Athlete of the Week: Kelsi Peterson
Utah Statesman: How did it feel to set a new school record for digs against Fresno State?
Kelsi Peterson: (Laughing) I didn’t know. My husband told me. He heard it from someone, that’s how I found out. It’s cool. I knew it was coming up in the game when it happened, but I can’t tell you which ball it was. I wasn’t really counting them off during the game.
US: Tell a little bit about yourself.
KP: I’m from Las Vegas, Nev., I played in high school. I was actually a setter in high school. In club, I played libero and I walked on my freshman year here when (former Aggie head coach) Burt (Fuller) was here. I actually didn’t play club my senior year, which is kind of a big deal because that’s when you find out where you are going and stuff. So I actually really didn’t think I was going to play again after high school, so it was exciting to have a kind of a tryout type thing when Burt was here. He told me I had made the team and I was really excited. It was fun.
US: Why did you choose USU?
KP: I was going to come to school here anyway. Volleyball was just kind of a bonus. I was already enrolled before I knew I was on the team. My sister and my brother both went here. My sister actually graduated from Bridgerland (Applied Technology College), but she took her generals and stuff here, and my brother just graduated two years ago in engineering here.
US: What are your hobbies outside of volleyball?
KP: I love watching TV. We didn’t have TV for like a year. I got married about a year and a half ago and we didn’t have TV for the first year. (Laughing) And now I’m like addicted to every show. We would rent the seasons of the shows that were going on, but we couldn’t see the current ones. That’s a little exciting. Other than that, me and my husband like to play board games. We used to play tennis until he tore his ACL. My sister lives here, so I’m usually over there playing with her kids.
US: What is your favorite TV show?
KP: At the moment it’s “Lost,” but of all-time, “Friends.” You have to rent the first season of “Lost.” You’ll be addicted for sure.
US: How have you liked the married life?
KP: I like it a lot. I kind of feel guilty because I dragged Jon (her husband) up here from Vegas. He wasn’t actually planning on coming here. I met him over a summer when I went back home and we got married and moved up here. It was rough dating long distance for a year.
US: As an athlete, what motivates you?
KP: My teammates. I wouldn’t say fear of failure, but more like letting my teammates down. My teammates motivate me and our coaches especially. Grayson and Shawn are awesome motivators out of any coach I’ve ever had. They’re just very positive. I like taking on challenges. If it’s not challenging, it’s almost like it’s not worth it to me. Every team we’ve played is a challenge thus far this year. My teammates motivate me.
US: Did you play any other positions in high school?
KP: I was a setter in high school. But I’m too short to do that in college. My back-row team would not like me very much up there (at the net) blocking.
US: What is something interesting about yourself that few other people would know?
KP: I have a freckle in my eye, how about that? (Laughing). Only the closest of kin know that. And I got it from my mom; she has the same one. No one else in my family has it. Maybe one of my blessed children will have one.
US: What is your favorite sport aside from volleyball?
KP: Oh, I love sports. I really like college basketball. I don’t like the NBA, but every summer I used to go back home and work at the big-time high school tournaments. Most all college sports, really. My husband and I go to all the women’s basketball games. I like supporting our school especially. It’s hard to when you’re gone, but next year.
US: What has been your favorite moment as a member of the volleyball team?
KP: It would have to be last year. I want to pick something from this year, but this one I’ll never forget. Sitting at the hotel room in Reno last year and watching ESPN and seeing our name come up to go to the tournament. That was so exciting. There were tears. It was exciting to be in the program for three years and finally have that kind of pay off to go. So, hopefully we’ll have two of those memories this year. We’ve got a long road ahead of us for that, but it was really exciting.
US: Was it a surprise to you that the Aggies made the NCAA tournament last year?
KP: A little bit because New Mexico State didn’t make it. Seeing what the basketball team has gone through especially, when they were in the Top 25 and didn’t make it. Weird stuff happens, and some of it is out of your control. It would have been a little bit of a letdown had we not gone, but it was really exciting. We weren’t really expecting it.