Kelly Mazzante
Encyclopedia
Kelly Anne Mazzante is a professional basketball
player in the WNBA
. She is the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten
basketball history (male or female).
, which is also the alma mater of Mike Mussina
, a pitcher for the New York Yankees
. She scored over 3,000 points in high school and finished as the third leading scorer in Pennsylvania girls' basketball history.
At an early age, Mazzante attended Penn State's Lady Lion Basketball Camp. She went on to attend college at Penn State, where she was a star member of the women's basketball team, mainly playing in the shooting guard
position. Mazzante scored an outstanding 49 points and sank 9 three point shots against Minnesota during her Sophomore season. During her senior season, Kelly led her team to the Elite Eight, where they fell to the eventual champions, Connecticut
. She earned Kodak All-American honors three times (2004, 2003 and 2002). She is the all time leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference
with 2,919 points in four seasons from 2001-2004. Through 133 NCAA appearances, she averaged 21.9 points per game. She also holds Big Ten records for Field Goals (1,051), Field Goals Attempted (2,403), 3 Point Field Goals (357), and 3 Point Field Goals Attempted (1,019). She was a recipient of the NCAA Top Eight Award as part of the Class of 2005. Mazzante's Penn State No. 13 jersey was retired on December 29, 2004. She completed her undergraduate degree in advertising
/public relations in the offseason while assisting the women's basketball team.
Mazzante was also a member of the 2002 USA World Championship for Young Women Qualifying Team that won the gold medal.
by the Charlotte Sting
, where she spent three seasons as a reserve guard. She scored a WNBA-career-high 18 points in an August 18, 2006 game against the Phoenix Mercury
. After the Charlotte Sting folded in January 2007, Mazzante was selected in the 2007 WNBA Dispersal Draft by the Mercury. She contributed to the Mercury's victory in the 2007 and 2009 WNBA Finals
, primarily as a three-point shooting specialist. During her Phoenix Mercury days, Mazzante wrote a blog for PhoenixMercury.com called "Maz's Musings."
In March 2010, Mazzante was traded to the New York Liberty
as part of a three-team, multiplayer deal. However, she was released from the team a few weeks later since she was in the middle of rehab for her ACL.
In the 2006-7 WNBA offseason, Mazzante played in Slovakia
for the Košice
professional basketball team. In the 2007-8 WNBA offseason, she played in Russia for Spartak. During the winters of 2008-09 and 2009–10, she played in Hungary
for MiZo Pécs (PVSK). In 2011, She signed with the San Antonio Silver Stars and later the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player in the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
. She is the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
basketball history (male or female).
Early life and college career
Mazzante attended Montoursville High School in Montoursville, PAMontoursville, Pennsylvania
Montoursville is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,777. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for Madame Montour, a Native American leader and skilled interpreter...
, which is also the alma mater of Mike Mussina
Mike Mussina
Michael Cole Mussina , nicknamed Moose, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played for the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees ....
, a pitcher for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. She scored over 3,000 points in high school and finished as the third leading scorer in Pennsylvania girls' basketball history.
At an early age, Mazzante attended Penn State's Lady Lion Basketball Camp. She went on to attend college at Penn State, where she was a star member of the women's basketball team, mainly playing in the shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
position. Mazzante scored an outstanding 49 points and sank 9 three point shots against Minnesota during her Sophomore season. During her senior season, Kelly led her team to the Elite Eight, where they fell to the eventual champions, Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
. She earned Kodak All-American honors three times (2004, 2003 and 2002). She is the all time leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
with 2,919 points in four seasons from 2001-2004. Through 133 NCAA appearances, she averaged 21.9 points per game. She also holds Big Ten records for Field Goals (1,051), Field Goals Attempted (2,403), 3 Point Field Goals (357), and 3 Point Field Goals Attempted (1,019). She was a recipient of the NCAA Top Eight Award as part of the Class of 2005. Mazzante's Penn State No. 13 jersey was retired on December 29, 2004. She completed her undergraduate degree in advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
/public relations in the offseason while assisting the women's basketball team.
Mazzante was also a member of the 2002 USA World Championship for Young Women Qualifying Team that won the gold medal.
Professional career
Mazzante was selected in the second round of the 2004 WNBA Draft2004 WNBA Draft
2004 WNBA Draft - 17 April 2004On January 6, 2004 a dispersal draft took place. Players were drafted from the roster of the Cleveland Rockers, who folded after the 2003 season....
by the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
, where she spent three seasons as a reserve guard. She scored a WNBA-career-high 18 points in an August 18, 2006 game against the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
. After the Charlotte Sting folded in January 2007, Mazzante was selected in the 2007 WNBA Dispersal Draft by the Mercury. She contributed to the Mercury's victory in the 2007 and 2009 WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
, primarily as a three-point shooting specialist. During her Phoenix Mercury days, Mazzante wrote a blog for PhoenixMercury.com called "Maz's Musings."
In March 2010, Mazzante was traded to the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
as part of a three-team, multiplayer deal. However, she was released from the team a few weeks later since she was in the middle of rehab for her ACL.
In the 2006-7 WNBA offseason, Mazzante played in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
for the Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
professional basketball team. In the 2007-8 WNBA offseason, she played in Russia for Spartak. During the winters of 2008-09 and 2009–10, she played in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
for MiZo Pécs (PVSK). In 2011, She signed with the San Antonio Silver Stars and later the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA.