Melissa Jones, a former college basketball star who led a dangerous Baylor team from 2007 to 2011, passed away at her Colorado home, her mother told Texas news station KWTX.
No cause of death has been given for the 36-year-old.
Jones earned Big 12 Female Sportsperson of the Year honors in 2011 while serving as Baylor team captain under head coach Kim Mulkey.
‘Melissa Jones left her mark on Baylor University, not just women’s basketball,’ Mulkey, who now coaches at LSU, said in a statement provided to KWTX. ‘She was loved by the entire Waco community.
‘Everything she did for us was full speed,’ Mulkey continued. ‘She played the game the way every player should—always had energy, played hard, and was a great leader. Her teammates respected her because she represented everything—her effort, her caring, her knowledge and her toughness were unmatched. She was the “glue” that kept the team together good times and bad.’
Jones’ mother Kathy described her as her ‘most treasured gift from God along with her three brothers.’
Melissa Jones, a former college basketball star who led a dangerous Baylor team from 2007 to 2011, passed away at her Colorado home. A cause of death has not been revealed publicly
Melissa Jones is seen alongside her coach at Baylor, Kim Mulkey, during the 2010 Final Four
Baylor Bears’ Melissa Jones (5) congratulates teammate Brittney Griner (42) during the women’s Big 12 basketball championship against the Kansas Jayhawks in 2011
She was particularly proud to play for Baylor, whom she led to the 2010 Final Four and the 2011 Big 12 championship alongside center Brittney Griner.
‘She loved Coach Mulkey. Melissa had an exceptional relationship with her,’ she said. ‘Kim had a special place in her heart for Melissa, and Melissa always had a very special place in her heart.’
Jones was working for a shipping company at the time of her death, according to her LinkedIn profile. She’d previously worked as a youth services specialist.
Previously, she stayed in Waco for a year after graduating from Baylor, where she continued to work as an assistant director of development for the basketball team.
According to her obit, Jones is survived by her mother, grandmothers and brothers, as well as nieces and nephews.
‘Melissa lived a life full of accomplishments—too many to list—but clearly reflected in the countless lives she touched,’ read the obituary, as quoted by KWTX. ‘Known for her warmth and radiant spirit, Melissa was a bright light to all who had the privilege of knowing her.’
A product of Legacy High School in Colorado, Jones went on to play for the Bears at a high point in the program’s history. She also travelled to Kenya and Nairobi as part of a sports ministry mission, while at the school, according to her bio on the school’s website.
