May 14, 2012
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By Jenna Marina
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - A pair of women's basketball student-athletes recently joined UCF's ever-growing alumni base. Aisha Patrick and rising senior Kayli Keough received their bachelor's degrees in sports and exercise science and sociology, respectively, in early May.
Having finished her career as one of the most successful players to ever suit up for the Knights, Patrick is ready to move on to the next phase of her life as a graduate assistant for the University of Kansas women's basketball team. She begins her new position June 1.
"I am extremely excited to start my next chapter as a grad assistant. This is the beginning of my career and I'm ready to switch roles from player to coach," said Patrick, who is the only UCF women's basketball player to tally 1,000 points, 800 rebounds and 300 assists. "The coaching staff at UCF has been so supportive of my decision. This experience at Kansas will get me prepared for that career path."
Keough, a transfer from Florida State, still has one more year of eligibility left as a Knight and will head into the 2012-13 season as the team's second-leading returning scorer (10.3 points per game). The forward shared the milestone with her immediate family, including teammate and sister Meghan, and head coach Joi Williams, who all attended the graduation ceremony at UCF Arena.
"I didn't understand all the excitement about graduation until I actually went through the week to celebrate it," Keough said. "While I was sitting in the ceremony and seeing everyone get their degree, I realized how good it felt to say that I was a college graduate - that all of this really was so important and that all the hard work I had put in for four years truly was paying off in ways I'm sure I can't imagine right now."
Keough is pursuing another bachelor's degree in psychology next year and intends to apply to law school following graduation.
Seniors Racine Davis and Ashia Kelly, who helped UCF to two Conference USA championships and NCAA Tournament berths, are set to graduate in the summer.