Kelly Mazzante Named 2022 Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
6/10/2022 11:21:00 AM | Women's Basketball
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – It was announced on Tuesday that Bucknell women's basketball associate head coach Kelly Mazzante is amongst the 2022 Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame inductees. A local legend, Mazzante was a prolific high school, college, WNBA and international player before joining the Bison staff in 2019.
Mazzante joins 11 other new inductees entering the prestigious Hall of Fame, which honors the lifetime sports contributions of Pennsylvanians. The 11 new members will be formally recognized at an induction banquet in Reading, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 30. Mazzante was among 10 honorees inducted into the 2019 West Branch Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Spots Hall of Fame in 2019.
Mazzante attended nearby Montoursville High School and piled up 3,217 career points – third-most in state history – before putting together a dominant four years at Penn State. She graduated in 2004 as the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer (2,919 points) and is still ranked No. 3 (male or female). She was the fourth player in Big Ten history to repeat as Player of the Year, and she guided the Nittany Lions to back-to-back Big Ten Championships and a 2004 trip to the Elite Eight.
Her No. 13 jersey is retired at Penn State, and she holds school records for points in a season (872 in 2001-02), points in a game (49 vs. Minnesota in 2001), career field goals made (1,051) and career 3-point field goals made (357).
In the 2004 WNBA draft, Mazzante was selected by the Charlotte Sting in the second round and went on to play seven seasons overall, winning two league titles with the Phoenix Mercury in 2007 and 2009. She also played professionally for teams in Slovakia, Russia, Hungary and Italy.
Following five outstanding seasons as an assistant coach at IUP, Mazzante joined Bucknell head coach Trevor Woodruff's staff as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator prior to the 2019-20 season. Bucknell has gone 57-17 overall and 36-8 in Patriot League play since her arrival, and the Bison reached the Patriot League title game this past season before winning a first-round game in the WNIT.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Mazzante had been promoted to associate head coach.