A year to remember
for Holy Family girls

By Melissa Yerkov
Times Sports Editor

Kelly Killion, a senior on the Holy Family University women’s basketball team, isn’t ready to say goodbye to her Tiger teammates.
And she’s doing everything she can to keep the good times rolling.
The Holy Family guard has been a key part of her team’s 30-0 season, and on Saturday they claimed the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) championship.
Final score: Holy Family University, 68; Dominican College, 52.
"It’s kind of unreal," said Killion, who had five assists in the championship victory at Holy Family’s Campus Center. "It’s my last year, and to be undefeated this far is incredible. I couldn’t ask for a better senior season."
The triumph marked the Tigers sixth CACC crown, three of which were claimed in the past four years. On March 14, the newly crowned champions will face Molloy College in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional Tournament, to be held at the Holy Family University Campus Center.
It will be the Tigers’ fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament.
In last weekend’s CACC championship win, sophomore center Christine McCollum led the Tigers in scoring with 24 points. Killion had 17 points; forward Catherine Carr added 11.
Killion, a 5-foot-6 athlete who twice has been named CACC player of the year, averaged 12.1 points per game this season. She also led the squad in assists (142) and three-pointers (76).
The Tigers have not lost a game during the four-month season.
"Coming into the year I had great expectations for the team," said Killion. "I knew we could get here. Each girl has come in every day and worked harder than the day before."
This season, Killion was joined in the spotlight by Carr, a freshman forward who led the team with more than 15 points per game. McCollum also had a stellar season, averaging 11 points and snaring the most steals, with 45.
"The excitement of the game is the best. Seeing the expression on my teammates’ faces when we win is great," said Killion. "It’s exciting to be able to share success with people you’re so close with."
Killion is familiar with prosperity. She has scored 1,547 points during her Holy Family career, including 307 treys. She has been part of the Tigers’ 113-12 record — including undefeated seasons in 2005-06 and 2006-07 — in conference play.
Over the past four years, Killion has missed just one game.
"It gets overwhelming playing in every game, because of the injuries I’ve had over the years," she said. "But the training staff really helps. My coach takes care of me. If I need a day off from practice or I need to take a break during drills, they understand."
Killion has endured four knee surgeries during her basketball career. While attending Camden Catholic High School, she tore her ACL, resulting in two surgeries, and later tore the meniscus in her knee, leading to more surgeries, physical rehabilitation and long recoveries.
"It’s been a rough ride, but I’m hanging in there," said Killion, who grew up in Pennsauken, N.J., before moving to Holy Family’s campus in Torresdale in 2004. "It doesn’t make me want to step away. I just want to be healthy for a while. You deal with it and you move on. It’s part of the game, so I try to make the best of it. It could be a lot worse. I could be injured to the point where I could never play again, so I’m grateful for what I have."
With graduation just months away, Killion looks forward to earning a degree in elementary education. She worked as a student teacher last semester, spending most of her time at the Nazareth Academy Grade School, just down the street from Holy Family’s campus on Grant Avenue.
"It gave me some insight for teaching," said Killion, who has a 3.5 grade-point average and is a member of an education honors society, Kappa Delta Pi. "Teaching is not what everyone thinks it is. It’s challenging and demanding, but it’s also very rewarding at the end of the day. I think it really woke me up and got me ready for teaching.
"I’m very happy with my decision to go to Holy Family," she continued. "Going into it, I was hesitant because I wanted to go to a bigger school. But it’s a great fit for me. The coaches have been the best, and I love the team. It’s been a great ride." ••
Sports editor Melissa Yerkov can be reached at 215-354-3035 or myerkov@phillynews.com