Crystal Kelly returned to the Bellarmine University women's basketball coaching staff as an assistant prior to the 2020-21 season.
Kelly rejoined Coach Chancellor Dugan's staff after previously serving as an assistant for four seasons from 2012-16. A Louisville native and former All-American at Western Kentucky, Kelly bridged two one-year terms as an assistant at Tennessee Tech around a two-year gig as an assistant at Xavier before returning for a second stint at Bellarmine.
Bellarmine's first season in Division I and the ASUN came in 2020-21 and was highlighted by a four-game winning streak in ASUN play and All-Conference accolades for Tasia Jeffries.
Kelly was a member of Dugan’s first staff at Bellarmine when Dugan took over the program in 2012-13. Everything came together in Kelly’s final year in 2015-16, when the Knights went 24-4, captured their first-ever Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament title and earned their first NCAA II Tournament berth since 2007-08. Bellarmine’s winning percentage (.857) tied a program record and the 24 victories was one shy of the program’s top mark.
Before returning to Bellarmine, Kelly was an assistant coach at the DI level for four seasons. After the magical 2015-16 campaign at Bellarmine, she joined the Tennessee Tech coaching staff for one season and returned to the Golden Eagles bench in 2019-20. In between, Kelly spent two seasons at Xavier.
As far as her playing career, Kelly is regarded as one of the most accomplished players the state of Kentucky has ever produced. While attending Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, Kelly was a Kentucky Miss Basketball (2004), a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year (2003 and 2004) and the 2004 Associated Press Player of the Year while earning All-America accolades from Street and Smith, Parade and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Her legend was forever etched in Kentucky basketball lore after leading the Valkyries to three consecutive state championships (2002-04).
Kelly followed her peerless prep career by becoming one of the most distinguished players in Western Kentucky’s history. The program retired her number 42 following a decorated career that was capped by her recognition as the Sun Belt Player of the Year in a senior season that saw her lead the nation in field-goal percentage at 64.4. Kelly received All-America honors in three different seasons, was four-time first-team All-Sun Belt and, upon her return to Bellarmine, had continued to remain WKU’s all-time leader in points (2,803), scoring average (21.6), rebounds (1,258), field goals made (953), field-goal percentage (61.7) and free throws made (885).
Following her career at WKU, the Houston Comets selected Kelly in the third round of the 2008 WNBA draft. She played in the WNBA for three seasons and also played professionally in Spain, Italy and Brazil in the offseasons.
