Skip to main content

Albany alum will get to play with Lady Lions this season







Kelly Granted Immediate Eligibility for 2020-21

 

HAMMOND, La. – Less than a week from the 2020-21 season opener, Lady Lion junior center Natalie Kelly was ruled immediately eligible for competition, SLU head coach Ayla Guzzardo announced this week. 

 

Kelly, a 6-3 center from Albany, Louisiana, was initially expected to sit out a season after transferring from Auburn. However, the NCAA granted a waiver that will allow Kelly to suit up for the Nov. 25 opener versus Alcorn State. The addition of Kelly to this year’s active roster will bolster SLU’s performance on and off the court, according to Guzzardo. 

 

“We’re so excited for Natalie to have the opportunity to play for us immediately,” Guzzardo commented. “She’s not a tradition back-to-the-basket post player, but she can get to the basket and has a good midrange game. Defensively, her ability to block shots is going to make her an immediate impact player for us.”

 

Kelly has fit in immediately with her new team. Last month, Kelly was selected by her teammates and her coaches as one of the Lady Lions’ three team captains. 

 

“We recruited Natalie out of high school and we were impressed then with the quality of her character,” Guzzardo commented. “She’s come right in and bought in to all aspects of our program. We’ll benefit from Natalie’s leadership and maturity just as much as we will from her basketball skills.”

 

Kelly spent her first two collegiate seasons at Auburn, where she played in 28 games for the Lady Tigers. At Albany High School, she was a multi-time all-state, all-district, all-metro and All-Livingston Parish selection on the way to setting the career rebounding record for the Lady Hornets. Kelly averaged 17.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game as a senior at AHS, following a junior campaign that saw her grab a single-season school record 379 rebounds and help her team to the Class 3A state championship game. 

 

Kelly and the Lady Lions will open the 2020-21 season at home next Wednesday, hosting Alcorn State at 1 p.m. in the University Center. The game will air on ESPN+ and can also be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Lions Gameday Experience app. 

 

Kelly and fellow junior newcomer Chrissy Brown will be Wednesday’s Spotlight Players of the Game. The first 100 fans will receive trading cards featuring Kelly and Brown, courtesy of PRIDE.      

 

TICKETS

For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net/tickets. Southeastern is implementing mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets for the 2020-21 season. All tickets will be available via e-mail in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

STPSO: Slidell-area man wanted in connection with shooting

  Press Release from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office: A Slidell-area man is wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred Tuesday (November 17) night near Slidell. At approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 2100 block of Bluebird Street in reference to gunshots. The subsequent investigation revealed that a family dispute at a residence on Bluebird Street escalated into a fight, and numerous shots were fired at a vehicle occupied by two of the individuals involved in the dispute. One of those individuals sustained a single non-life threatening gunshot wound and had left the scene prior to deputies’ arrival. He was located by deputies at an area hospital, where he was being treated for his injuries. Warrants have been issued for the arrest of Chalmers Latrell Gillin, 37, in connection with the incident. Gillin is wanted on the following charges: L.R.S. 14:37.4 Aggravated Assault with a Firearm L.R.S. 14:55 Aggravated...
Post a Comment
Read more

Death Notices (11/21/2020)

***Due to a cyberattack,  AN17.com  will not be posting photos of decedents at this time.*** Verdie Grey Blackwell Verdie Grey Blackwell passed away on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 in Mandeville, LA. He was born on December 8, 1930 in Franklinton, LA to the late Greal Blackwell and Mary Stafford Blackwell. Verdie was the beloved husband of the late Mildred Martin Blackwell. He was the loving brother of Bobby Blackwell, Margie Jones, the late Vernon Blackwell, and Billy Blackwell. Verdie was the uncle of Debbie Morgan, Keith Cox, and Jimmy Cox (Sandy). Relatives and friends are invited to the Funeral Service at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 W. 21st Avenue, Covington, LA 70433 on Monday, November 23, 2020 at 11:00 AM with visitation from 9:00 AM until service time. Interment will follow the service at Blackwell Cemetery, Mockingbird Hill Rd., Folsom, LA. Paul Mitchell Boone Paul Mitchell Boone passed away at his residence in Bogalusa, La on Thursday, November 19, 2020 at...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pedestrian struck by train in Hammond

           Press Release from Hammond Police: November 21, 2020, City of Hammond, LA — On November 20, 2020, at approximately 11:41 pm, the Hammond Police Department began investigating a pedestrian hit by a train at the 100 block of North Cate Street.   The victim was identified as Ridge Michael Melancon, 25, of Gramercy. Witnesses stated they believe he was attempting to place a quarter on the railroad tracks when he was struck by the train. Melancon was pronounced deceased on the scene.  The investigation is ongoing. 
Read more