New Asst WBB Coach - Jessica Keller

[Red Don]

Jessica Keller

 

 

https://huskers.com/news/2022/6/6/womens-basketball-keller-joins-huskers-as-assistant.aspx

 

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The Belle, Missouri, native played collegiately at Quincy from 2005 to 2009.......Keller comes to Nebraska after spending five seasons as an assistant at Illinois State, including two seasons as the associate head coach. In her final season with the Redbirds, Keller helped lead Illinois State to the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and a bid to the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

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"We are thrilled to add Jessica Keller to our Husker women's basketball staff," Williams said. "She is an outstanding basketball mind with great teaching skills and she has established herself as a person of high character and integrity. She is a tireless worker that fits perfectly with the culture here at Nebraska, and I am excited to have her pouring into the young women in our program."

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Before serving five seasons as an assistant at ISU, Keller spent three successful seasons as the head coach at Columbia College in Missouri.

Keller compiled a 75-24 overall record in three seasons at the NAIA level, including a 55-17 mark in the American Midwest Conference. She coached the Cougars to a pair of NAIA Tournament appearances. Columbia opened her second season as head coach with a school-record 19 consecutive wins and achieved the highest ranking in school history at No. 3 in the NAIA Division I Coaches' Poll. Her Cougar teams were ranked in 31 out of 34 polls during her tenure.

Keller's teams played tough defense at Columbia College, holding opponents to a school-record 56.6 points per game in her final season in 2016-17. It broke the previous record set by her 2015-16 Cougar squad. She was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) 30 Under 30 Inaugural Class. She coached 10 all-conference and five All-America selections in three seasons at Columbia College.

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by Red Don

[12dozen]

I hope she proves to be a great hire.  I had fingers crossed for someone with Power 5 experience, but imagine the 'fit' is just as important.

 

Good Luck, and welcome to the Huskers, Jessica.

[Huskerpapa]

3 minutes ago, 12dozen said:

I hope she proves to be a great hire.  I had fingers crossed for someone with Power 5 experience, but imagine the 'fit' is just as important.

 

Good Luck, and welcome to the Huskers, Jessica.

I am with you about the lack of Power Five experience.   I am confident she can develop talent and teach x's and o's; but can she recruit and close on high level talent? 

I trust Coach Williams so I trust it will happen.

[HUD]

I think she will prove to be a good addition.

[Red Don]

  I think we were all (secretly) hoping for a 'Big-Name' 'Power Five' hire, if for nothing else, maybe, validation that 'we could.'  But, That is Not Coach Amy Williams' 'style.'   I believe she has demonstrated that she can spot, and attract, talent.  Coach Jessica Keller has an impressive resume';  I trust Coach Williams' instincts and will take my 'proof' that 'we've arrived' from the results on the court.

[Bugeaters1]

  I think we were all (secretly) hoping for a 'Big-Name' 'Power Five' hire, if for nothing else, maybe, validation that 'we could.'  But, That is Not Coach Amy Williams' 'style.'   I believe she has demonstrated that she can spot, and attract, talent.  Coach Jessica Keller has an impressive resume';  I trust Coach Williams' instincts and will take my 'proof' that 'we've arrived' from the results on the court.

Not all power 5 coaches are good coaches. There are good coaches in the lower escohon of D I That just need that one break.

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[Redhac]

Keller spent the last 5 years at Illinois State with info on that team below:

Illinois State           Season   Record   Off Ave   Def Ave 21-22   19-14   65   63.8 20-21   16-9   68.3   60.2 19-20   19-10   70.4   64.2 18-19   19-12   62.5   61.8 17-18   14-16   53.5   54.9         17-18   was first season there plus the head coach as well. Last season they won the Missouri Valley Conference and played and lost to Iowa in the NCAA Tournament.
Last year NE offense averaged 77.8 and defense 64.2.  Illinois State apparently lacked offense to be able to do better overall.   Interestingly, the same day that NE reflected Kellers hire, Illinois State reflected the hire of Drew Cole as their new assistant coach from Abilene Christian.   Apparenty, this assistant coaching hire by Nebraska was "in the works" for at least a little while.    Now that we have a full boat of coaches, it would be nice to know their various duties/ assisgnments of each coach ( as in particular I do not know what Tandem Mays brings to the coaching effort).

[Red Don]

Here is an interview with new Asst Coach Jessica Keller on Sports Nighty; about 10 minutes (starting about the 1:22:30 mark through about 1:32:00).

 

The hosts indicated Coach Amy Williams was looking particularly for a good 'cultural' fit with the team, program and coaches.   I think they've fit the bill in that regard. The Interview didn't discuss specific duties or delineation of responsibilities, though it may be a little too soon yet, as practice is just starting, and all the players have not returned to Lincoln yet.  I get the feeling responsibilities are something of a work in progress.  As @Redhacsaid it would be nice to know more regarding coaching assignments; but, I'm not sure we'll ever know much more than what we already do.

 

https://huskers.com/watch/?Archive=7462&type=Archive

[Redhac]

If you did not see it below is Lincoln-Journal Star article on Keller:

 

https://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/womens-basketball/with-small-town-roots-and-a-competitive-drive-new-husker-assistant-keller-to-beat-the/article_87638ffe-1e20-5420-a060-c75157394c6b.html

[HUD]

Pretty clear after reading the LJS article what her coaching duties are and the other two assistants as well.