She doesn’t even know how good she is – or maybe it’s that she pretends not to know. Because of the position she plays, the admittedly introverted Niah Kirchner often cedes the spotlight to prolific goal scoring teammate Kierstynn Garner. But that isn’t completely fair to the Millard West High School product Kirchner, a two-time First Team All-GPAC honoree and former Nebraska Class A all-state award winner. Head Coach Nick Smith wouldn’t trade her for any other midfielder in the GPAC.
Sorry, Niah, we refuse to let you go unheralded. After all, Smith has referred to Kirchner as the “heartbeat” of the team, one with aspirations of winning a GPAC championship and returning to the national tournament.
“Niah would start for every team in the GPAC,” Smith said. “I know that she’s a player when opposing coaches are looking at us, they are trying to figure out ways to restrict her as much as possible, but it’s very hard to do with her because her movement off the ball is very good. Niah is not someone who’s stat-driven or really even interested in the stats for her own development. It’s about how she instinctually plays the game. It’s really hard to teach that to players.”
The official stats that appear to the public will never do justice to Kirchner, who plays the “6,” meaning defensive midfielder. But for obsessive film watchers like Coach Smith, the Omaha native stands out like a sore thumb, belying her 5-foot-2 frame. In a senior class chock full of talent, Kirchner has been at the forefront of this specific era of ascension for Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Soccer. She’s played in all 71 of the program’s games (66 starts) since the beginning of the 2022 season. The success over that time, which has included the program’s first ever national tournament win, has been made possible by players like Kirchner.
Somehow, Kirchner still seems surprised when she’s noticed. The back-to-back First Team All-GPAC awards (2023 and 2024) caught her off guard. Says Kirchner, “It was definitely a shock. My coaches always say it, but you don’t necessarily always feel it, especially in the role that I play. We don’t have accolades. We’re not scoring all the goals. We’re just working hard. It’s really cool to see that other people saw it.”
Pay close attention to the next Concordia game and you’ll see Kirchner heavily involved in the chess match that is a 90-minute soccer game. Oftentimes, the Bulldogs play through No. 7, who has been charted with upwards of 100 passes (roughly one-sixth of the entire team’s total) and six miles of running in those 90 minutes. With increased roster depth this season, Smith has been able to strategically rest Kirchner to keep her fresh, but she’s always going to be out there when the game is on the line.
The humility of Kirchner kicks in as she discusses the circumstances that led her to this point as an accomplished student-athlete studying Business Administration (concentration in Finance). A well-rounded individual, Kirchner presented at Concordia’s Academic and Research Symposium this past April and has traveled with her business classes for academic competitions. Kirchner has been recognized as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-District honoree by College Sports Communicators.
Just a few short years ago, Kirchner gave a late commitment to Concordia and then Head Coach Thomas Goines. Kirchner wasn’t the type to draw lots of attention to herself with recruiting videos or social media posts, but the ability was evident if only potential recruiters saw her play at Millard West or with her club team, Majestic 402. The net Kirchner cast was a small one.
Says Kirchner of her recruitment, “I decided kind of late in my senior year that I wanted to play soccer collegiately. I didn’t have a ton of other places I was looking at. Goines actually saw me at a practice. I was like, you know, I’ll check it out. I came to Concordia and I loved the campus and the atmosphere here. It was kind of a no-brainer for me.”
If Kirchner was a big-time recruit, no one told her. In fact, she didn’t even expect to see many minutes as a freshman in 2022. But the first time she touched the ball in a scrimmage game as a Bulldog, Kirchner scored a goal. She wound up starting 14 of the 18 games her freshman season and has never looked back. The ball had barely been kicked off in ‘22, and it was apparent that Kirchner and her fellow classmates would have an opportunity to leave a lasting mark on Concordia Soccer.
It wasn’t until Kirchner’s sophomore year that she truly felt comfortable with who she was as a player. Kirchner applied what she had learned from the coaches and upperclassmen and put her own impeccable instincts to work. She started all 20 games that 2023 season, rising to the level of first team all-conference in the first year of Smith’s coaching tenure.
“Freshman year I was very timid,” Kirchner admitted. “I’m definitely an introvert. Coming in somewhere new where I didn’t know anyone was intimidating to me. I really looked up to Ellie (Eason) and she played six. I was always asking for her direction. I wouldn’t do anything without asking her first. Losing her after my freshman year, I had to come into my own player as a sophomore. And we got a new coach. It was a big step for me – becoming my own player after that.”
According to Smith, Kirchner is the type of player who doesn’t need to be bombarded with statistical information or detailed scouting reports. She’s best when she’s empowered to simply play her game, cover vast areas of space and be the conduit that sets up those frequent Garner goals. Smith will point out that the ball played before the pass that assists the goal is often from the foot of Kirchner. Few players have such a feel for the game as Kirchner possesses.
“I reached a point last year where I told her to forget everything I had been saying,” Smith said. “Just go and play instinctually. That allows her to operate in a world where she’s comfortable. Niah’s definitely the quiet leader that we have in the group of the three captains (including Garner and Taylor Slaymaker). Niah doesn’t do a whole lot of talking. When Niah does talk, they listen. It’s good to have different styles. Niah is definitely one who leads by example. She’s one of the hardest working players that we have.”
Physically, Kirchner’s running background boosts her stamina on the pitch. She comes from a family (including parents Steven and Leann) of running enthusiasts, and her sister Callie Kirchner competes in cross country and track at Wayne State College. Niah still runs for fun, but soccer became an even bigger passion since she began playing the sport at the age of three. One of her inspirations in the sport was her youth soccer coach, a family friend.
The thrilling memories for Niah in the sport include winning the Nebraska Class A state championship her freshman year while playing on the home field of Creighton, a school she grew up rooting for. As a prep senior in 2022, Kirchner appeared on the list of all-state honorees along with future teammates in Garner, Sierra Springer, Evie Keller and Lupe Sanchez. With the help of Kirchner, Concordia is becoming a desired destination for top girls soccer players across the state.
The experience has exceeded the expectations Kirchner had when she decided to make Seward her college town, a location dwarfed by the size of her hometown. The intimacy and closeness of the community came as a pleasant surprise.
“It was definitely eye-opening, but I love how small the town is,” Kirchner said. “I like how the whole community focuses on the college. You go into the arena and the home games, and it’s packed just with people from Seward. It’s cool to see that they want to support us and see us succeed.”
That’s exactly what Kirchner has done while donning Bulldog Blue. She’s put her heart and soul into athletic and academic pursuits, while also finding time for hobbies like tending to her plants and making arts and crafts. She joked that she’s turned her house into a jungle. “I really like plants. I’ve collected quite a few of them,” Kirchner says.
From a soccer perspective, Kirchner and her teammates continue collecting wins. They feel the pressure to keep up the pace after last year’s momentous victory. At the same time, Kirchner looks around and feels a degree of calm. Poise and collectedness are part of what make her so good, whether she knows it or not.
It’s been an unexpectedly thrilling ride in the mind of Kirchner. Before ending a Friday afternoon interview that ranged from topics covering soccer to family to academic and recreational interests, Kirchner offers without a prompt, “It’s been great. I knew I was going to enjoy it here, but I didn’t expect to love it this much.”
In turn, Smith knows how fortunate his program is to have Kirchner, a talent whose contributions can’t be measured by mainstream statistics. Says Smith, “I think she’s the heartbeat of this team. Kierstynn is the electric one that gets all the highlights, but I think there would be a lot less highlights if we didn’t have Niah running the show behind the curtain.”