Within the coronary heart of the Mississippi Delta lies Itta Bena, Mississippi—a city of simply over 1,700 folks the place the echoes of a proud HBCU soccer legacy nonetheless linger from the times of Jerry Rice and Willie Totten. Whereas the group that performs within the stadium that bears each legends’ final names has fallen on exhausting occasions, the return of hometown hero, Dante Kelly, could possibly be simply the spark that Mississippi Valley State College desperately wants.
A former 3-star FBS recruit, as soon as one of many state’s most electrifying highschool gamers, is transferring to Mississippi Valley State to proceed his faculty soccer profession after FBS stops within the SEC and Solar Belt. For Mississippi Valley and Dante Kelly, it’s deeper than simply one other switch—it’s a full-circle return to his roots and the HBCU in his yard.
Hometown Child, Hometown HBCU
Dante Kelly isn’t simply from Mississippi—he’s from Itta Bena. He performed his highschool ball for head coach Eric Home at Leflore County Excessive Faculty. Below Home’s management, the Tigers turned a formidable power in Mississippi’s Class 2A soccer. Leflore County clinched back-to-back district championships in 2021 and 2022, together with a group report with a 70-point win in 2022, Dante Kelly’s senior season.
Throughout that 2022 season, Kelly was almost unstoppable. He was named Mississippi Small Faculty All-State after main Leflore County with 105 tackles and 4 interceptions. His stellar play earned 3-star standing from Rivals and 247Sports, rating among the many high 50 gamers in Mississippi and drawing consideration from Energy 4 soccer packages.
Kelly would decide to Vanderbilt, getting the possibility to play within the SEC and earn a top-tier schooling. “Vanderbilt is getting a really particular participant who I feel sooner or later will probably be a NFL expertise. The sky is the restrict for Dante,” Eric Home instructed VandySports.com. “The issues that stick out with Dante is his bodily attributes. He’s 6-foot-3 and round 210-pounds. He’s very athletic. What stands out is unquestionably his pace particularly his pace and agility for that measurement.”
A Detour Via the SEC and Southern Miss
Restricted taking part in time and a training change marked Kelly’s time at Vanderbilt. After one redshirt season, Kelly entered the switch portal, touchdown at Southern Miss—a transfer that introduced him nearer to house, however not all the way in which.
At Southern Miss, he nonetheless didn’t fairly discover his rhythm. After preventing by means of depth chart battles in Hattiesburg, Kelly decided that stunned some however made good sense to these within the HBCU group.
He got here house. Dwelling to Itta Bena. To Mississippi Valley State College. Dwelling to the HBCU that’s been proper in his yard all alongside.
Mississippi Valley State: A Program with Historical past—and a Hill to Climb
Mississippi Valley State isn’t new to creating headlines. That is the college the place Jerry Rice turned a legend, catching passes from Willie Totten in some of the prolific faculty offenses ever. It’s an HBCU with a wealthy soccer custom, although latest years have been powerful.
A mixture of low funding, poor amenities, and training turnover has saved the Delta Devils close to the underside of the FCS rankings. They haven’t had a successful season in over a decade, going 1-11 in 2024.
However change could possibly be on the horizon.
The varsity lately employed Terrell Buckley because the nineteenth head soccer coach of the Delta Devils. A local of Pascagoula, Mississippi, Buckley’s return to the Magnolia State signifies a homecoming for the CFB nice and profitable NFL participant whose soccer journey started on Mississippi soil. His appointment resonates deeply with the group, symbolizing a shared journey with Dante Kelly, as they each are returning to their roots to uplift their hometown HBCU.
“We’re going to construct a tradition of accountability, exhausting work, and perception – as a result of successful begins with the requirements we set and the mindset we carry each single day,” Buckley acknowledged upon his hiring.
With Buckley’s management and a participant of Dante Kelly’s caliber, MVSU goals to rekindle the spirit of its storied previous and forge a brand new path ahead, embodying the resilience and satisfaction of Mississippi Valley’s soccer legacy.
A Comeback Story within the Making
Kelly brings Energy 5 expertise, SEC-level conditioning, and a aggressive edge that the present roster lacks. His presence immediately boosts the protection and offers it a participant who can match up towards high FCS expertise. He’s additionally a logo—a hopeful proof level that native expertise doesn’t have to go away to be nice.
At a time when faculty athletes are chasing the largest manufacturers and NIL checks, Kelly made a distinct form of transfer. He selected coronary heart over hype. Returning to an HBCU in your hometown isn’t a standard path for a former SEC athlete. However for Dante Kelly, it simply may be the right one.
