Women Who Lead: Kristen Kjellman

But unlike Heisman Trophy winners, Kjellman will bring her winning attitude off the field and into the real world. Kjellman took a moment to reminisce about her college career during her 16-hour drive from Northwestern University back to her home in Westwood, Massachusetts.

What do you find special about your team?

We had good chemistry on and off the field. We work hard for each other. From the beginning of the season we had the right mentality. It is easy to get complacent after two national championships but we stayed hungry.

How do you motivate yourself everyday?

Winning a national championship is the best feeling in the world. I always want to have that feeling, and it’s a new team every year so we want them to have that feeling, too. My coaches and teammates motivate me every day by working hard.

Who are your role models?

My mom, Kelly Amonte-Hiller (Kjellman’s Northwestern lacrosse head coach), and Billie Jean King are three of my biggest role models

When did you start playing lacrosse? When did you know you wanted to play in college?

I started playing lacrosse in 8th grade or when I was 14. After I attended my coach’s camp the summer before my junior year when I decided that I really wanted to play lacrosse in college.

How has being a student athlete affected your college career?

Being a student-athlete has taught me life lessons. I had to learn time management. Lacrosse is what I love to do but it’s also my job. It’s great to be part of a team that work toward a goal, and I think there’s a lot of that in the real world, too. I learned to be a leader and manage conflict.

What has been the most difficult part of your college career? What has been most rewarding, besides the championships?

Balancing demanding academic standards and lacrosse. However, it was not as difficult as I had anticipated before heading to school. The most rewarding has been the relationships I have formed with my teammates, leadership skills and the lessons I have learned on and off the field.

What are your post-graduation plans?

I don’t have anything set yet but I would love to stay involved in lacrosse, more on the business side. There’s no professional league but there is a national team and a World Cup. I will tryout for the national team again this summer.

What is your favorite memory of your college career?

The three days that I won national championships. All our work finally paid off on those days. When I started playing, the team had been .500 the year before. My coach turned the program around. Other games stand out too—ones that were building blocks for us, like beating Duke during my sophomore year.

What advice would you give to women who may want to be, or are currently, student athletes?

Keep working hard on your sport. Confidence is the biggest thing and my coach helped a lot with that. Set your standards high. I think that’s what helped turn up my passion for the game.

What does winning the lacrosse awards mean to you?

It is all very flattering, but I'm just happy that we won the National Championship. That is our ultimate goal and all that really matters.