Kristen Nuss aims to continue winning ways long after prominent LSU career
BATON ROUGE, La. (BVM) 鈥� LSU head beach volleyball coach Russell Brock has been leading the program for four seasons now and each player that has come through the program has helped him reach the NCAA championship in three of those four seasons. One of the players happened to be Kristen Nuss.聽
Nuss, a native of New Orleans, came from an athletic household where all sports were encouraged to be played. She grew up playing beach volleyball with her brothers and participating in all other sorts of athletic events.
鈥淏oth of my parents are very athletic,鈥� Nuss said. 鈥淭hey were very supportive of just playing any and all sports. They definitely have that athletic mindset and the experience 鈥� and they have definitely played a huge part in my athletic journey.鈥�
Continuing her athletic odyssey, Nuss would eventually attend Mount Carmel Academy and become a three-sport athlete, playing soccer, basketball and of course, volleyball.聽
During those four years, Nuss experienced a lot of winning. She and her teammates captured state titles in her freshman, junior and senior years. Along with state titles, Nuss was in the running for Gatorade Louisiana Player of the Year and was named the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSSA) Division I MVP. Nuss finished her prep career with 1,831 digs, 1,255 kills and 54 assists.聽
But what Nuss didn鈥檛 know was that a stellar indoor volleyball career would lead her to find a love and passion for a sport she really didn鈥檛 know that much about.
鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 know [I could play beach volleyball at the Division I level] because it was so new and I had never been really coached in beach volleyball,鈥� Nuss said. 鈥淚 will say the timing of LSU building its beach [volleyball] program was perfect timing.鈥�
LSU began its beach volleyball program when Nuss was in her sophomore year of high school. And along with a new program comes the need for local talent. Nuss was the perfect fit.
鈥淚 can remember how nervous I was [at the showcase event] because you鈥檙e like, 鈥極h my gosh that鈥檚 the LSU coach,鈥� so I don鈥檛 fully remember, just because I was so nervous, I can鈥檛 say that I remember exactly what was said [between Coach Brock and I], but I do know there were lots of nerves involved,鈥� Nuss said. 鈥淚 just happened to be at this showcase [event] and caught his [Russel Brock鈥檚] attention 鈥� Timing was perfect for me because I would have no idea [what to do]. In this day and age right now, you have to make video clips and highlight reels and all this [other] stuff. I would be so lost right now, so I鈥檓 very thankful for the timing of it all.鈥�
The 馃悙
Everybody knows Kristen Nuss.
— LSU Beach Volleyball (@LSUBeachVB)
Nuss鈥檚 collegiate beach volleyball career started off well. Paired with fellow 6-foot-1 freshman Claire Coppola, the pair won nine matches over ranked teams. Seven of those wins came over top-10 teams. The pair finished with an overall record of 27-7.聽
Following their successful freshman campaign, Nuss and Coppola were named to the preseason Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) All-Conference team. Nuss and Coppola were also the first LSU pair to win America Volleyball Coach Association (AVCA) Pair of the Week. They went 4-0, including a straight-set victory over No. 1 Pepperdine that week at the Gamecock Grandslam.
The pair also earned a spot in the Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) World University Championship in Munich, Germany. They finished fifth overall out of 32 international pairs representing the United States.
The pair鈥檚 success continued as they both headed into their junior seasons. They would win their first eight matches against seven pairs of ranked teams. The winning continued as the pair went on to have a 16-match win streak where they didn鈥檛 lose a single set. They ended the 2019 season with a 33-4 overall record which was the program record for wins in a season. Nuss and Coppola also became the first pair ever to win CCSA Pair of the Year in consecutive years.聽
鈥淭hey [Claire Coppola and current partner Taryn Koth] are awesome,鈥� Nuss said. 鈥淚 absolutely couldn鈥檛 do anything without them, I mean it takes two people and in addition to them, it takes the whole team to go win for LSU. They have made it easy on me; they鈥檙e both phenomenal blockers, so it makes my job easy to play defense behind them. Just like I鈥檓 thankful for Russell, I am very thankful for those two helping me become the player that I am.鈥�
Nuss and Coppola would have one more season together in 2020 and they were destined to continue their winning ways despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
It wound up being a special season for both as they became just the third NCAA pair to reach the 100-win mark. Also, the LSU beach volleyball program would reach its first-ever No. 1 ranking as a program after handing then No. 1-ranked UCLA back-to-back losses. Following a split in Honolulu, LSU traveled back to take on UCLA. It was No. 1 vs. No. 2. On what was a historic day for the program, 2,407 fans showed up to watch the match.聽
Following the record-setting year, Nuss and her teammates were granted an extra year of eligibility following the pandemic. But this time, instead of pairing up with Coppola, Nuss was partnered with Taryn Koth. Standing at 6-foot-4, Koth aimed to help Nuss鈥檚 final season become a memorable one. And memorable it would be.聽
The two of them would go 36-0 and become just the second pair since Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes of USC to go undefeated. But not only was it special for the pair, it was a particularly special moment for Nuss. After winning their last three home matches, it was announced that Nuss became the all-time winningest player in college beach volleyball history with 139 total career wins.
“That moment [when I found out] was pretty surreal,鈥� Nuss said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect to come into college and walk out as the winningest player in college beach volleyball history. I [was thinking about] my coaches who have made me the player I am today. I give credit to all of them, especially Drew Hamilton, who was our volunteer coach for all five years. I came in [as a] raw athlete and didn’t really know what I was doing 鈥� [I鈥檓] very thankful and grateful for the coaches and for my teammates, because they were the ones in practice pushing me to become a better player.
Although the season would end before they could compete for a national championship, Nuss and Koth were undoubtedly the best pair, and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) agreed.
饾檱饾櫄饾櫆饾櫄饾櫍饾柜饾櫀饾櫑饾櫘.'s and have been named the Pair of the Year!
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball)
Now, with her spectacular college career behind her, Nuss decided to play beach volleyball professionally, along with Koth and the pair have already seen success at the professional level. Their first win came at the AVPNext Gold Tournament, which was hosted at Coconut Beach, where Nuss grew up playing.
鈥淭hat first win could not have been more perfect,鈥� Nuss said. 鈥淭o have my family and friends come out and show their support, it was an awesome experience and I鈥檒l definitely remember that first debut and win forever.鈥�
Just Getting Started 馃
In their first professional tournament, Taryn and Kristen claimed the championship at the AVPNext Gold Tournament at Coconut Beach this weekend!
— LSU Beach Volleyball (@LSUBeachVB)
Nuss and Koth will continue to compete in beach volleyball professionally and they will most likely continue to dominate the sand courts for time to come. But that isn鈥檛 the main goal. Nuss and Koth have a much bigger stage set in mind: the Olympics.
鈥淧aris 2024 is at the top of the list right now,鈥� Nuss said. 鈥淸And] hopefully some more Olympics after that, but Paris 2024 is definitely what Taryn and myself are shooting for.鈥�
Regardless of where she goes, whether it be the Olympics or still competing professionally, Nuss will always be remembered as one of the best players to come through LSU and will be remembered as quite possibly the greatest college beach volleyball player in history.
Thank you, 馃挏馃挍
— LSU Beach Volleyball (@LSUBeachVB)
A letter from Kristen Nuss
The Greatest College Beach Volleyball Player
#13 is signing out 馃悙
— LSU Beach Volleyball (@LSUBeachVB)
