Jaelyn Keene

Classroom

Jaelyn Keene owns a 3.97 cumulative grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. She has been named to the Illinois State AFNI Honor Roll and the Missouri Valley Conference Academic Honor Roll every possible year and semester. She is a two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team selection. Keene is a three-time MVC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award winner. She was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and Academic All-America Second Team selection in 2016. She is also a three-time MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week selection.

Character

Head Coach Leah Johnson said of Keene: “Jaelyn has been a leader for our program on the court, in the classroom and in the community since she came on campus as a freshman. Each year she has been dedicated to improving herself, her teammates and the Illinois State volleyball program. On the court, she continues to build her incredible resume with multiple all-conference accolades, being ranked in the top 30 nationally in three individual statistical categories, and being asked to compete with USA training teams, all while maintaining a 3.97 cumulative GPA in financial accounting. Even with all the individual attention Jaelyn receives, she has remained humble, continuing to put her teammates and the program first. She has been a captain for us the last two seasons as she is the ultimate role model and exemplifies all the qualities we want our student-athletes to possess.”

Community

In addition to excelling both on the court and in the classroom, Keene has also graciously donated her time to help in numerous community service projects. Keene has been active in Special Olympics, Curb Birds, Recess Buddies, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Boys and Girls Club, Taste of Redbirds and food drives.

Competition

Keene is a three-time All-MVC First Team and AVCA All-Region selection. She was named the AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year in 2014. She has played in every match and set of her collegiate career. Keene is also a three-time MVC Preseason All-Conference selection. She has been named to six all-tournament teams during her career and named the MVP at two of them. She ranks at or near the top of several Illinois State and MVC lists and currently owns both school and conference records for career hitting percentage.