Jelani Akil is in his first year as head coach for the Ave Maria Women's Basketball team.
Akil, a former student at Ave Maria from 2011-15, played on the men's basketball team in all four of his years, seeing action in 88 games.
In his senior year, he served as team captain and started in all 29 games. He logged 1000 minutes, averaging 12.5 points and eight rebounds per game. Off the court, he was named to the Second Team All-Sun Conference and was selected as the Sun Conference's Champion of Character for exemplifying the NAIA's core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership. At the conclusion of that tremendous senior season, he was awarded the Men's Basketball Leadership Award, was named the team's Most Valuable Player and honored as Ave Maria's Male Athlete of the Year.
Akil graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Minor in Mathematics and Family & Society from Ave Maria in 2015. Since that time, he has worked as a financial advisor for both Edward Jones and Fidelity Investments in Arizona.
