Student-Athlete Spotlight - Kadie Rolfzen

Name: Kadie Rolfzen
Sport: Volleyball
Year in School: Senior
Hometown: Papillion, Neb.  

As one of Nebraska’s earliest commits, what made you commit to Nebraska as an 8^th grader and why did you want to become a Husker?

Growing up in Nebraska, it is every little girl’s dream to one day play for the Huskers. I grew up watching the Huskers on television and wanted to one day be in their shoes. When Amber and I came to camp in 8^th grade and Coach Cook offered us, it was a no-brainer to commit to play for Nebraska. It was our dream ever since we were little and we didn’t feel like there was really a reason to delay the recruiting process when we knew where we would be going in the end.

What are your most memorable Husker moments on and off the court?

On the court, the moment that comes to mind is when we first walked into the CenturyLink Center on the night of the National Semi-Finals. There was a game that was actually being played the moment we walked in, but the whole crowd cheered and stood up as we walked in. I have never had so many chills in my life. It just proves that there really is no place like Nebraska.

Off the court, the best memory that I have is just all the different people that I have had the privilege of meeting at Nebraska. From other athletes, to Larry, Ruth and Reba in the training table, to the various staff members up in marketing or media, to the trainers and both psychologists by the training room or even just walking by other sports coaches on a daily basis and casually starting a conversation because Nebraska is one big family. It is one of the things that makes Nebraska special. The people are going to be the biggest thing that I am going to miss when I graduate.

The past four years, you’ve received a number of honors and awards, including being named Nebraska’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2016 and receiving the Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Award in 2014. Of your many athletic and leadership honors at UNL, which means to the most to you?

The biggest award I have received was actually a team award and that was the National Championship. It wasn’t because of the fact that it is the National Championship, but it is because as a team, through tribulations and triumphs, we were able to really understand what it was like to play as a team, play for each other and just understanding every single person’s role on a team. It was really cool to see that all come to fruition by the end of the year and just reflect on how much every one of us grew throughout that entire season.

Growing up in Nebraska and being only 40 minutes from your family in Papillion, who or what has most made your Nebraska experience impactful and meaningful? 

Having my family so close has been the most meaningful to me as a part of my Nebraska experience. It’s almost as though my family was able to experience the greatness of Nebraska with me. They were able to experience all the home games as well as some away games, other sporting events, the atmosphere surrounding Nebraska and just understand how things work here. They knew how much we loved this place and could really see with their own eyes why Nebraska is unique to us and holds a special place in our heart as well as is our home away from home.

This December you’ll not only finish your volleyball career at Nebraska, but you will also graduate. What lies ahead for you after December both athletically and professionally?

Athletically, I hope to continue my volleyball career professionally overseas. I haven’t narrowed down where I would like to go, but it has been a dream of mine for years. I am also thinking about the possibility of pursuing a master’s degree. I have a passion for helping people and would love to pursue the opportunity to understand and grasp how to better help people by getting a degree in psychology. I also am going to graduate with a degree in advertising and public relations and would love to continue to work in sports for my career and also have an interest in potentially earning my master’s in sports media. After playing volleyball and hopefully furthering my education, I hope to one day end up in the athletic department of a Power Five Conference school working either in their marketing/advertising or media department or possibly being a sports psychologist.

What is your favorite quote?

"When I woke up this morning, I asked myself, 'What is life about?' I found the answer in my room . . . The fan said, 'Be cool.' The roof said, 'Aim high.' The window said, 'See the world!' The clock said, 'Every minute is precious.' The mirror said, 'Reflect before you act.' The calendar said, 'Be up to date.' The door said, 'Push hard for your goals.' The floor said, 'Kneel down and pray.'"

The saying “There is No Place Like Nebraska” rings true for many student-athletes and letterwinner alums. What does this saying currently mean to you?

I feel like I can go on forever about this and what it means to me, but I think if I were to just sum it down to a few sentences, this is what I would say. You don’t really understand and grasp the concept that there really is no place like Nebraska until you go on the road and realize that no matter where you go, the Nebraska fans come out in full force. You also realize it when you go on road trips and it just doesn’t feel like home. Something just feels off. You don’t really understand how much love and support you have not only in the state, but all across the country. Not only is it in our respective sport, but I realize it every day when I walk through the stadium and see all the people who are there supporting us, helping us, encouraging us and just want the best for us. When you talk to friends from other schools, they mention how they don’t have that type of support. That is when you realize there really is no place like Nebraska. The care, love and support that we get not only on campus, but no matter where we go in the country or the world just proves that Nebraska is unique and always will be. People can try to provide what we have, but there is just something about the people and the community at Nebraska that other schools won’t be able to match.

What is one thing you’d like to share with letterwinner alumni you haven’t mentioned?

I think the biggest thing that I would like to share is just that I want to say thank you. Thank you for paving the way for today’s student-athletes to really be able to experience everything Nebraska has to offer. Thank you for helping shape Nebraska into the place where all of us athletes play in front of the greatest fans in the country in all of our respective sports. Thank you for showing us what it really means to be able to play for Nebraska and everything that goes into it: character, pride, humility, etc. as well as what it means to be a part of the N Club. Thank you for providing us a model of how the term student-athlete is to be defined and that is student first. That could not be more evident by our nation-leading Academic All-Americans. Finally, thank you for leaving a legacy at Nebraska that forces us student-athletes to uphold and make sure that we leave the same legacy for the future generations to follow. I am honored to be able to be a part of this University and everything that is has to offer and being a part of the N Club is something that only the lucky ones are able to be a part of.