She was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team and was also selected to the All-Big West Second Team. That foundation launched a three-year run of dominance that would cement her legacy in the conference.
Morgan Bertsch Career
Early Career (2014-2019)
Bertsch’s developmental years were spent at UC Davis, where she transformed from a raw athlete into the most productive player in program history. She was named to the Big West First Team for three consecutive years from 2016-17 through 2018-19, and she earned Big West Player of the Year honors in 2019. During her senior season, she became the all-time leading scorer at UC Davis for men or women with 2,422 career points, leaving her name across the Aggies’ record books.
She also tied a conference single-season record in March 2019 by earning a sixth Big West Player of the Week award in a single campaign. In addition to her Big West Player of the Year award, she was named to the Big West All-Defensive Team, completing a senior-year sweep of the conference’s major individual honors.
WNBA Breakthrough (2019-2023)
Bertsch was selected in the third round of the 2019 WNBA draft with the 29th overall pick by the Dallas Wings. Although she did not secure a roster spot immediately, she received multiple training camp invitations from the Wings and the Connecticut Sun in the seasons that followed, showing that her skill set was strong enough to keep her within reach of the league. Those experiences sharpened her approach and prepared her for the breakthrough that would come in 2023.
On April 18, 2023, Bertsch signed a training camp contract with the Chicago Sky. She made the opening day roster, and on May 19, 2023, she made her first WNBA career start in the Sky’s season-opener against the Minnesota Lynx, contributing six points, two rebounds, and four assists in a Sky win. A midseason ankle injury temporarily slowed her momentum, but she returned to play later in the year, confirming her role as a contributor at the WNBA level.
International Career (2019-2025)
While pursuing her WNBA dream, Bertsch built a successful international career across several top European leagues. She began overseas with WBC Sparta&K in the 2019-2020 season, then moved to Polski-Cukier AZS-UMCS Lublin in Poland for 2020-2021, where she continued to develop her perimeter game. She spent the 2021-2022 campaign with Arka Gdynia, also in Poland, before joining Kangoeroes Basket Mechelen in Belgium for 2022-2023.
She later played for Uni Girona CB in Spain during the 2023-2024 season and signed with Hozono Global Jairis for the 2024-2025 campaign. Each move allowed her to add new dimensions to her game, from facing different defensive schemes to adjusting to varied playing styles across continents.
Phoenix Mercury and Return to Dallas (2024)
On February 6, 2024, Bertsch was traded to the Phoenix Mercury as part of a package that sent Kahleah Copper to Phoenix in exchange for Brianna Turner, Michaela Onyenwere, and multiple draft picks. Her time in Phoenix was short, however, as she was waived on June 10, 2024, after appearing in twelve games. Just nine days later, on June 19, 2024, she signed a hardship contract with the Dallas Wings, returning to the franchise that originally drafted her. She played in three games for the Wings before being released on June 25, 2024.
Chicago Sky Return (2025)
On March 3, 2025, the Chicago Sky announced that they had signed Bertsch to a training camp contract, marking her return to the franchise where she had made her WNBA debut. She was waived by the Sky on May 11, 2025, after competing through the preseason. Following that release, Bertsch entered the next phase of her career as a free agent.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the court, Bertsch is known for her interior scoring touch, rebounding tenacity, and ability to protect the rim as a shot-blocker. Her 6 ft 4 in frame allows her to operate comfortably in the post, while her track and field background gives her an explosive vertical that translates to finishing at the rim and contesting shots on the defensive end. She has also developed a face-up game and a reliable mid-range jumper, allowing her to stretch defenses when her team needs floor spacing.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Bertsch’s career came during her senior season at UC Davis, when she surpassed 2,422 career points to become the all-time leading scorer in the program, men’s or women’s. Her WNBA debut start for the Chicago Sky in 2023, paired with a productive stat line in a season-opening win, marked the moment she established herself at the professional level. Her participation in trade discussions involving high-profile names like Kahleah Copper also signaled the respect she had earned as a developing pro.
Morgan Bertsch Career Wins
Although Bertsch’s individual trophy case is built primarily on her college accolades, her professional journey includes a series of milestone achievements across multiple leagues. Her Big West Player of the Year award, three consecutive First-Team All-Big West selections, and Big West All-Defensive Team honor stand as the foundation of her résumé.
College Highlights
Bertsch’s college career is highlighted by her record-setting scoring total at UC Davis, where she finished with 2,422 career points. She was a three-time First-Team All-Big West selection from 2017 through 2019, a Second-Team All-Big West pick in 2016, and a Big West All-Freshman Team member that same year. Her Big West Player of the Year award in 2019 was the crowning achievement of her senior campaign.
Professional Highlights
At the professional level, Bertsch’s most notable accomplishments include making the Chicago Sky’s opening day roster in 2023 and earning a WNBA starting nod in the season-opener against the Minnesota Lynx. Her inclusion in a multi-player trade between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury in February 2024 was another significant career marker, reflecting her value within league circles.
Morgan Bertsch Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Public details about Morgan Bertsch’s immediate family remain limited, and she has not publicly shared information about her parents or other relatives in the available verified sources. Her roots in Santa Rosa, California, however, run deep, as she attended Santa Rosa High School and became one of the most celebrated athletes in the school’s history, setting single-season records in points, rebounds, and blocks.
Personal Life
Bertsch has kept her personal life largely private, and no verified information is available about a spouse or children. As of the most recent verified updates, she continues to focus on her professional basketball career as she pursues her next opportunity in the WNBA or overseas.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season for Morgan Bertsch began with a return to the Chicago Sky, who signed her to a training camp contract on March 3, 2025. She competed through the preseason as she aimed to lock down a roster spot with the franchise where she had made her WNBA debut two years earlier. On May 11, 2025, however, Bertsch was waived by the Sky, ending her brief return to the team.
Throughout the early months of 2025, Bertsch was also competing internationally with Hozono Global Jairis, balancing overseas play with her pursuit of an NBA roster spot. That dual-track schedule reflected her determination to stay game-ready while continuing to chase a more permanent WNBA role.
Now a free agent, Bertsch will look to leverage her Big West legacy, her European experience, and her WNBA versatility as she evaluates her next move. With her unique combination of size, scoring touch, and shot-blocking, she remains an attractive option for teams looking to add depth and interior presence to their frontcourt rotation.