Micaela Kelly reaches 1,000-point mark
Gathered with teammates, Micaela Kelly emerged forward and was presented a basketball.
Central Michigan coach Heather Oesterle handed Kelly, a junior guard for the women's basketball team, a commemorative basketball with her name and photo printed on it.
Kelly had hit the 1,000-point mark for her career in the Chippewas' Nov. 30 game against Marist, but was recognized after the team's Dec. 5 game against Iona in McGuirk Arena.
She became the 31st player in program history to reach the milestone and currently ranks 28th on the career scoring list with 1,028 points.
"Without my teammates, without my coaches, I wouldn't have gotten into that position," Kelly said following the Marist game. "I'm blessed and I'm thankful. It is a rhythm. I see a few go in, it gives me confidence to keep shooting the ball."
Against Marist, Kelly scored a game-high 23 points in the 77-54 win, which moved the team to an even 3-3 record after winning their third straight.
In the matchup with Iona, Kelly put up 17 points while shooting 53% from the field. She also added five rebounds, three steals and a block against the Gaels.
Coming into the season, Kelly had scored 885 points in just her first two seasons and has finished with double digit points in every game so far this season.
Oesterle said she told Kelly after the game against Iona that hitting the milestone as a junior is a major accomplishment.
"She's come a long way," Oesterle said. "Now, she's taking more of a role on this team and that's been really fun to watch her develop over the last couple of years. She's got great energy."
Kelly scored a career-high 29 points when the Chippewas defeated Dayton on Nov. 21 in McGuirk Arena. She scored the team's final 14 points, including all 10 in the overtime period as CMU won by a single point.
In her junior year, Kelly was looked upon as a leader for the Chippewas and has embraced the role
Freshman guard Molly Davis has learned a lot from Kelly's tutelage in the beginning stages of her career.
"(Kelly) is definitely someone I look up to," Davis said. "Just the way she plays the game at both ends of the floor. The biggest thing about her is she's a great leader. Always making sure we're in the right spots and picking us up when we need it."
