Final answer:
The vertical jump test is the most valid option to measure a basketball player's muscular power, as it assesses the explosive force of the lower body, which is crucial in basketball for activities like jumping and rebounding.
Step-by-step explanation:
A college basketball coach looking to determine which of her players has the most muscular power would find the vertical jump test to be the most valid among the options provided. Muscular power is a combination of both strength and speed, which is best demonstrated in movements that require a high level of force to be produced explosively. The vertical jump is a direct measure of lower-body power, as it requires the athlete to use their muscles to propel themselves off the ground as high as possible in a short amount of time. On the other hand, the 1RM bench press measures maximum strength rather than power, the 5RM squat focuses on maximum strength under a sub-maximal load for more repetitions, and the 100m sprint primarily tests speed and endurance and is less specific to measuring explosive power as it pertains to basketball movements.