Benita Kelley earned All-America honors eight times (three relays) as an Illini. She was also an eight-time Big Ten Champion and is still the school record holder in the 60-meter dash. Her top Illini 100-meter dash time was a wind-aided effort at 11.09. Kelley finished third at the 1996 NCAA Indoor meet, fourth in 1997 and eighth in the 55-meter dash in 1998. At Big Ten championship meets, Kelley won the 55m and 4x400m relay indoors for the team champions in 1996. At the conference outdoor championships, she won the 100m and 200m titles in 1998, along with relay titles in the 4x100m in 1995, 1996 and 1998, and the 4x400m title in 1996. She helped the Illini win the 1995 indoor and outdoor team titles, and the 1996 indoor conference championships. Kelley and fellow Hall-of-Famer Aspen Burkett were members of the same recruiting class for coach Gary Winckler and lived as roommates during their time on campus.