Hannah Kelle joins the Bradley Braves Women’s Basketball staff as an assistant coach for the 2026-27 season, bringing experience as a championship-level student-athlete, graduate assistant and emerging coach within the Missouri Valley Conference.
Kelle comes to Bradley after spending the past seven years with the Illinois State women’s basketball program, including two seasons as a graduate assistant from 2024-26. In that role, she assisted with opponent scouting, film breakdown, player development, practice planning and team logistics, while also overseeing student managers and coaching the scout team. She also helped lead the Redbirds through pregame mental performance routines.
During her two seasons as a graduate assistant, Illinois State continued one of the strongest stretches in program history, extending its run to four consecutive 20-win seasons. The Redbirds also made back-to-back WNIT Fab 4 appearances, including a WNIT runner-up finish in 2026.
Prior to joining the staff, Kelle played for Illinois State from 2019-24 and was part of four straight postseason appearances, including one NCAA Tournament berth and three WNIT appearances. She helped the Redbirds capture the 2022 MVC Tournament Championship and the 2023 MVC Regular Season Championship, while also serving as a two-time team captain.
Kelle was also selected to participate in the 2024 WBCA “So You Want To Be A Coach” program, a professional development initiative designed to help prepare women’s basketball student-athletes for careers in coaching.
A native of Lincoln, Neb., Kelle attended Lincoln Southwest High School, where she was part of the 2017 Girls Basketball State Championship team. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a concentration from Illinois State in 2024 before completing her master’s degree in Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity in 2026. She also earned a graduate certificate in Sport Leadership and Coaching.