Texas Tech women's basketball signed NJCAA First-Team All-American Julie Nekolnà out of Shelton State Community College. The 6-3 sophomore forward averaged 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting at a 56.9% rate on field goals.
The Czech Republic native made the choice to move to the United States for her senior year of high school as an exchange student to futher her basketball career. She ended up on one of the historically worst high school basketball teams in Alabama and helped them to their best season in school history averaging 21.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game on her way to 5A All-State honors in the state of Alabama.
This winning followed her to the NJCAA level when she helped Shelton State make it all the way to the NJCAA Division I National Championship game this past season where they lost to Northwest Florida State. In addition to earning All-American honors in 2025, Nekolná was the Player of the Year in the ACCC (Alabama Community College Conference.)
"Julie is a winner! This past season she helped lead her Shelton State team to the NJCAA National Championship Game," Texas Tech head coach Krista Gerlich said. "Her basketball IQ is off the charts and is a mismatch problem at the forward position. She provides us another rebounder and efficient finisher at rim. Julie is a special person and we can't way to share her story with Lady Raider Nation!"
At 6-3 with great length and solid mobility it's a type of player who should serve as a developmental, depth piece with upside that has shown to impact winning at every level she has played. Nekolná does the fundamental things well, blocks out, runs the floor, posts up hard in transition - all things you love to see. She will need to add strength and overall aggressiveness to her game to hold up in the Big 12 conference, but she has at least two years to do just that (perhaps three with recent NCAA rulings regarding JUCO players.)
Welcome to Lubbock, Julie!
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