Wasilla guard to play at UAF

WASILLA — All Kaylyn Kelly knew is she wanted to play college basketball.

Before a chat with Wasilla girls basketball head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax, the University of Alaska Fairbanks was never on the Warrior senior’s radar. But after a visit to the Fairbanks campus during the fall, Kelly now knows UAF is where she wants to be.

Earlier this week, surrounded by friends and family, Kelly, a senior in the Wasilla girls basketball program, signed a National Letter of Intent to attend UAF and play women’s basketball for the Division II Nanooks.

“After the official visit I just new I was meant to go there,” Kelly said. “I really liked the coaching staff up there. It felt like family.”

And that family atmosphere played a vital role in a decision for Kelly, who started playing basketball in the third grade. Kelly said she has spent the last nine years playing with four others — McKenna Dinkel, Catherine Baham, Willow Drorbaugh and Mallory Wheeler — who are also seniors on the Wasilla girls’ basketball roster for the upcoming season.

The five posed for pictures after Kelly made it official.

“They have helped me get to where I am now,” Kelly said.

Kelly’s new team at UAF will include another friend, and a former rival. Kiana Till, a 2016 graduate of Palmer High School, is a freshman guard for the Nanooks. Till is one of seven products of the 49th state currently on the Nanooks roster. UAF also has seven seniors on its roster, which should give Kelly an opportunity to contribute as a freshman next year. Five of UAF”s seniors are guards. Kelly said the UAF coaches have told her she’ll have the chance to compete for time at point guard.

“I’m so excited that I’ll get to play,” said Kelly, who was also recruited by a pair of Washington state schools, Wenatchee Valley College and Whitworth College.

Hebert-Truax said she believes Kelly has the potential to do well at the next level.

“I think she’s going to contribute because of her speed,” Hebert-Truax said. “She’ll provide speed for them .”

Hebert-Truax said speed and athleticism on defense have been strengths of Kelly’s throughout her high school career.

“Defense is all about heart, and intensity, and speed. It’s about getting after it. Kaylyn does have the ability to do that,” Hebert-Truax said.

The longtime Wasilla mentor also expects Kelly’s game to expand at the college level.

As a junior Kelly helped the Warriors win the 4A state title. She was also named first-team All-Northern Lights Conference as a junior.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.