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SMC California Athletics

Saint Mary's College Athletics Gaels

2023 Women's Volleyball Roster

SMC Athletics / Piper Westrom
Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
SMC Athletics / Emily Smith
Doug Peete
Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
Doug Peete
Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner

21 Kjersti Strong

  • Position Middle Blocker
  • Hometown Mechanicsburg, Penn.
  • Class Senior
  • Prev School Snow College
  • Height 6-4

Biography

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

  • AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region (2023)
  • First Team All-WCC (2023)
  • Second Team All-WCC (2022)
  • First Team WCC All-Academic (2023)
  • CSC Academic All-District (2023)
  • WCC Offensive Player of the Week (Aug. 28, 2023)
  • 4* WCC Defensive Player of the Week (2023 Season)
  • 0.313 Career Attack Percentage (Program Record)
  • 1.21 Career Blocks Per Set (7th in Program History)
  • 9th Best Attack Percentage in a Single Season in Program History (0.336, 2023)
  • 4th Most Block Assists in a Single Season in Program History (146, 2023)
  • 2nd Most Total Block in a Single Season in Program History (161, 2023)
  • 5th Most Blocks per Set in a Single Season in Program History (1.50, 2023)

AS A SENIOR (2023): The Gaels offensive and defensive leader in her second season with the program…Started every set this season…Led the Gaels with 308 kills and 161 blocks…Her 1.50 blocks per set ranked eighth in the NCAA, while her 161 blocks ranks 11th (both led the WCC)...Helped the Gaels become the best blocking team in the WCC…Recorded double-digit kills in 16 of 28 matches, including a career-high 17 in the Gaels victory at Sacramento State…Opened the month of October with 39 blocks in the first four matches of the month, earning back-to-back WCC Defensive Player of the Week honors…Opened the season with 40 kills in her first three matches of the year, earning WCC Player of the Week honors to open the year…Followed that up with 23 blocks over her next three matches to earn her first of three WCC Defensive Player of the Week honors…Totalled a pair of double-doubles on the season at San Francisco and at home against Portland, both wins…Finds herself in the single season top-10 in block assists (146, 4th), total blocks (161, 2nd) and blocks per set (1.50, 5th)...Named first team All-WCC, CSC Academic All-District and first team WCC All-Academic at the end of the year…Will graduate as the program’s record holder for career hitting percentage (0.313) and ranked seventh all-time in career blocks per set (1.21).

AS A JUNIOR (2022): Started all 26 matches for the Gaels as a junior transfer, one of five Gaels to start in every match on the season...led the team with 14 of the Gaels 30 solo blocks on the year, and was the team leader in overall blocks with 85...she also had the best hitting percentage on the team at .291, a mark that ranked inside the top-15 in the West Coast Conference...had a breakout game for the Gaels on October 28 against Pacific, where she posted a career-best 14 kills and added nine blocks to go with it in a four set loss to the Tigers...one week later against Loyola Marymount, she recorded 15 kills...seven times, she had at least 10 kills in a match...was named Second Team All-WCC following the year.

PRIOR TO SAINT MARY'S: Transfers to Saint Mary's after playing two seasons at Snow College...was top-ten in the NJCAA in hitting efficiency during the 2021 season, hitting at a .359 clip, and finished on teams that ended the year seventh and second in the NCJAA National Tournament...in high school, Strong was First Team All-State as a senior for Skyridge High School, and she helped lead them to a 5A State Championship as a junior.
 
Favorite Volleyball Memory: Beating Florida Southwestern in the Semi’s at Nationals my freshman year!
Favorite Holiday: Christmas all the way
What do you love most about St. Mary’s: I love my team!! Being surrounded by so many kind and fun girls makes me look forward to coming to school and practice everyday!
Favorite thing about SMC Volleyball: The culture of the team! This team is so family oriented and selfless, it really motivates me to be a better player for my teammates.
Favorite Food or Meal: Juice! (Sushi if juice isn’t considered food/meal)
Top 3 Favorite Songs: Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift, Dear August by PJ Harding and Noah Cyrus, She Looks So Perfect by 5SoS
Favorite Movies: Top Gun and Little Women!
Personal Hobbies: Playing guitar, calligraphy, and reading!
One thing everyone should do in their lifetime: Visit Zion National Park!
Describe yourself in one word: Baller :)

Statistics

Season:
2023

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 21

    2022Junior

    Middle Blocker
    6'4"
    21
  • 21

    2023Senior

    Middle Blocker
    6'4"
    21