North Carolina’s Kelly, Miami’s Williams Earn ACC WBB Weekly Honors

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina sophomore guard Deja Kelly has been named Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, and Miami guard Ja’Leah Williams is the ACC Freshman of the Week. Both players claim their first weekly honors of the season.

ACC women’s basketball weekly awards are voted on by the league’s Blue Ribbon Panel.

Kelly averaged 22.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists last week to lead the 18th-ranked Tar Heels to a pair of wins, including a home victory against No. 3 Louisville. North Carolina earned its first-ever ACC win against the Cardinals last Thursday with a 66-65 victory behind Kelly’s 18 points and four rebounds. It marked the first top-five win for UNC since 2019. Kelly’s jumper with 23 seconds remaining in the game proved to be the difference, giving the Tar Heels a one-point win.

On Sunday, the native of San Antonio, Texas, led North Carolina to a 64-49 win at Florida State. It was UNC’s first win against FSU since the 2014-15 season and first win in Tallahassee since 2013-14. Kelly led all scorers with 26 points, shooting 9-15 from the field, with five assists and four rebounds.

Kelly has now tallied 20 or more points six times this season and ranks fourth in the ACC with 16.3 points per game.

Williams turned in three strong performances to lead Miami to a perfect 3-0 week, headlined by a 51-39 win against No. 16 Georgia Tech on Sunday. The freshman tallied eight points with six rebounds and four assists in a 71-55 win for the Hurricanes at Virginia on Tuesday. She followed that outing with 11 points, six rebounds and two assists as Miami earned a 10-point victory over Pitt, 60-50.

Hailing from Pompano Beach, Florida, Williams scored six points in the win over the Yellow Jackets and was stellar defensively to help the Canes earn the season sweep over Georgia Tech.

For the week, she was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line and shot 10-for-23 from the floor.

ACC women’s basketball enters the final week of the regular season with action set to return Thursday evening, as Florida State welcomes Georgia Tech at 6 p.m. and Notre Dame hosts Clemson in a doubleheader on ACC Network.

2021-22 ACC Player of the Week Honors

Nov. 15 – Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C | Jewel Spear, Wake Forest, So., G

Nov. 22 – Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C

Nov. 29 – Diamond Johnson, NC State, So., G

Dec. 6 – Teisha Hyman, Syracuse, R-So., G

Dec. 13 – Lorela Cubaj, Georgia Tech, 5th Year, F

Dec. 20 – Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C

Dec. 27 – Maya Dodson, Notre Dame, Gr., F

Jan. 3 – Elizabeth Kitley, Virginia Tech, Jr., C

Jan. 10 – Cameron Swartz, Boston College, Sr., G

Jan. 17 – Dara Mabrey, Notre Dame, Sr., G

Jan. 24 – Taylor Soule, Boston College, Sr., F

Jan. 31 – Olivia Miles, Notre Dame, Fr., G

Feb. 7 – Delicia Washington, Clemson, Gr., G | Kianna Smith, Louisville, R-Sr., G

Feb. 14 – Delicia Washington, Clemson, Gr., G | Georgia Amoore, Virginia Tech, So., G

Feb. 21 – Deja Kelly, North Carolina, So., G

2021-22 ACC Freshman of the Week Honors

Nov. 15 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G

Nov. 22 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G

Nov. 29 – Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, G

Dec. 6 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G

Dec. 13 – Lashae Dwyer, Miami, G

Dec. 20 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G

Dec. 27 – Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, C

Jan. 3 – Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, C

Jan. 10 – Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, C

Jan. 17 – Maria Gakdeng, Boston College, C

Jan. 24 – Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, G

Jan. 31 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G

Feb. 7 – Shayeann Day-Wilson, Duke, G

Feb. 14 – Sonia Citron, Notre Dame, G

Feb. 21 – Ja’Leah Williams, Miami, G