East Haven’s Makenzie Helms splits the defense of New London’s Taina Pagan (30) and Angelina Munoz (15) in 2018.
Dave Phillips / For Hearst Connecticut Media
East Haven’s Makenzie Helms has decided to transfer from Nebraska.
In a post on social media Helms said she wants to find an opportunity to play closer to home.
“I am extremely grateful for my time as a Husker and the opportunity to be a part of the program has been a blessing,” Helms posted. “Nebraska will always hold a special place in my heart. I have grown so much in my time there and will forever be thankful for the love and support shown by Husker Nation. I am lucky to have a place that makes saying goodbye so hard. With that being said, this year has made me rethink priorities and I have decided will be pursuing another opportunity closer to my family and entering the transfer portal. I couldn’t be more excited to come home and see where my final destination will be.”
Helms was the 2018-19 GameTimeCT/New Haven Register All-State Player of the Year and the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year in girls basketball her senior season.
Helms appeared in both of Nebraska’s games this season, scoring 10 points while playing 13 minutes a game.
She scored 10 points in the first game against Oral Roberts, shooting 3-for-4 from the field and making all four of her free throws.
“We wish Kenzie well in her future endeavors,” said coach Amy Williams in a press release. “Our team is looking forward to opening Big Ten play against Illinois on Thursday.”
As a freshmen, she appeared in 14 games, scoring 10 points and added 8 assists. The start of her college career was slowed after going through multiple surgeries to alleviate pain in her legs caused by chronic exertional compartment syndrome, but played in all of the Huskers final seven games last season.
According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic exertional compartment syndrome is an exercise-induced muscle and nerve condition that causes pain, swelling and sometimes disability in the affected muscles of the legs or arms.
Helms also had fasciotomy surgery prior to her senior season at East Haven, an operation where the thick, fibrous bands that line the muscles are filleted open, allowing the muscles to swell and relieve the pressure within the compartment.
After leading East Haven to a state title her junior season, Helms averaged 26.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 3.3 steals a game as a senior.
She had two triple-doubles and eight double-doubles her senior season and finished her career with 1,715 career points. She scored 1,073 of those points in two years at East Haven and 642 during her two years playing at Loomis Chaffee.
