UMass Lowell Athletics

Kara (Williamson) Kelly enters her third season as an assistant coach after joining the UMass Lowell women's basketball staff in August 2014.

Kelly had spent two seasons as the women's basketball head coach at Rhode Island College before joining the staff in Lowell. During her time at RIC, Kelly accrued an overall record of 36-20, including an 19-9 mark in the Little East Conference while at the helm of the Anchorwomen's basketball program. In 2013-14 she led RIC to regular season and conference tournament titles en route to a NCAA Tournament berth.

Prior to becoming the Anchorwomen’s head coach, Kelly made several stops as an assistant coach, serving most recently at Southern New Hampshire University from 2009 to 2012. She also coached at American International College (2007-09) and Western New England University (2005-07).

Before entering the coaching ranks, Kelly was a four-year member of the women’s basketball team at Assumption College where she was a Dean’s List student, recipient of the Most Improved Player award as a freshman and the Unsung Hero award as a senior. She earned her bachelor’s degree in management from Assumption in 2005 and completed her master’s in sport management at Springfield College in 2007.

A Ludlow (Mass.) High School graduate, Kelly was the Most Valuable Player and a team captain as a senior. She was a First Team All-Western Mass. selection and was also selected to the All-Massachusetts Scholastic Team. She was inducted into the Ludlow High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.