Oct. 30, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF women's basketball team is working furiously to get set for the 2008-09 season. As the season opener at Colorado approaches on Nov. 16, each of the 14 players on the Knights' roster this season will be introduced to the fans each weekday on UCFAthletics.com. The series will run from Oct. 22 until Nov. 7.
One of three freshmen to join UCF this season, Ashia Kelly is the one who traveled the farthest to the Orlando campus. Head coach Joi Williams and her staff signed Kelly to the program from Kilgore, Texas.
"I decided to come to UCF because we have a great coach who is an awesome person," said Kelly, who picked UCF over Washington State among other programs. "She leads the team in a dynamic way, and also I think the campus and facilities are better than any others."
Kelly is not only adjusting to life as a student-athlete, but also life in a different area of the country.
"The biggest difference would have to be that even though Texas is much larger, Orlando has more people so I have had to adjust to that," she said.
As a senior at Kilgore High School, Kelly averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists per game. She was named first-team all-district and first-team All-East Texas.
"The biggest adjustment on the court is being patient and allowing things to come to me," she noted. "[My teammates] have made things more clear when I did not understand things. They are helpful with things that I need to know, and if I can't get answers from the coaches at that time they will work with me. I can go to any of them for anything."
At 5-10, Kelly is a player that can play a variety of positions on the court. As a freshman she will likely see minutes at both guard and forward.
"It really does not matter to me," Kelly said of where she plays. "I like playing the three because I can shoot the ball, but I also like to get down in the post and bang a little and rebound. My goals this season are to get some playing time and contribute."
After opening the season at Colorado, Kelly and the Knights will play their home opener on Friday, Nov. 21, hosting Florida A&M at 7 p.m. at UCF Arena.
Season tickets for the UCF women's basketball program are currently on sale through the UCF ticket sales office. For more information about the arena's premium seating options, including club seats, group discounts, courtside tables and suites, contact the UCF ticket sales office at (407) UCF-1000 or visit the women's basketball ticket page at UCFAthletics.cstv.com/tickets/w-baskbl-tickets.html.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Knight Life with Ashia Kelly
- The best thing about being a Knight are...equality for individuals to express themselves
- I am most looking forward to...the thrilling feeling of our first game
- My first memory of playing basketball is...making the winning shot in a championship game
- My first pair of basketball shoes were...Tracy McGrady's
- The best word to describe Coach Williams is...stern
- My favorite sport to play besides basketball is...volleyball
- My favorite sports to watch besides basketball is...baseball
- My favorite TV show is...The Hills
- My favorite movie is...Love and Basketball
- The advice I would give to a youngster is...make wise decisions and practice better study habits
- My dream car is...Mercedes-Benz
- On my perfect day I...like to sleep and hang out with friends
- The person I most admire is...my mother because she is determined and wise
- The advice I would give to a youngster is...make wise decisions and practice better study habits
- My favorite cartoon character is...Winnie the Pooh
- The one superhero ability I would like to have is...x-ray vision