Fort Knox, Ky. — Captain Chasity Stover departed for the 2026 Armed Forces Basketball Tournament with hopes of bringing home the gold as the assistant coach and officer in charge of her all-Army women's team.
She arrived home wearing silver.
“The tournament was highly successful,†said Stover, the commander of U.S. Army Marketing and Engagement Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company. “Despite having one of the younger teams in the competition, we advanced to the championship game and ultimately fell to a talented all-Air Force team.
“While we fell short of the gold, the silver medal finish was a significant accomplishment and reflected the team's hard work and growth throughout the season.â€
Stover said the team demonstrated resilience, discipline and continuous improvement.
Following a three-week trial camp at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where coaches evaluated and selected team candidates, the fully formed 14-player team traveled to Camp Pendleton, California to compete in the tournament.
Stover has almost 20 years of basketball experience, from playing Division I college basketball to officiating the sport for four years and placing second in the Women's Military Basketball Association finals as a player and assistant coach for the Fort Benning Women's Team.
Because of her experience and passion for the sport, she said she was excited to represent the Army while helping develop and mentor some of the Army's best Soldier-athletes.
In her team roles, she assisted with initial scouting and player evaluations, planning practices and skills development sessions, and game preparation and making in-game coaching adjustments. As the OIC, Stover was responsible for administrative oversight, accountability and coordination.
“My experience as an Army officer enabled me to manage administrative and logistical requirements, while my passion for coaching helped create a positive environment focused on growth, accountability and team success,†she said.
Growth and success were shown when the young team competed, according to Stover.
“The biggest challenge was how young and inexperienced our team was compared to some of the other Armed Forces teams. We had a lot of talent, but many of our players had never competed at this level before.â€
She said the core Army values she based her coaching strategy on helped move the team forward to the championship.
“Through leadership, integrity and respect, we overcame difficult matchups and demonstrated significant growth throughout the tournament.â€
According to Stover, the combined experience she and head coach Capt. Ronald Trapps brought to the team greatly aided them in earning the second-place title. She said she will carry Trapps' shared knowledge and player development philosophies into future coaching opportunities.
“This experience was one of the most rewarding experiences of my military career,†she said. “I had the opportunity to work alongside exceptional Soldier-athletes and coaches while representing the Army at the highest level of military sports competition.â€
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