Kelly Jekot played basketball at Villanova University from 2016-2020 & Penn State University from 2020-2022. She talks about growing up in Enola, Pennsylvania, in a large, athletic family where she is the oldest of 4 daughters (that all play basketball), how she got into basketball, and her decorated career at Cumberland Valley High School where she won 3 State Championships with her sister, Kate, and was named Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year twice. Kelly discusses her recruiting process, why she chose Villanova, playing for Harry Perretta, playing in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, playing against her sister in a Big Five game, and her first ACL tear that happened in 2019. Kelly explains her decision to become a graduate transfer, why she chose Penn State, transferring during COVID-19, and playing for Carolyn Kieger. She then details tearing her other ACL in 2021, having to go through the rehab process all over again, blogging her rehab through TikTok, and using her COVID year in 2022 to play the entire season for Penn State. Kelly discusses wanting to create a positive alumni culture within the Penn State program, her plans for the future, and her continued support for her younger sisters' careers: Kate at Saint Joseph's, Julie at La Salle, and Jillian in high school.
