After Kailani Flournoy set a new rebound record for Palomar College’s women’s basketball team, she said it’s not an accomplishment that she achieved alone.
Flournoy had 26 rebounds in the January 23 game against San Diego City College, beating a college record last set in 1992, and contributing to the team’s 82-56 win. She says there’s no secret to her success.
“My mindset is that every missed shot is going to be my rebound,” she said. “I wouldn’t have done it without my teammates in that game. It was a good game that we all played. They trusted me to get the ball.”
Flournoy, 20, has played basketball since she was five years old, but after graduating from Mater Dei Catholic High School, she went to Alabama State University for its academics. She soon realized she wasn’t happy there and transferred to the University of Saint Katherine in San Marcos. Flournoy was there less than a semester when the university announced it was bankrupt and was closing.
Within days, Palomar Women’s Basketball Head Coach Leigh Marshall approached Flournoy and suggested she play basketball at Palomar.
Flournoy soon began making her mark on the team. In February 2025, she tied the 1992 record of 25 rebounds in a game in a competition against Grossmont College.
Marshall praised Flournoy’s talents and performance.
“Kai has grown a tremendous amount since she has been at Palomar, both mentally and physically,” Marshall said. “I am really proud of where she is at. She is a tenacious rebounder and has an amazing feel for where the ball is going to be. She has all the potential in the world and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.”
Flournoy, a business major, plans to transfer to a four-year university and continue to play basketball. She would love to be a professional basketball player but is also considering a career as an ultrasound technician.
“I am so grateful that I met Coach Marshall,” Flournoy said. “She has changed my whole mindset on the game. She has pushed me to go harder. She has showed me that this is something that I really love. I don’t ever want to give up on myself again.”