SEASIDE, Calif. — Megan Kritscher didn't hesitate when the call from Cal State Monterey Bay Head Coach Sarah Hopkins-Chery came. After years of competing and coaching across the country and around the world, Kritscher recognized the kind of leader she wanted to work for—and the kind of program she wanted to help build.
 
"I have known Coach Sarah for many years through the coaching world, and when she messaged me asking if I would consider getting back into college coaching at CSUMB, I knew I had to seriously consider it," Kritscher said. "She works extremely hard, cares for her players and program and does things the right way. She is someone I will learn from and be able to grow as a coach, and I'm excited for the opportunity."
 
Hopkins-Chery felt the same way about bringing Kritscher onto her staff.
 
"I'm excited to welcome Megan back to college coaching—and especially to our program," Hopkins-Chery said. "She brings valuable experience from multiple levels of the game, along with a deep understanding of the importance of developing and supporting the whole person."
 
For Kritscher, the move to Cal State Monterey Bay represents both a return to college coaching and the next chapter of a basketball journey that has taken her from record-setting collegiate seasons to a professional career overseas and back to the sidelines in the United States. She arrives on the Otter bench with a perspective shaped by experiencing the game at nearly every level.
 
Kritscher's basketball journey began long before she joined the Otters. She played at UC Santa Barbara from 2008 to 2010 before transferring to Sacramento State, where she competed from 2010–13 and left her mark on the program. During the 2012–13 season, she broke both the Sacramento State and Big Sky Conference single-season records with 111 blocked shots, finishing third nationally among NCAA Division I players.
 
Her collegiate success launched a professional career that spanned five years and six countries. Kritscher played for MKS MOS Konin in Poland in 2013, TK Hannover in Germany in 2014, Lavezzini Parma in Italy from 2014–15, BLK Slavia Praha in the Czech Republic from 2015–16 and Urla Gençlik in Turkey in 2016. She later continued her career in Melbourne, Australia, playing for Nunawading in 2017 and McKinnon in 2018.
 
When her playing career ended, Kritscher transitioned into coaching. She served as the head assistant coach at William Jessup University from 2019–21, helping the program reach the NAIA National Tournament while coaching two Honorable Mention All-Americans. She joined Southeastern University for the 2021–22 season and helped the program advance to the NAIA Final Four, coaching a First Team All-American and an Honorable Mention All-American. Most recently, Kritscher served as an assistant coach at Portland State University from 2022–24.
 
"My coaching style is relationship-driven, competitive, growth-minded and supportive," Kritscher said. "I love building strong relationships with my players so I can understand how to challenge and support each one individually to help build the team as a whole. I try to set high expectations while balancing that with an encouraging environment where my players are motivated to compete, grow and reach their potential."
 
That relationship-driven approach was shaped by Kritscher's experiences as both a player and coach. She believes in meeting student-athletes where they are, understanding what motivates them and helping them take the next step both on and off the court.
 
"After playing at the collegiate and professional levels, I wanted to give back by sharing what I had learned and making a positive impact on players' lives," she said. "Coaching gives me the opportunity to support athletes' development both on and off the court, while helping position them to reach the next level in whatever they want to do after college."
 
Her experience playing internationally and working within a variety of programs has also made adaptability an important part of her coaching philosophy.
 
"Playing and coaching under a variety of coaches and within different systems has made me adaptable to different styles of play," Kritscher said. "Those experiences have also given me a broad perspective and knowledge base that I hope to contribute to the program."
 
Kritscher brings particular expertise in developing forwards and post players, skills she honed during her own playing career and through coaching at the high school, AAU and collegiate levels. Just as important to her is helping establish a team culture built around relationships, trust, accountability and a willingness to compete.
 
As she settles into her new role at CSUMB, Kritscher is focused on helping the Otters take the next step. Her goal for her first season is simple: help elevate the program while laying the foundation for sustained success.
 
"In my first year, I really want to help Sarah take this team somewhere that it has not been before and continue to build it," Kritscher said. "We have the potential to be really good this year, so it's about continuing to find players who can build off that success and being that support in helping develop who we have so they can have the best year possible."
 
With a coaching career built on relationships and a basketball journey that has taken her around the world, Kritscher arrives at Cal State Monterey Bay ready to bring those experiences together. For the newest member of the Otter coaching staff, the opportunity is about more than returning to the college game—it's about helping build a program and supporting the student-athletes who will shape its future.