Kelly Faris

Kelly Faris

Faris in 2009
No. 34 – Connecticut Sun
Position	Guard
League	WNBA
Personal information
Born	(1991-01-16) January 16, 1991 Plainfield, Indiana
Nationality	American
Listed height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Listed weight	155 lb (70 kg)
Career information
High school	Heritage Christian (Indianapolis, Indiana)
College	Connecticut (2009–2013)
WNBA draft	2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11th overall
Selected by the Connecticut Sun
Playing career	2013–present
Career history
2013–present	Connecticut Sun
2013–2014	UNIQA Euroleasing Sopron
2014–present	Adelaide Lightning
Career highlights and awards
2x NCAA champion (2010, 2013)
Stats at WNBA.com
Medals Women’s Basketball Representing  United States U18 and U19 2008 U18 Buenos Aires Team Competition 2009 U19 Bangkok Team Competition

Kelly Elizabeth Faris (born January 16, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was drafted 11th overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2013 WNBA Draft. Faris played shooting guard for the Connecticut women's basketball team,and won two national championships in 2010 and 2013. She was on a post-season championship team for five consecutive seasons, including four consecutive high school state championships and one NCAA championship.^[1]

Early life

Faris is daughter of Bob and Connie Faris. Faris has two older sisters Kristi and Kimmi and one older brother Patrick.^[2] She played on the Indiana's Finest AAU team which won the National Championship in 2003 for the 11U division (players age 11 and under).^[3]

High school career

Faris attended Heritage Christian high school in Indianapolis, Indiana. Faris was a four-year starter at Heritage Christian, where the Eagles had an amazing combined record of 108-8.^[4] The team was 12–12 in the season before Faris arrived at Heritage Christian.^[5] In her freshman year, she averaged 11.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 4.0 steals. As a sophomore, she averaged 13.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 4.7 steals. During her junior year, she averaged 12.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.5 steals, while Faris achieved a quadruple-double vs Harding High School Hawks on November 24, 2007, Faris scored 14 points, had 10 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals and was named MVP of the 2008 state tournament.^[6] As a senior Faris averaged roughly 14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and 2 blocks. She was named the 2009 Indianapolis Star Super Team Player of the Year and finished her career as Heritage's High School's all-time leader in rebounds (1,015), assists (526), blocks (108) and steals (493) ranks second among the school's all-time scoring leaders (1,426 points).

Faris helped lead the high school to four consecutive IHSAA Class 2A state championships.^[7] This accomplishment earned the team a congratulatory resolution from the General Assembly of the State of Indiana.^[8] Faris was named to the all-state first team in 2007, 2008, and 2009.^[9] In addition to basketball, she also participated in volleyball and track, lettering in both sports,^[2] and earning all-state honors in volleyball for both 2007 and 2008.^[9] She also won national honors in 2007, being named to the 2007 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships All-American team.^[10] She was also an excellent student, earning High Academic Honors as a senior, and being a member of National Honors Society.^[11] Faris was selected as a McDonald's All-American.^[12] She participated in the McDonald's All-Star game with four points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots while playing for the East Team in the 2009 game.^[9]

College career

Kelly Faris with National Championship trophy, returning to the team hotel after winning the 2013 NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship

Freshmen year

Faris wore number 34, a number worn by her siblings.^[9] She joined the team for the 2009-10 season, the only true freshman on a squad that had won the 2009 National Championship without losing a single game. She averaged almost 19 minutes per game and played in every game, despite suffering a broken nose in a December practice.^[13] She wore a protective mask and continued to play. Although she didn't start, she played key reserve minutes, including 25 minutes in the National Championship game.^[14]

Sophomore year

Scored 15 points, pulled down nine rebounds and dished-out a career-high seven assists in a well-rounded effort against Holy Cross on November 14. Pulled down eight rebounds and registered five points and five assists in 30 minutes at Georgia Tech on 11/21. Scored seven points, while posting six rebounds and six assists against Howard on 11/26. Scored 13 points and grabbed six boards at USF on 12/2. Pulled down 10 rebounds to go along with five points and five assists vs. Sacred Heart on 12/5. Pulled down 10 rebounds vs. Ohio State on 12/19. Scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while adding seven assists at Pacific on 12/28. Netted 19 points in 34 minutes played in the Huskies' first loss in 91 games at Stanford on 12/30.

Junior year

Kelly Faris started every game for the Huskies in the 2011-12 season averaging 28.9 minutes per game. She visited the foul line in 28 of UConn's 38 contests and was one of the leading foul shooters with a 78.8 percentage. Faris recorded double-figures in 10 games, including the final three games of the Huskies run through the Final Four. She was perfect from the charity strip in six games, including going 6-for-6 against Dayton (11/27) en route to 10 points, five steals and four assists. Faris led the Huskies in assists (4.3 apg) and was second in steals (2.1 spg).

Senior year

On March 2, 2013, Faris became only the second player in Connecticut basketball history to record more than 1,000 points, 750 rebounds, 500 assists and 250 steals; the other player to reach this milestone was Maya Moore.^[15] Faris's Huskies won her second national championship at the end of that season. Faris was named to the 2013 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team.^[16] Faris was named the Big East Defensive player of the year, and shared honors for the Big East most improved player of the year.^[17] Faris led UConn to a 143-11 record over her four-year career, which included four Final Four appearances and two National Championships.

College statistics

Professional career

Faris was selected 11th overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun.^[19]

From September 2013 she will play for EuroLeague Women team UNIQA Euroleasing Sopron in Hungary.^[20]

Faris was playing for the Adelaide Lightning in the 2014-15 season.^[21][22]

In the WNBA, she averages 36.1 % in field goals, 82.0 % of free throws, and 2.1 PPG.^[23]

USA Basketball

Faris was selected to play in the USA Women's Youth Development Festival. Eligible players are female basketball players who are in their sophomore or junior in high school. The 2007 event took place at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.^[24]

Faris was a member of the USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The event was held in July 2008, when the USA team defeated host Argentina to win the championship.^[25] Faris helped the team win all five games, assisting on 17 baskets, only one fewer than the team high 18.^[26]

Faris continued on to the USA Women's U19 team which represented the USA in the 2009 U19 World's Championship, held in Bangkok, Thailand in July and August 2009.^[27] Although the USA team lost the opening game to Spain, they went on to win their next seven games to earn a rematch against Spain in the finals, and won the game 81–71 to earn the gold medal.^[28] Faris was the high scorer with 13 points in the game against Mali.^[29]

Awards and honors

• 2003—AAU Basketball National Championship 11U^[3]
• 2007—AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships All-American team.^[10]
• 2007—First Team, All-State (Indiana 2A)^[9]
• 2008—First Team, All-State (Indiana 2A)^[9]
• 2008—MVP State Tournament (Indiana 2A)^[9]
• 2009—First Team, All-State (Indiana 2A)^[9]
• 2009—McDonald's All-America^[9]
• 2009—Parade Magazine All-America first team^[9]
• 2009—USA Today All-USA second team honors^[9]
• 2013—Big East Defensive Player of the Year.^[17]
• 2013—Big East Most Improved Player of the Year.^[17]
• 2013—NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team.^[16]

See also

• 2009–10 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team
• List of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball players with 1000 points

References