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Head Coach Lisa Fortier utilizes balance and depth to power her Gonzaga teams to victory. The Zags are able to play inside and out, and play a complete game for 40 minutes because of their varied talents and unselfish play. To make that work, Fortier depends on athletes like Melody Kempton to come in off the bench and ensure there is no drop off in production.
Kempton built on a solid freshman campaign in 2018-19 by earning expanded minutes which allowed her to increase her scoring, rebounding, assists, and blocks totals while also improving her field goal shooting percentage. As the first forward off the bench, her steady presence allowed Fortier to maintain a stable rotation in the frontcourt and ensure that no single player was overworked while optimizing for the best matchups.
To go along with being third on the team in rebounding and blocks, Kempton also provides a lot of energy while on the floor.
A workhorse inside the painted area, the Post Falls native endears herself to fans and teammates alike with her willingness to go after every loose ball and battle around the basket for position at both ends of the floor. Despite being a little undersized in the post, Kempton is no slouch at the defensive end and is crafty enough to consistently win her matchups.
The quintessential teammate, Kempton’s contributions aren’t limited to the court, as she embraced Gonzaga’s family atmosphere by welcoming her teammates to her family’s house during breaks when they need to get away from campus.
With no seniors or early departures in the frontcourt following the abbreviated 2019-2020 season, Kempton will be expected to help provide a lot of continuity in the forward rotation which will be a big help to the Truoung twins and transfer guard Cierra Walker who is eligible in the fall after sitting out during the last season.
Considering Kempton has been able to maintain an upward trend in her game over the last two seasons, it’s fair to expect an even better season from her as a junior.