The ACS Athletic Department recognized and honored 2010 alumnus Jodi Kelley Crane in a special ceremony on Friday, February 4 to retire her #5 Varsity Girls’ Basketball jersey. Athletic Director Pam Hitchner praised Jodi for her outstanding contribution to the Varsity Girls’ Basketball Program from 2007 to 2010 and for becoming the first player on the Varsity Girls’ basketball team to score 1,000 points. The ceremony was held after the Varsity Girls’ home game against King’s Christian School.

Hitchner, who coached Jodi when she played on the Varsity Girls’ Basketball team, noted that her nickname on the court was “Machine Gun Kelley,” for her rapid fire ability to sink the ball in the basket, especially from the 3-point range.

Jodi’s parents, siblings, nieces, and many other family members were on hand to celebrate with Jodi on this special occasion. Two of Jodi’s former teammates — ACS Varsity Girls’ coach Kaylee Breunig (’12) and former Assistant Varsity Girls’ coach Maryah Coleman (’11) — also congratulated her and posed for a photo.

Hitchner said Jodi is only the second ACS basketball player to have their jersey retired.  In 2007, ACS retired the #10 jersey of Varsity Boys’ Basketball player Billy Robinson (’87), 20 years after he made his mark as an extraordinary high school basketball player in both New Jersey and the nation. In his junior year, Billy led the nation in scoring with 39.8 points per game and went on to score 2,695 points by the end of his senior year at ACS.  Billy is now in his 13th season as head coach of Milligan University’s Men’s Basketball program.

Hitchner said there are plans to hang a new banner in the ACS gym to recognize the two players and their jerseys, and in the future, any player who scores over 2,000 points will have their jersey retired.  Photo credit: Mia Liggins.