Salem College

FIRST-YEAR (2025): Started in 27 of the 29 games in which she played … closed with 13 hits, five RBI, four runs … slammed home two doubles and a triple while drawing eight walks … finished 13-of-64 (.203 batting average) at the plate … made her collegiate debut in game one of the series with Columbia International (Feb. 14) before notching her first hit, finishing 1-for-3 from the plate, in game two … enjoyed a four-game hitting streak, her longest of the season, which spanned from February 28th through March 2nd as she posted singles against Agnes Scott (Game 2-Feb. 28), Guilford (March 1) and in the first game of the series with Grace (March 2) … tallied her first RBI and run scored in the opening game of the series with Guilford (March 1) … delivered her first collegiate double in a 1-for-4 outing at Carolina University (March 18) … was 1-for-2 with two RBI in Salem’s 12-0 win over Johnson & Wales (March 22) … had back-to-back two-hit performances at #24 Pfieffer (March 28) and Southern Virginia (April 1) … among the two hits against Pfeiffer (March 28) was her only triple of the campaign … scored a run against Southern Virginia in her two-hit game on April 1st … came through with her final hit of the season, a double, as she went 1-for-3 at William Peace (April 12). 

PREP: Graduated from Indian Land High School in 2024 … played four years of softball for the Warriors under the direction of Monica Barfield (2021-24), earning four varsity letters along the way … recognized as Top Scholar-Athlete in all four seasons (2021-24) … named All-Region for her performances following the 2022 and 2023 campaigns … guided her team to the regional semifinals … competed on the Club Softball circuit for six seasons, including 2019-20 (Caroline Elite); 2020-21 (Fever Softball); 2021-24 (EC Bullets-Thorpe). 

PERSONAL: Kiersten Sylaan Nelson … daughter of Kathlene and Dimitri Nelson … born on October 19, 2006 … has three siblings: Demarie, Jalen, Cole … a second generation college athlete, following her mother who competed in track and field at Charleston Southern … received Golden Tassel Award while at Indian Land High School … a scholar-athlete who was a member of A Honor Role … graduated in the Top 3% of her class, earning all A’s along the way … member of National Honor Society, National Society of High School Scholars, Beta Club, National Beta … received Junior Marshall Award … active in FFA (Future Farmers of America), Biomedical Sciences CTE Completer and Health Career Program (AHEC).