by By Jon Montoya, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
KINGSVILLE, Texas – Adding the reigning NJCAA Region II Player of the Year and a two-time All-America honorable mention guard for the upcoming season, sophomore Kryslyn Jones (Seminole/Creek) signed her letter of intent to join the Texas A&M-Kingsville women’s basketball program for 2021-22.
“Kryslyn is a dynamic perimeter player who has the ability to score on all three levels,” said head coach Michael Madrid. “Her ability to shoot at a high percentage from all areas of the court, along with her athleticism and competitive nature, will immediately make us more competitive.
“She was extremely well-coached at Seminole State by [head coach] Rita Story-Schell and will provide depth and experience for us this season and the years to come.”
Jones played her first two years of collegiate ball at Seminole State College in Seminole, Okla., and turned in an illustrious 2020-21 campaign where she picked up a handful of honors for her efforts on the court. She finished the year with an 18.8 scoring average on 50.1% shooting from the floor and 42.5% from beyond the arc as she guided the Belles to the Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship.
Jones’ efforts on the court had her pick up All-America honorable mention citations from both the NJCAA and WBCA, a spot on the Region II All-Tournament team in addition to her Player of the Year status, and an All-Region II first team selection.
Seminole State reached the Region II Tournament in Enid, Okla., and defeated Connors State in the opening round and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in the semifinals to reach the title game. The Belles’ run ended in the Region II Championship at the hands of Eastern Oklahoma State as Jones averaged 18.6 points in the three games at a 48% shooting clip alongside 3.6 rebounds and two assists per game.
Jones’ first year for SSC saw her post 19 points per game on a 44.4% average from the field and 38.1% rate from long range. The 2019-20 season featured 12 games where she scored over 20 points, including a season-high 31 in a 66-64 loss to Weatherford College on November 8, and she picked up 11 more games with at least 20 points in 2020-21 with a new career-high of 37 in an 83-75 win over Murray State on March 13.
Prior to her time at Seminole State, Jones prepped for Santa Fe High School in Edmond, Okla., and reached the state tournament all four years on the court.
