Kat Krtnick

By Jude Harder
UWRF Sports Information

The time is now and Kat Krtnick and her fellow seniors sense the urgency to complete their River Falls volleyball careers with a conference title and maybe more.

"We have all the elements and pieces, now we just have to create the team chemistry," said Krtnick.

"I would love to get to the NCAA Final Four and play for the championship," added Krtnick.

One of top setters in the WIAC, Krtnick possesses a work ethic that is second-to-none and has an incredible knowledge of the game.

"She is one of the hardest workers on the team and her intelligence makes her ideal for the setter position," said Coach Patti Ford.

A setter's primary responsibility is to get to the ball on the second contact and deliver it to a teammate for the attack. It is a position that demands a vast knowledge of the game and the ability to think and move fast. Ford refers to it as the quarterback position in the sport of volleyball.

"As a setter, my goal is make all my teammates better. Whether that be turning a bad pass into a great set or covering all my hitters, I just want to enhance our team in any way possible," said Krtnick.

Last season Krtnick excelled immensely as the primary setter, being named to the All-WIAC first team with 1,067 assists, 178 kills, 50 aces and 396 digs. She was voted the team's Co-Player of the Year and received the Falcons Hardest Worker award for the second consecutive season. She was also named player of the week three times.

Krtnick has lead the Falcons in total assists and assists per game for the last two seasons.

Like any great athlete, Krtnick feels there is always room for improvement and this year she is looking to improve on the tactical aspect of the game.

"Each season she has continued to make progress in her game; this year I look for her to be more deceptive as a setter and make teams frustrated," said Ford.

Being a setter and having to outmaneuver opponents and create options and opportunities for your teammates is a very difficult but an extremely important position in the game of volleyball. Krtnick has taken on the position with no regrets, even though she did not originally come to River Falls to play setter.

"She was an outside hitter by trade when coming to River Falls, but we trained her to be a setter and its incredible how she has been able to adjust so fast," said Ford.

On and off the court, Ford feels Krtnick has exceptional leadership qualities.

"On the court, she makes everybody around her step up their game; off the court she is the person everyone looks to for help and advice," said Ford.

Krtnick attended Totino-Grace High School for one year before transferring to Fridley High School, where she starred in volleyball and basketball for three years. In volleyball, she was named to the all-conference team for three seasons at Fridley. She also led the metro area in digs, was her team's Most Valuable Player and twice was the team's captain.

Besides showcasing her athletic talent on the volleyball court, Krtnick also brings her abilities to the track where she is a sprinter for the Falcon track & field team. She competes in the indoor 55 and 200 meter races and in the outdoor 100 meters.

Krtnick also excels in the classroom. She has made the Dean's List from every semester since 2003 and has been named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll from 2003-2005.

Krtnick is double majoring in biomedical sciences and marketing communications with a minor in professional writing.

Krtnick is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the HHP Facilities Committee. She also serves as the chair of the Recreation Committee and is an athletic representative for the Student Senate.

This summer Krtnick worked with the Kansas City Chiefs summer training camp for the second consecutive year. This year she worked as a sideline reporter for the Public Affairs office, covering the Chiefs offense. She also did reporting for the Associated Press.

After college Krtnick aspires to work in the field of sports management or sports marketing. She also hopes to continue her volleyball career by someday playing on the AVP Beach Tour.