By Ray Hamill — McKinleyville senior Gabby Watson is excited about the next chapter in her playing career, and her new coach is excited to bring her on board.

On Friday night, the two-sport Panthers standout committed her future to Clark University in Massachusetts, where she will play basketball for the Division-III Cougars.

And Clark head coach Bridgette Reyes believes the versatile Watson can play a variety of positions for her team and play all of them effectively.

“We’re so excited to have Gabby,” Reyes told Humboldt Sports on Saturday. “She can do so many things on the court. She’s so competitive, she can shoot the 3, she can attack the rim, she can post up.”

Reyes sees Watson playing as many as four positions effectively.

“Her fundamentals are incredible,” the Clark coach added. “She’s going to be doing everything for us.”

Reyes isn’t the only one who believes Watson will be a success on the college courts.

“Gabby’s going to be great at the next level,” said McKinleyville head coach Jacob Cheek, who has coached the influential senior for the past six seasons going back to her middle school days. “She has all the tangibles to have a successful college career.”

Watson also enjoyed a big career on the high school soccer fields and was a finalist for the 2024 Humboldt Sports Big 5 Girls Athlete of the Year, as well as a two-time Big 5 all-conference selection in both soccer and basketball.

But she admits that basketball was always going to be her first choice in college.

After receiving multiple offers to continue her career, Watson says she was convinced Clark was the best fit for her after visiting the university in Worcester last month.

“We went out and visited, and Boston is kind of like my favorite place ever and it’s a 45 minute drive from there, so that kind of just added to it,” she said. “The campus is gorgeous and I just really love the coaches and all the teammates.”

Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports – Gabby Watson and her teammates at Friday night’s letter signing ceremony.

Watson signed her letter of intent in front of a gathering of family, friends, teammates and coaches at McKinleyville High School.

“One of the things that really stands out as far as I’m concerned about Gabby, Clark University is getting a wonderful person, outstanding student athlete,” McKinleyville principal/athletic director Dustin Dutra said of Watson, who has a 4.67 GPA.

“She’s one of those rare athletes that she could have played any sport on our campus and been pretty darn good at it.”

Watson admits that moving so far from home for the first time will be different, but she’s looking forward to it.

“It’ll be a change, but it’ll be a good change,” she said.

She enjoyed plenty of success with Cheek and the Panthers, including a home playoff win over Heritage in the opening round of the North Coast Section playoffs in her final ever home game at McKinleyville High School.

But that’s only part of what she’ll remember from her time at McKinleyville High.

“I think definitely (I’ll remember my) teammates,” she said. “I’ve definitely grown close to teammates from all four years and definitely Cheek and (McKinleyville girls soccer head coach) Brady (Burtchett) have kind of made an impact on me that I don’t think will ever subside, and that’s kind of been a big part of how Ive been able to achieve what I have.”

She joins a Clark team that was 11-14 last year after going 15-11 the previous winter.

But it’s a young roster and a program that has a lot of promise in just Reyes’ second year of recruiting.

Asked who have been the biggest influences on her career, Watson is quick to respond.

“Definitely my parents,” she said of Brian and Rachel. “They’ve supported me through it all, and again my coaches, who’ve kind of had unwavering support through the last four years. No matter how I performed, they are always there.”

Her younger sister Charlotte was also in attendance on Friday.

The coaches say they will miss Watson.

“I have enjoyed coaching her so much these last four years,” Cheek said. “She checks all the boxes on what a coach could ask for.”

Watson, who is serving this year as the president of the HDN Student Athlete Advisory Council, intends to major in political science.