Kirsten Nelson joined the Pacific Lutheran volleyball program as an assistant coaching starting with the 2011 season.

Nelson earned AMC North Division Player of the Year honors from 2002-04 and was a NAIA honorable mention All-American while playing at Houghton College in New York. She graduated from Houghton in 2005 with a degree in physical education.

Nelson served as a physical education teacher at Taejon Christian International School in South Korea from 2006-11 and was the girls varsity head coach at the school from 2005 to 2011.