Tech signs Julie Nekolná
April 24, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech women's basketball head coach Krista Gerlich has announced the signing of Julie Nekolná to the 2025-26 roster.
"Julie is a winner! This past season she helped lead her Shelton State team to the NJCAA National Championship Game," 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!"
Nekolná is a 6-3 forward from Prague, Czech Republic coming to the Lady Raiders after playing two seasons at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala. In just her two seasons with the Bucs, Nekolná totaled 43 double-figure scoring games, 10 double-digit rebound games and nine double-doubles. She is now top-three in Shelton State CC history with 97 career blocks and with a 56.7 percent field goal percentage. In addition, she is top-12 in program history in points per game (12.7).
As a sophomore in 2024-25, Nekolná started in all 36 games, helping the Bucs to a 31-5 overall record and a perfect 15-0 record in the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC). Named the ACCC Player of the Year, Nekolná led Shelton State CC to its first 2025 NJCAA National Championship game. After a season which saw her lead the ACCC in scoring and field goal percentage, while posting a team-best 14.6 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game, Nekolná was named to the NJCAA Division I First Team All-America team.
In her sophomore season, Nekolná shot a team-high 56.5 percent from the field (195-for-345) and 80.6 percent from the free throw line (129-for-160), while totaling 524 points. She grabbed 236 rebounds (6.6 per game), dished out 43 assists and added 44 blocks and 29 steals, leading the team in blocks and ranking second in total rebounds.
During her freshman year at Shelton State CC (2023-24), Nekolná helped the team to a 28-5 overall record and another perfect conference slate at 14-0. Appearing in the second round of the NJCAA Division I Basketball Championships, Nekolná led the team again in field goal percentage after going 128-for-225 (.569) from the field. Starting in 27 games and appearing in 31, Nekolná also led the team with 225 rebounds and 53 blocks. Over her career as a Buc, Nekolná also earned First Team All-ACCC (2025) honors and was named to the 2025 ACCC All-Tournament Team.
Prior to Shelton State CC, Nekolná attended Holtville High School in Alabama for a year. While there, she was named an ASWA First-Team All-State honoree and was the 5A Player of the Year finalist after helping her team to a 27-7 record and averaging 21.9 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per game. She was also ranked first in the state of Alabama and 61st nationally after shooting 54 percent from the field.
Before her time at Holtville, Nekolná played for USK Prague, earning a second-place finish at the national tournament in Bourges, France as well as a first-place finish at the national tournament in Kaunas, Lithuania.
Nekolná will be a junior with the Lady Raiders next season.