My Volleyball Story: Kelsey Nestegard

Each Wednesday throughout the summer, Montana volleyball student-athletes will tell their volleyball stories. Read, in their own words, what the sport means to them and where their passion and drive comes from.
Kelsey Nestegard young

My Volleyball Story: Kelsey Nestegard

Ever since I can remember I was always playing sports. Whether it was baseball, softball, soccer, basketball, track & field or volleyball, I was doing it at some point in my life. My parents had me try just about every sport that was offered in my hometown of Pullman, Washington. When I was little, I played T-ball and soccer. I didn't like soccer very much and ended up just doing cartwheels up and down the field, and during baseball I would sit in the outfield and pick dandelions. I am very fortunate my parents didn't take me out of sports right then and there, but instead kept pushing me to try different ones.

I played parks-and-rec volleyball, basketball and softball, and have always been extremely competitive – maybe sometimes too competitive. I loved all three of those sports, but one stuck out to me more than the other two: volleyball. On top of school, I was typically playing two sports at one time. In middle school, I would play volleyball with my school, while toward the end of the season I would start playing AAU basketball. After volleyball ended there was a period of time where I was just playing AAU basketball while my mom coached me. Eventually school basketball came around, and by that point I had started club volleyball and would now be playing basketball as well. After basketball season ended, I was still playing club volleyball, but then also started my softball season. That cycle continued through middle school, every season. When high school hit, I had to make a few changes.

I was born in Bellevue, Washington, but quickly moved to Pullman when I was 3 years old. From that point forward, I lived in the small town with a huge university stuck in the middle of it. Since I was little, not only was I playing sports, but I was surrounded by them. My older brother, Tyler, played football, basketball and baseball. I spent most of my summers as a little kid watching baseball tournaments in the scourging heat. My mom played sports in high school and my dad is a huge sports guy. I spent falls going to Washington State football and volleyball games. In the winter, we would go to the men's basketball games. I never thought about playing a sport in college until I got to high school.

A lot of athletes believe that you have to pick one sport and just play that all year long to be able to play it in college. That may be true for some people, but I went along a different path. My goal in high school was to compete at the varsity level in all three of my sports for all four years. I accomplished that goal by lettering in volleyball, basketball and softball each year of high school. On top of high school basketball and softball, I played club volleyball with Palouse Area Club Volleyball. I was fortunate enough to have coaches during club that understood who I was, and that I could be committed to basketball and club volleyball at the same time. Around my sophomore year I had the idea that I wanted to play volleyball in college, but I had no idea where.

Kelsey Nestegard vs. Southern Utah - 11/16/19

Kelsey Nestegard vs. Southern Utah - 11/16/19

When I was going into the eighth grade, I was playing summer basketball with my high school and went to the University of Montana's Lady Griz basketball team camp. After I left that camp I had fallen in love with Missoula and considered going to UM, but just for academics. When my senior year came around, I was hesitant about playing in college but continued looking at schools.

I would not be where I am today if it weren't for Allison (Lawrence) and Dana (Hallisey), who believed in me and made this opportunity possible. Katie Hinrichs, she coached me in club and helped me become the athlete I am today and helped me through the recruiting process. Kali Gesser was my high school volleyball coach my senior year. She helped me with deciding what I wanted my future to look like and helped me tremendously with the recruiting process. My high school basketball coach, David Cofer, taught me a lot about adversity and pushed me to be where I am today.

I am so grateful for all the coaches I have had throughout my athletic career, and I wouldn't be where I am today without them.

Kelsey Nestegard completed her redshirt freshman season in 2019. She was named the team's scout team MVP.

Kelsey Nestegard, who earned the start tonight, picks up the service ace for the Griz! pic.twitter.com/3cg8Og1NgR
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) October 20, 2019

Big-time shoutout to Kelsey Nestegard, our scout team MVP!#GrizVB #GoGriz #UpWithMontana pic.twitter.com/yC1nt4fixT
— Montana Griz VB (@MontanaGrizVB) December 13, 2019

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Nestegard

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