FORT MYERS, Fla. – FGCU head coach Matt Botsford has announced the signing of Kirstine Garder, a 5-11 outside hitter from Halden, Norway, to a letter of intent to play indoor and beach volleyball at FGCU beginning in 2018-19.
"The addition of Kirstine immediately strengthens both our indoor and beach programs," Botsford said. "She is a special talent with a ton of high-level experience who will contribute on the court and in the sand. She is a pin attacker with excellent ball skills, a heavy arm and a great feel for the game. With the ability to pass and attack at a high level, I expect her transition to the collegiate game to go smoothly. Kirstine is a very driven and goal-oriented young woman who will fit in perfectly with the FGCU volleyball culture."
Garder, who attends and competes for Toppvolley Norge, has played for the Norwegian junior national team in both indoor and beach, and she was elevated to the senior national team in 2016. She has played in several European and World championship events in both sports, as well.
"When I first talked to the coaches at FGCU, I got a great first impression, and we clicked right away," Garder said of her decision. "After I visited the school during Easter break, I got this great feeling in my gut about the school, the staff and the girls on my team. I can't find any bad things about FGCU, and I am so excited to start in the fall. I won't deny that it will be lovely to go to a college in sunny Florida."
As an indoor player, Garder is a three-time junior national champion, a two-team team MVP and was once named the team's best outside hitter. She was selected for the junior national team at 13 years old and became a team captain. She was elevated to the senior national team at 17 years old and became the youngest player to participate in a tournament in Luxembourg where her team faced Luxembourg and Albania. She competed in the North European Volleyball Zonal Association (NEVZA) tournament three times and has competed all over Europe. She still plays on both the junior and senior national teams and was named the best outside hitter in the Champions International Youth Tournament in Paris.
In beach, she is a five-time national youth champion. She won bronze and silver medals at the junior national championship as a member of the under-18 and under-22 age groups. She was elected to play at the European and World championships several times. She placed as high as fifth in the European Championship, where she competed in Latvia, Norway and Czechoslovakia. In fact, at the World Championship U19 in Croatia, Garder and her partner played three qualification matches and made it to the main event, ultimately finishing ninth after losing a close match against Brazil, who won the World Championship. She was a member of the youngest team ever to win the national senior beach tour series in Norway, and she has played for Team Norway Beach Volleyball since she was 14.
On the beach side, Garder joins previously signed student-athletes including: Emma Hansen of Trophy Club, Texas; Camryn Bossinas of Roswell, Ga.; and Lexi Fitzpatrick of Tallahassee, Fla. On the indoor side, she joins Tori Morris, a 6-0 middle blocker from Virginia Beach, Va.; Chelsey Lockey, a 5-9 setter from Eaton, Colo.; and Dana Axner, a 5-8 DS/libero from Dublin, Ohio.
For more info on the indoor recruiting class, visit here. For more info on the beach recruiting class, visit here.
The FGCU volleyball program finished 22-10 overall last year, including 10-4 in ASUN play. In the ASUN tournament, the team advanced to the championship match for the second consecutive season. The beach program won a program-record 15 matches for the second consecutive season and finished third at the ASUN tournament.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_BeachVB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
COACH BOTSFORD
Head coach Matt Botsford, who is also the head coach of the FGCU indoor volleyball program, just completed his fifth season at the helm of the FGCU beach volleyball program in 2018. In his tenure, the team has compiled a 46-58 record, and he's improved or steadied the team's win total each season. In fact, he led the program to 11 wins in 2016, 15 in 2017 and 15 more in 2018 - all three of which either tied or set new records for most wins in a season. The beach volleyball program will enter just its eighth season in 2019 and has an overall record of 57-73. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.
