It took a lot of miles, several twists of fate and some tough decisions, but Shae Kelley is one step from reaching her goal and playing in the WNBA.
Kelley has enrolled in four colleges, spanning three Division I conferences, since being named The Denver Post’s Ms. Colorado Basketball in 2010 after leading Denver East High School to a state title.
Through it all, she never lost sight of her dream.
“This was nothing that I preplanned,” Kelley said. “I just made decisions for me that I thought were best academically, as well as for basketball. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to go after what I want.”
This season, the 6-foot-1, 23-year-old forward has become the pillar on a University of Minnesota women’s basketball team tasting big-time success for the first time in nearly a decade.
Behind Kelley, the Gophers have run out to a 16-2 record (5-1 in the Big Ten). Before this season, Minnesota, ranked No. 21 in The Associated Press poll, had not appeared in the AP poll since finishing No. 25 in the final regular-season poll in 2005-06.
Adding Kelley to the roster this past offseason was part of first-year coach Marlene Stollings’ plan to revitalize the program.
“We didn’t have a slow, drawn-out kind of goal. We wanted to turn this program around right now and put it into the national spotlight,” Stollings said. “We felt like Shae would be the missing piece to that. We thought that with her, along with (sophomore center) Amanda Zahui B. and (senior guard) Rachel Banham, we could have a big season.”
When Banham blew out her knee in December and was lost for the season, it fell to Kelley to be the primary team leader.
“Shae has been a constant for us, on and off the court,” Stollings said. “She’s the oldest player on the team and somebody our young players look up to. She brings it every night.”
Kelley fancies herself as a Le-Bron James-type player. That is, she can bring the ball up court, shoot outside or post up. She is averaging 16.7 points and 8.9 rebounds a game and earned Big Ten player of the week honors by averaging 24.0 points and 15.5 rebounds in recent victories over Ohio State and Indiana.
“She’s a young lady capable of getting a double-double every night,” Stollings said. “She’s good in transition buckets, and she can bury a midrange jump shot. Plus, she’s very aggressive on the boards.”
The WNBA is taking notes.
“I have talks with scouts on a weekly basis, and I’m confident she’ll get drafted,” Stollings said. “I have no doubts she can play at the next level.”
Kelley’s path to the pros has been anything but a straight line.
Her prep career included multiple transfers and an early-season, team-mandated suspension at East during her senior season.
“It was rough at times, and things take their toll,” Kelley said at the time. “But you have to keep your head up and have faith that things will work out for the best.”
Her plan after helping the Angels win the state title was to leave her Park Hill neighborhood to attend the University of Colorado. But Kathy McConnell-Miller, the head coach who recruited her to CU, was fired in 2010. That left Kelley’s head spinning.
Not quite sure what to do, she decided to follow Patrick Harrington, who was an assistant under McConnell-Miller, to Northwest Florida State. She was named an All-American in her one season at the junior college.
Then it was on to Norfolk, Va., for two years at Old Dominion, where she became only the fifth player in school history to score more than 1,000 points in that span. Her performance with the Monarchs left a lasting impression on Stollings, who at that time was the head coach at rival Virginia Commonwealth.
Kelley and Stollings arrived in Minneapolis within weeks of each other last summer. Kelley had already earned her undergraduate degree in sociology at Old Dominion and was seeking a school to pursue her postgraduate degree in youth development leadership. Minnesota offered that, plus she had one year of eligibility remaining.
“I wanted the education at Minnesota, but I also thought this would be a chance for me to play on a bigger stage,” she said. “Conference USA was great, but having exposure at the Big Ten level is huge.”
Stollings said that Kelley’s winding career path has paid off.
“She has a certain maturity level,” the coach said. “She has been through the grind, and she’s experienced so much. And this year is still another level for her. It’s challenged her in a number of ways as she prepares to become a pro. Playing on this stage and at this level is really going to benefit her.”
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or
A hoops journey
Shae Kelley’s basketball career has been anything but a straight line:
• 2010 Denver Post Ms. Basketball lead East High to its first state title.
• Signs to play at the University of Colorado, but leaves when coach Kathy McConnell-Miller is fired.
• Plays one season at Northwest Florida State College, averaging 13.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game to earn junior college All-America honors.
• Plays two seasons at Old Dominion and is named to the 2014 All-Conference USA first team, averaging 17.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
• Currently a fifth-year senior at Minnesota, Kelley averages 16.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
