Lisa Branch, the first All-American in Texas A&M women’s basketball history, joins an elite group as she became one of nine members to be inducted into the 2019 Southwest Conference Hall of Fame class.
The DHS class of 1992 alum starred for the Aggies from 1992-96. “Lisa was extremely competitive and developed into an outstanding leader while never losing her smile and loving heart for others” explained her High School Coach Larry Goad. Published quotes from former A&M head coach Lynn Hickey include “But the most important thing that Lisa Branch brought was that she maybe was the best competitor I was ever around. She wanted to win and she wasn’t one of these people that just wanted to win without putting in work or without making a commitment. She understood what the commitment was.”
Branch led Texas A&M’s program to its first two NCAA Tournament Appearances, the 1994 NCAA Sweet 16, the 1995 NWIT title and the 1996 Southwest Conference Tournament Championship. She ended her career with school records in points (1,939), assists (795) and steals (309), earning UPI Second Team All-America honors in 1995-96.
The first player in program history to start every game over a four-year span, she averaged 16.2 points and 6.6 assists over 120 games. She was a three-time First Team All-Southwest Conference selection, and was the league’s Player of the Year in 1993-94.
The Houston Chronicle selected her to the All-Time Southwest Conference First Team in 1996, and she followed that accolade with induction into the Texas A&M Letterman’s Association Hall of Fame in 2002. She was the Aggies’ SEC Women’s Legend in 2015.
Branch is the first women’s basketball player to represent Texas A&M in the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. Currently serving as the head coach of Lewisville ISD’s Hebron High School Lady Hawks varsity girls basketball team, Branch continues to lead the next generation of contenders.