Kristen Kjellman
Encyclopedia
Kristen Kjellman is an American women's lacrosse
player. She played for the Northwestern Wildcats
and the USA World Cup Team
.
, Massachusetts
and raised in Westwood, MA
. Attended Westwood High School
from 1999-2003. Four year varsity letter
winner in soccer, basketball
and lacrosse.
team, Kjellman made her debut in 2004, starting all 18 games for the Wildcats. She was named Inside Lacrosse
National Rookie of the Year, Co-National Rookie of the Year, and led Northwestern with 53 goals, winning 3 straight national championships from 2005-2007. Kjellman was the first lacrosse player (men or women) to be named the Tewaaraton Trophy
winner in consecutive seasons. She led the team to a 77-5 record during her career and was arguably the catalyst to Northwestern's dynasty in Women's lacrosse.
She graduated in 2007 and now lives and works in Chicago
as a Sales Representative for Nike Lacrosse. In 2008 Kjellman was named the National Rookie of the Year for Nike Sales. 2010 will mark her 4th year as a US National Team member. The draw specialist made her first World Cup appearance in the 2009 World Championships in Prague
. The team reached the finals and beat Australia 8-7 in an amazing championship game. Kjellman had a goal, an assist and several key draw controls in the final match. She was named to the All-World team as a midfielder. Since her college debut in 2003, Kjellman has graced the covers of numerous publications, including Sports Illustrated
, SI on Campus, Inside Lacrosse and the New England Lacrosse Journal.
Women's lacrosse
Women's lacrosse, sometimes shortened to wlax or lax, is a sport played with twelve players on each team. Originally played by the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the first tribe to play it was the Hauser tribe, of the Great Plains. The modern women's game was introduced in 1890 at the St...
player. She played for the Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern Wildcats women's lacrosse
The Northwestern Wildcats Women's Lacrosse Team is a NCAA Division I college lacrosse team representing Northwestern University as part of the American Lacrosse Conference. The team began competition at the varsity level in 1982, operated as a club sport from 1993 to 2001, and resumed play at the...
and the USA World Cup Team
US Lacrosse
US Lacrosse is the national governing body of men and women's lacrosse in the United States, primarily serving the youth game. It provides a leadership role in virtually every aspect of the game, boasts 63 chapters throughout the United States, and offers programs and services to inspire...
.
Early life
Born in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and raised in Westwood, MA
Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its...
. Attended Westwood High School
Westwood High School (Massachusetts)
Westwood High School, or WHS is a public four-year high school located in Westwood, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is fed by E.W. Thurston Middle School, Westwood, Massachusetts.- History :...
from 1999-2003. Four year varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
winner in soccer, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and lacrosse.
Career
Recruited in 2003 by Kelly Amonte HIller, head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats women's lacrosseNorthwestern Wildcats women's lacrosse
The Northwestern Wildcats Women's Lacrosse Team is a NCAA Division I college lacrosse team representing Northwestern University as part of the American Lacrosse Conference. The team began competition at the varsity level in 1982, operated as a club sport from 1993 to 2001, and resumed play at the...
team, Kjellman made her debut in 2004, starting all 18 games for the Wildcats. She was named Inside Lacrosse
Inside Lacrosse
Inside Lacrosse is a lacrosse media entity and ESPN affiliate. It includes many parts including a news website, an 11 times annual magazine, online video streaming, internet forums and an ESPN television show...
National Rookie of the Year, Co-National Rookie of the Year, and led Northwestern with 53 goals, winning 3 straight national championships from 2005-2007. Kjellman was the first lacrosse player (men or women) to be named the Tewaaraton Trophy
Tewaaraton Trophy
The Tewaaraton Trophy is an award given annually, since 2001, to the most outstanding American college lacrosse player. It is the lacrosse equivalent of football's Heisman Trophy. The trophy is presented by the Greater Washington Sports Alliance and the University Club of Washington, D.C...
winner in consecutive seasons. She led the team to a 77-5 record during her career and was arguably the catalyst to Northwestern's dynasty in Women's lacrosse.
She graduated in 2007 and now lives and works in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
as a Sales Representative for Nike Lacrosse. In 2008 Kjellman was named the National Rookie of the Year for Nike Sales. 2010 will mark her 4th year as a US National Team member. The draw specialist made her first World Cup appearance in the 2009 World Championships in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. The team reached the finals and beat Australia 8-7 in an amazing championship game. Kjellman had a goal, an assist and several key draw controls in the final match. She was named to the All-World team as a midfielder. Since her college debut in 2003, Kjellman has graced the covers of numerous publications, including Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, SI on Campus, Inside Lacrosse and the New England Lacrosse Journal.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Inside LacrosseInside LacrosseInside Lacrosse is a lacrosse media entity and ESPN affiliate. It includes many parts including a news website, an 11 times annual magazine, online video streaming, internet forums and an ESPN television show...
National Rookie of the Year- 2007. - Tewaaraton TrophyTewaaraton TrophyThe Tewaaraton Trophy is an award given annually, since 2001, to the most outstanding American college lacrosse player. It is the lacrosse equivalent of football's Heisman Trophy. The trophy is presented by the Greater Washington Sports Alliance and the University Club of Washington, D.C...
- 2006, 2007. - Four-year All-America choice.
- Three-time American Lacrosse Conference (ALC) Player of the Year.
- Three-time National Midfielder of the Year.
- All-time Northwestern record for goals (250) and points (349).
- NCAA record with 39 career goals in NCAA Championship play.
- Three-time Honda Sports AwardHonda Sports AwardThe Honda Sports Award is an annual award in the United States of America, given to the best collegiate female athlete in each of twelve sports. There are four nominees for each sport, and the twelve winners of the Honda Award are automatically in the running for the Honda-Broderick Cup award, as...
winner for lacrosse. - Member of the U.S. National Elite team, 2007.
- Gold medalist in the 2009 World Cup, 2009.
- All-World team midfielder, 2009.