Lebanon, IL - The 2026-2027 McKendree Women's Basketball season may not start until a closed scrimmage on Friday, October 30th, but the coaching staff needs to be complete well ahead of time, and after being announced on Monday afternoon, that is the case for head coach Kari Kerkhoff's team, as she announced the addition of Graduate Assistant Coaches Marley Smith and Jayln Patterson, whose duties have begun effective immediately.
Smith comes to Lebanon after a four-year playing career that included stops at NJCAA member Lincoln Land Community College and NCAA Division II member Flagler College. Smith was a formidable post player for the Lincoln Land Loggers, being named two-time all-conference, two-time all-region, and one-time Academic All-American in Springfield, the junior college home of Bearcat newcomer Sam Lindhorst, as well as Women's Basketball alumni Maclayne Taylor and Madison Jones. Smith averaged 10.8 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game over a 41-start career during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons for the Flagler Saints out of St. Augustine, Florida. Coach Kerkhoff is thrilled to have Smith back to her roots, as she also prepped at Auburn High School near Springfield. It makes for a quality addition to the staff, she says.
"We are thrilled to have Marley back in Illinois and are excited about the Lincoln Land and Central Illinois connection she brings to our program. Marley's love and passion for the game of basketball are evident in everything she does, and she is a perfect fit for our staff. She brings great energy, knowledge, and a genuine desire to help others succeed. We are excited to see her build impactful relationships with our players while continuing to learn and grow in the behind-the-scenes aspects of college basketball."
Joining Smith is Jayln Patterson, who recently completed all four years of her stellar college basketball career at NCAA Division III member Illinois College out of Jacksonville, Illinois. Native to Plainfield, Illinois, Patterson was a mainstay on the floor for the Lady Blues, appearing in 102 games, starting 75 of them. She averaged an impressive 11.2 points per game over her career, saving the best for last with a 363-point senior season, a clip of 14.5 points per game. A multi-faceted player, Patterson finished with 1,139 points (9th all-time at Illinois College), shot a career 44% from the field, nearly 30% from three, and 73% from the free throw line, while also averaging 6.1 rebounds per game, dishing out 98 career assists, swiping 98 steals, and swatting 88 shots. That all added up to two all-Midwest Conference selections. Coach Kerkhoff believes that Patterson's on-court versatility should make a seamless transition into the coaching world as her new graduate assistant.
"Jayln had a very successful playing career at Illinois College, and she gained valuable experience interning with Coach McCormick. Jayln is very professional, organized, and dependable. We are lucky to have her and I am excited to see her career path start and grow at McKendree. She will make a major impact assisting our program. Her experience, knowledge, and ability to connect with people will make her a great addition to our staff."
The graduate assistant duo join Coach Kerkhoff, along with assistant Coach Terra Aulbur, who returns for her fourth season in 2026-27. Managers Shelby Hogg, Emma Young-Parker, and Bryle Langer complete the bench.
McKendree unofficially opens its schedule to the public with an exhibition game against Division III Greenville on Thursday, November 5th, before officially debuting on Monday, November 9th at 6:00 PM against Delta State.
For more on McKendree Women's Basketball, follow the team on Facebook (McKendree University Women's Basketball), follow them on Twitter/X (@McKendreeWBB), or follow them on Instagram (@mckendreewbb).
