Kelly Mazzante

Infobox WNBA Player

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imagewidth = 300px
caption = Kelly Mazzante
team = Phoenix Mercury
position = Guard
nickname =
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb =155
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1982|02|2
birth_place = Montoursville, Pennsylvania
highschool = [http://www.montoursville.k12.pa.us/MHS/MHShome.htm Montoursville High School]
college = Penn State University
draft = 18th Overall
draft_year = 2004
draft_team = Charlotte Sting
career_start = 2004
career_end = Present
former_teams = Charlotte Sting (2004-
awards =A member of the John Wooden team, numerous Big Ten Player of the Year awards, Verizon Academic Team, Kodak All-American, Naismith Finalist, Big Ten Weekly Honors

Kelly Anne Mazzante (born February 2, 1982) is a professional basketball player in the WNBA, playing for the Phoenix Mercury. She is the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten basketball history (male or female). [ [http://archive.psuplaybook.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=8452&highlight= PSU Playbook Archive ] ]

Early life and college career

Mazzante attended Montoursville High School in Montoursville, PA, 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.

Professional career

Mazzante was selected in the second round of the 2004 WNBA Draft 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 WNBA Finals.

Mazzante began writing a blog for PhoenixMercury.com last season called "Maz's Musings." She has continued for a second season and her blogs remain among the most viewed content on the team's web site.

In the 2006-7 WNBA offseason, Mazzante played in Slovakia for the Kosice professional basketball team. This winter, she is playing in Russia for Spartak. Mazzante has also hosted her own basketball camp for girls in her hometown during the fall.

References

External links

* [http://www.wnba.com/playerfile/kelly_mazzante WNBA Player Profile]
* [http://www.eurobasket.com/player.asp?Cntry=RUS&PlayerID=79152&Women=1 EuroBasket Player Profile]