From the moment she stepped on the turf as a Bulldog, she belonged. You knew it whether you were a soccer expert or merely a novice. There went No. 27, a blur of blonde pigtails and her typical blue or pink headband, dashing towards the goal. Sixty-eight times over the past four years, Kierstynn Garner struck that Select brand ball into the back of the net.
There is only one KG, perhaps the most electric player in the history of Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Soccer. It’s likely too soon for Garner herself to fully comprehend it, but she’s reserved legendary status when it comes to Concordia Athletics history.
“I never would have thought coming into college that this is the position I would be in,” Garner said. “It was a dream that I could come into a college program and be able to play as much as I have and do as much as I have. Playing college soccer was always a dream of mine, but I never expected it to this extent. I’m super grateful.”
On a mid-December day, roughly a month after an abrupt conclusion to her senior season, Garner spends nearly 20 minutes discussing the recent past and the many possibilities that lie ahead. This might be the end of her college career, but it might not be (more on that later). Either way, it’s a time for some reflection as she enters her final semester as an undergraduate. Someday this will all sink in – the 68 goals scored (60 over the past three seasons), the school record number of game-winning goals (23), the three First Team All-GPAC awards and her status a First Team Academic All-American.
She did it all in compelling fashion and with joy, electricity, speed, agility and grace. And she never stopped scoring goals, even as the target on her back grew larger and larger. In the clutch, Garner rose to the occasion, showing no fear no matter the stakes. When Garner delivered one of the program’s most epic game winners this past season, play-by-play voice Sam Whittaker nailed the call in exclaiming, “Who else but Kierstynn Garner?!?”
Her head coach for the past three seasons, Nick Smith talked effusively in discussing her impact. “She’s elite in the elite moments,” Smith said. “I think that’s what’s going to be what her legacy is. She had the most game-winning goals in her career before her senior year. She scores when it matters. You talk about a young woman with the right mentality. That is Kay. She is a winner. I know moving on in life – and whenever she moves on from soccer – Kay is going to be good because of the head on top of her shoulders. She’s a special player.”
Concordia knew it had something special from the beginning. In game No. 4 of Garner’s Bulldog career, she covered more than 50 yards on a sprint that finished with her burying a left-footed shot from the top of the 18 into the upper lefthand corner of the goal. Concordia upset No. 25 Benedictine, 1-0, while lifted by Garner’s goal, a textbook display of her pure athleticism and skill. If they didn’t know previously, they knew then.
As a fitting bookend, the senior version of Garner led one of the program’s more thrilling comeback wins. After trailing Doane by a 1-0 score into the 80th minute, Garner put away two goals in the game’s final 10 minutes. The winner lasered across the goal line with 11 seconds left on the clock after Garner got behind a defender for a 1v1 with the keeper, an opportunity created in part by her blazing quickness, along with a pass lofted high into the air by Savannah Andrews. The dramatic goal was the difference between the Bulldogs placing second or fourth in the final GPAC standings.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever scored that late in the game,” Garner said. “You don’t see that very often in any type of game – basketball maybe. In soccer, that’s a lot harder to do. That feeling was amazing. I wouldn’t have been able to do that if my teammates wouldn’t have been able to get me the ball. That was super fun. I will never forget that one, that’s for sure.”
The link between Garner and Concordia can be traced back to when former head coach Thomas Goines saw the Kearney native playing club soccer in Omaha. Goines approached her and initiated the recruiting process. Garner knew little about Concordia at the time, but everything about the opportunity seemed to match what she was looking for.
Concordia was just the right distance from home. She wanted to get out of her hometown but also remain close enough for her parents, Jon and Amber, and four younger siblings, to be able to regularly attend her games.
Explained Kierstynn of the bond with her siblings, “I didn’t want to miss anything they were doing. My little sister is seven, so she was three and a half, four, at the time. I didn’t want to miss her growing up.” As for Concordia, Garner felt right about it upon her visit. She said, “I loved the facilities and how the field is surrounded by buildings in the middle of campus. I just loved the way it looked. I loved the girls I hung out with when I was here. I really enjoyed the teachers and professors that I talked to.”
Born and raised in Kearney, Kierstynn took an early liking to sports. Her father played basketball at the University of Nebraska-Kearney and has had a strong influence upon Kierstynn. While growing up, Kierstynn played basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball and even competed in dance. Her dad coached her in soccer and basketball and was “definitely the one who pushed me all the time.”
As the eldest sibling, Kierstynn has endeavored to be the best role model she can be to sisters Kennidy, Hallie and Hazel and brother Gordy. As she says, “Being the oldest of five kids is something that’s hard to describe in the best way. It is such a blessing to be able to grow up and be a role model for my four younger siblings. They have all grown up to become my best friends. Everything I do is rooted in being a role model for them. I try to set a standard of working hard and being a leader to the people around you. I always encourage them to go after their dreams and ambitions.”
As Kierstynn moved on to Kearney High School, her talent became more and more obvious. According to her Max Preps webpage, Garner tallied 39 goals over three high school seasons (one canceled due to COVID-19). She also broke Kearney High’s record for career 3-point field goals on the basketball court. In order to increase the level of exposure and to continue to develop her game, Garner began playing for the Evolution, an Omaha club, as a high school junior (after previously playing for Nebraska Select in Kearney). Once or twice per week, she would drive three hours from Kearney to Omaha.
Throughout her life, Garner has played alongside fellow Kearney native Taylor Slaymaker, who arrived at Concordia a year earlier and had a role in Kierstynn’s recruitment. For KG, ball is life, which isn’t such a bad thing considering all the memories and friendships made along the way.
“I was gone all the time,” Garner said. “We traveled everywhere. The amount of friends and memories I made over the years traveling to different towns and staying in hotels with teammates is something I’ll never forget. At certain tournaments in Colorado, we would see a professional soccer game together or go shopping together. We went to the World Cup one year as a team when it was in Canada. That was a memory I’ll never forget.”
It was clear that Garner would soon make her mark on the collegiate level. As part of a strong freshman class of 2022, Garner stood out for her unmistakable athletic talent. She became an immediate starter and put away seven goals in a four-game stretch that September. However, the productivity trailed off in conference play as Garner and a young team searched to find an identity.
It was simply a matter of time. Everything fell into place her sophomore year. Garner’s goal count skyrocketed from eight as a rookie to 19 as a second-year player. Both Garner and the team around her elevated to a new level. Then in 2024, Garner starred as just the fourth player in program history to reach 20 goals in a single season. She had achieved superstar status.
“I think the biggest part was gaining confidence and believing more in myself that I can do this,” Garner said. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without the teammates I’ve had with me. Coach Nick definitely brought in players that could help us reach our goals and increase our scoring. I got more confident and had more experience with the people on the field. We learned how each other played and what everyone’s strengths and weaknesses were. Once we all got that, the puzzle came together.”
Nick Smith was hired as head coach in March of 2023, following Garner’s freshman season. One of Smith’s top priorities was retaining Garner and her fellow classmates. Garner surely would have had other opportunities, but Smith won her over. She gives him credit for pushing her to be great. As she put it, “Coach Nick has probably been the best coach I’ve ever had.”
The right mix of coaching, teammates and her own intrinsic motivation combined for something extraordinary. Over four years, Garner learned how to not only be a great individual player, but how to do what was best for the team and how to be a leader, both vocally and by example. She piled up 13 assists in both her junior and senior years in becoming a complete player. Her 68 goals rank behind only Concordia Athletics Hall of Famer Jennifer Davis (88 career goals) in school history. Over four years, Garner has led the program to a combined record of 50-19-11.
These are accomplishments many athletes simply dream about. Says Garner, “I can say that I am proud of myself. I’m always reaching for the next level, the next step and the next goal. It’s not that I’m not satisfied, it’s just that I always have a drive to keep going. Now that my career here is over and I accomplished these things, I can say that I’m very proud.”
As the Psychology major (Marketing minor) speeds towards graduation this coming May, she’s keeping her options open. Collegiate divisions such as the NAIA and NCAA Division II are considering legislation that would allow student-athletes a fifth season of competition. Garner will be keeping close tabs. If it was up to other GPAC coaches, they would rather she be finished, which is a compliment, of course. Whenever the soccer career officially wraps up, Garner aspires to work in a field that allows her to serve children.
Said Nick Smith, “I think every GPAC coach will be happy to see her graduate and no longer wear the colors anymore. We’ll have to see what unfolds with the fifth year and all of that, but what she’s done over four years is immense. She has consistently gotten better and consistently fought to find a new level for the team. She’s a huge driving force that has allowed us to have some of the success that we’ve had.”
You can call her “KG” or “Kay.” Some of her teammates even jokingly called her “barbie” as she was beginning her rise to stardom. It’s fair to also call her a Concordia legend. More than the goals scored or any of her numerous accolades, No. 27 Kierstynn Garner will remember the people who made it all possible.
“The experience here has been more than I expected,” KG said. “Nick has played a tremendous role in my career, and I never thought I would have such a great coach. For that I am so grateful. Everyone here supports you. The staff supports you and the team supports you. My family and friends come to every game they can. The support here is more than I ever imagined. The amount of history that our senior group made throughout our four years is something I never would have imagined. For us to be able to step away from our college careers and say that we made history here in multiple different ways is something a lot of people can’t say. I’m most grateful that I was surrounded by the people here and for the accomplishments we achieved as a team.”