SEATTLE — The retirement of Kelsey Plum’s jersey number was anticipated and finally took place, marking an important milestone for Washington. During halftime of their match against Purdue, the university honored Plum by retiring her No. 10 jersey, the first women’s jersey to be placed in the rafters, in recognition of her groundbreaking achievements during her four years at the school.
Reflecting on the moment, Plum shared, “It just brings back so many memories. I really feel so blessed to share this moment with my family. Life happens so fast. It feels like two weeks ago I was a senior here.” Plum joined the Washington team in 2014 and made a significant impression right away, establishing the single-season scoring record as a freshman.
Plum expressed gratitude for the support she received from her coach, Mike Neighbors, saying, “Coach didn’t give me the green light; he gave me the freeway when I got here. It was just like, ‘We’re going to have you just fail until you’re better than everyone,’ and that’s what happened. As a player, when your coach has that ultimate confidence in you, you go out there and there’s no fear.”
She went on to set new single-season scoring records each subsequent year, ultimately surpassing Jackie Stiles’ career points record with a remarkable 57-point game on February 25, 2017, a feat that remains as the single-game record for the University of Washington. Hailing from Poway, California, Plum concluded her college career with a monumental 3,527 points, including 1,109 points scored in the 2017 season, both of which stood as NCAA records until being eclipsed by Caitlin Clark last season.
In 2017, Plum was selected as the first overall pick in the WNBA draft and has since captured two WNBA championships with the Las Vegas Aces, alongside securing two Olympic gold medals. Recently, the Aces designated her with a core status, stirring speculation about a potential trade as the upcoming season approaches.
During the Huskies’ 87-58 victory over the Boilermakers, the team utilized timeouts to showcase messages from her teammates in Las Vegas, former companions on the Huskies, and her family, all expressing their congratulations for her incredible achievements.
“I’ve never really been in it for that, I’ve just been in it for the pursuit of seeing how far I can take it,” Plum noted. “I look back now and it is a really cool moment to look back and say, ‘Dang, that is a lot of points.’ I’d never really thought about it. I just appreciate that time of reflection.”
