| Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame - Class of 1994 |
| Kelly, a native of Augusta, Georgia, was a two-time Big Eight Conference player of the year who dominated the league from her center position from 1984-87. Kelly left MU ranked second in school history with 2,119 points and set the school career rebounding record at 1,098. In all, she set six career, three season and four single-game records. While at MU, the Tigers made three trips to the NCAA tournament. Kelly was the Big Eight Conference female athlete of the year in 1987, then played five years of professional basketball in Italy and Brazil. She earned all-America honors in 1987, when she was a finalist for the Naismith Award. Kelly also was an academic all-Big Eight selection and is one of only two womens basketball players at MU to have her jersey (#42) retired. |
Awards & Honors:
- Team Co-captain for three years
- Inducted into University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame (1994)
- Honorable Mention All-America (1987)
- First Team District V Kodak All-America (1987)
- Chosen as one of 12 Naismith Award finalists
- Big Eight "Player of the Year" (1986, 1987)
- Big Eight "Female Athlete of the Year"
- All-1980's Decade Team (2nd Team)
- Two-time All-Big Eight Tournament Player
- First Missouri player to surpass 1,000 career rebounding plateau
- Most Valuable All-Big Eight Tournament (1986)
- Kodak All-America All-District Team (1987)
- Kodak All-America Honorable Mention (1987)
- Academic All-Conference First Team (1986, 1987)
- Scored 40 or more points three times
- Scored at leat 30 points on 16 occasions
- Totals points scored in career 2,119
1985-86 (Junior): Enjoyed an exceptional junior year... Big Eight player-of-the-year, Big Eight tournament most valuable player, Big Eight first team all-academic... Third year as co-captain... Named to the Street and Smith high honorable mention preseason all-America team... Led the Big Eight in scoring and rebounding, and finished 12th in scoring and 10th in rebounding in the NCAA... Scored a school-record 41 points against Oklahoma on Jan. 25 and hit 13 of 13 from the field against Oklahoma State on Jan. 14... Tied the school record for most rebounds in a game with 20 against Colorado in the finals of the Big Eight championship... Named Big Eight player of the week three consecutive times last season... Scored more points last season (756) than in her first two seasons combined (650); that point total is the second best in Missouri history, behind Joni Davis' 776... Her 395 rebound total is the most in a season by a Mizzou player, and her 12.3 average is the best... She stands fifth on the career scoring list with 1,406 and third on rebounding with 822... Scored in double figures 31 times last season... Over 20 points in 22 games... Over 30 in seven games... And over 40 once... Rebounded in double figures 27 times and hit double digits in both categories 26 times... Led Mizzou in scoring 24 times and rebounding 28 times.
1984-85 (Sophomore): An exceptionally strong athlete who intimidates at center... Started all 31 games last year as a sophomore... Averaged 13.5 points and 9.5 rebounds last season... Shot a .539 field goal percentage for the year... Is very aggressive on the boards... Had a career-high of 23 points against eventual NCAA runner-up Georgia last year at the MidAmerican Classic... Grabbed a center-high 18 rebounds in NCAA Tournament against Northeastern Louisiana in last year's final Missouri game and also scored 22 points in that contest... Scored in double figures 25 times as a sophomore... Led last year's squad with 18 double-figure rebounding games.
1983-84 (Freshman): Sleeper a year ago as a freshman who erupted to start four games in the last half of the season ... Most proficient outburst came against Nebraska late in January, when she scored 18 points and added 15 rebounds, both career highs ... Easily Mizzou's most improved player in '83-'84 ... Will definitely challenge for the starting nod at center ... Played in 30 of 31 games a year ago ... Kelly's strength is her best asset, particularly as a rebounder ... Missouri's most physical player under the boards ... Freshman averages were 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest ... Scored in double figures 11 times, including ten of Mizzou's last 17 games.
High School: Four-year starter at Richmond High, who led her team to a 23-1 record and state runner-up finish her senior year. Averaged 20.3 points and 17.0 rebounds as a prep senior. Her team's final record over Kelly's four years was 74-11. She totaled 1,406 points during her prep career.
Personal: Marketing education major. Serves as an ambassador for the College of Education. Daughter of Taylor and Essie.