Jackson Kelly enters his second season as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Utah Valley University men’s basketball.
In his first season with the Wolverines in 2025–26, Kelly helped support a Utah Valley team that finished 25-9 overall, went 14-4 in WAC play, and captured its second straight outright Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship. UVU earned the No. 1 seed in the WAC Tournament, advanced to the championship game for the second consecutive season, and made its second straight appearance in the National Invitation Tournament. The season also marked the first time in program history Utah Valley posted back-to-back 25-win seasons.
The Wolverines ranked among the nation’s best in several statistical categories in 2025–26, finishing sixth nationally in steals per game (9.4), seventh in assists per game (18.5), seventh in turnovers forced per game (15.24), ninth in blocks per game (5.4), 11th in field goal percentage (.501), and 23rd in scoring margin (+11.4). Utah Valley also finished with the highest NCAA NET ranking in the WAC at No. 85 and the league’s top KenPom ranking at No. 91.
Utah Valley also set single-season program records for assists (630), assists per game (18.5), scoring average (80.1 points per game), and field goal percentage (.501). The Wolverines scored 2,724 points, the second-most in a season in program history.
Kelly came to UVU after spending the 2024–25 season at Winthrop University, where he worked with the men’s basketball program that finished 23–11 overall and advanced to the Big South Conference Championship game. Along with men’s basketball, he also trained student-athletes from Winthrop’s women’s volleyball, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, and cross country programs.
Prior to his time at Winthrop, Kelly served as a strength and conditioning intern with Clemson University men’s and women’s basketball during the 2023–24 season. Clemson’s men’s team posted a 24–12 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Kelly earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the College of Charleston. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is pursuing a master’s degree in sports and fitness administration from Winthrop University.
