GAMBIER – Jill McCartney, Kenyon College’s director of Athletics, Fitness and Recreation, reported on Monday that Grace Elliott has been hired as head coach of the Ladies basketball team.
Elliott comes to Kenyon from Rosemont College. Her appointment makes her the eighth head coach in the 48-year history of the Kenyon program.
“I am both humbled and honored to be the next head women's basketball coach at Kenyon College,” Elliott said. “The College’s prestigious academic reputation along with the elite facilities and beautiful campus make Kenyon a perfect fit, and I can't wait to get started.”
Elliott replaces Morgan Korinek, who went 2-3 at the end of the Kenyon’s last season in 2020. Korinek was acting head coach after Suzanne Helfant resigned. Helfant finished with a record of 401-253 for the Ladies over 25 seasons.
Elliott had been head coach at Rosemont, an NCAA Division III institution in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, since 2019. She inherited a roster that had just nine players, including three seniors. One of those seniors, Ke’alohilani Naone-Carter, flourished under Elliott’s guidance, as she garnered all-conference and all-region honors after ranking fifth in the nation with a scoring average of 23.2 points per game.
While coaching at Rosemont, Elliott simultaneously served as the college’s sports information director, providing coverage for the Ravens’ 13 varsity sports teams.
Prior to her time at Rosemont, Elliott was the assistant coach at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. She spent one season at the NCAA Division III institution and helped direct a team that boasted two All-Americans, went 25-4 and made it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
A Detroit native and 2016 graduate of Ramapo College, Elliott earned her bachelor’s degree in communication arts and returned a year later to serve as assistant basketball coach for one season.
Between Ramapo and Amherst, she went overseas to tackle duties as a professional player and assistant coach for Team Newcastle in the United Kingdom. While there, she obtained a master’s degree in leadership and management from Newcastle University.
“Grace brings a varied basketball experience — both as a player and as a coach — that will help her to recruit and relate to student-athletes,” McCartney said. “She possesses a strong knowledge of who she is as a coach and how she will lead a program. During the interview process, Grace impressed with her basketball acumen and emphasis on relationship-building. I believe she’ll provide the coaching and leadership our student-athletes and program deserve, and will bring new perspectives and experiences to our department.”
As a professional at Newcastle, Elliott was the starting center and led the team in rebounding and blocked shots. Collegiately, her playing days started at NCAA Division II Adelphi University where she logged two seasons. She then moved on to Ramapo, where she played her final two seasons, racking up 378 points, 247 rebounds and 96 blocked shots. In her senior campaign, she was voted team captain and went on to earn all-conference honors.
When she begins her work at Kenyon on May 15, Elliott will take over a program that went 10-16 in its last season of play in 2019-20. Prior to that, the Ladies produced winning records 13 times in 15 seasons.
“I want to thank Jill McCartney, Justin Newell and the rest of the search committee for entrusting me with the opportunity to lead a women’s program with such a rich history of achievement,” Elliott said. “I will work hard to grow and develop this program and the student-athletes who make it so special.”
