A freshman outside hitter, Kelly Kinney comes to Minnesota as a true freshman from West Palm Beach, Fla. Kinney had a decorated prep career, tallying 1340 kills (.301 hitting), 769 digs, 148 aces and 115 blocks. As a senior in 2024, she posted 370 kills (.322), 189 digs, 45 aces and 21 blocks. She was ranked by Prep Volleyball as the No. 11 overall ranked player in the 2025 class, including the No. 1 ranking of any player in the south. The four-time Palm Beast Post All-District and Sun Sentinel All-Region selection was named an Under Armour All-American in 2024.

GS: Take us through your background and childhood.
KK: I have one older sister, Lily. My parents, Alison and Matt, live in West Palm Beach, Florida, which is where I’ve lived my whole life. I come from a super athletic family and everyone loves to play sports. My sister and I are three years apart, so we got to play in high school for one year together, and that was super special. She went on to play club volleyball at Florida State, where she graduated in three years and is staying there to do graduate school. She’s very into math and data science. My parents are my biggest role models and supporters. My dad works in sales and has done that for his whole career.

GS: How did you first get into volleyball? Did you try other sports growing up?
KK: I played alot of sports. My dad was a big soccer player (played in college at Columbia and Claremont McKenna College) and my mom played tennis, so those were two of the sports I grew up playing. I also spent several years as a swimmer. I started playing volleyball because my older sister tried it and really enjoyed it. I played for a local club for three years and I was pretty bad. I started off on the third team but kept getting better and finally got a spot on the first team as a middle blocker (I was one of the tallest players). I worked my way up and eventually moved to another club to play, transitioning to outside hitter in my 14’s year. I never wanted to come off the court, so I asked my coach what I needed to do to play six rotations. She told me to work on my passing, so that whole 14’s year I dedicated to passing and defense.

GS: When did you know that you were really starting to improve and that you could have a future in this sport?
KK: I got invited to the National Team Development Program for Team USA when I was 14. I was a little surprised that I got invited because it’s a pretty selective team, so that meant a lot to me. It helped me transition from playing at a pretty mediocre level to pushing myself and my teammates to chase greater heights. My 15’s year of club, we qualified for nationals for the first time, so that was a big step. NTDP helped push me and make me a better player. I knew after doing that, I could play in college.

GS: When did you know that you wanted to play in college? What was your club experience like?
KK: I’d say early in my 15’s year. It became real in that 15’s year when colleges started to recruit me. That year I also moved to Tribe Volleyball Club, which was my third club of my volleyball career. There I met my best friends, had great coaches and a great team. 16’s year was my favorite year of all time. We were the underdogs and we had that chip on our shoulder but we had a ton of success. We had a lot of college attention on our team and it was a little stressful, but it’s when my goal of playing in college was solidified. I then committed right before my 17’s year. My 18’s year we finished third in the nation and it was a super fun way to end my club career.

GS: Did you ever have a dream school growing up or were you more open?
KK: I did not have a dream school. I knew I wanted to leave Florida, that was my only preference. I grew up there my whole life and wanted something different. I loved the idea of playing in the Big Ten, it’s the best volleyball conference. So I was looking at Big Ten schools and a few California schools as well. 

GS: How did your relationship with Minnesota and Coach Cook begin?
KK: I got to play for Keegan [Cook] with Team USA’s U19 group, so we got to know each other there. Then on June 15 of my junior year, we had a phone call that night and I realized how special of a place Minnesota is. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. I wanted to keep my options open on June 15 but Minnesota shot straight up the list. I talked about it with my family about the whole process. It came down to the program that cares about me as much as a person as they do as a player. I want to be known as more than a volleyball player and the coaching staff cultivates who I am outside of volleyball. The girls on the team are super special too. I got to talk to Jordan [Taylor], McKenna [Garr] and Carly [Gilk] and get to know them during the process. I can’t see myself being a part of any other team. One of the phone calls I had with the staff, my mom ended up with tears in her eyes. I just knew it was the right decision.

GS: Did you ever visit Minnesota before committing?
KK: In 2022 we were at the Northern Lights Tournament in Minnesota. So I just kind of walked around with my teammates on campus. There was a hockey game going on at the time, so there was a lot of buzz on campus. I also came on a visit the fall of 2022 and saw a couple games during the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge. I took a picture in front of the Gopher ‘M’ at Coffman, and it ended up being in the same Gophers shirt I committed in.

GS: What was your official visit to Minnesota like?
KK: I came with the other three freshmen signees in the fall of 2023. I knew Jordan [Taylor] a little bit from NTDP, but we weren’t super close. I met Carly [Gilk] at AAU’s before either of us committed, because we both were considering Minnesota. We ended up committing on the same day. I met McKenna [Garr] for the first time and that was awesome. I got to meet all the girls on the team as well, including Mckenna [Wucherer], who I really look up to. She’s amazing to talk to. During the visit we got to see a game and the Pav was packed. It was so cool to see the atmosphere that I was going to be able to play in. The fans are amazing here. They’re so dedicated and it’s such a healthy culture. We also got to go to a hockey game, and it just felt so ‘Minnesota.’ We also got to watch practice on the visit and it gave me a lot to look forward to in coming here.

GS: You were born raised in Florida. Was it ever a concern for your family with you going so far away for school?
KK: Their main concern is just my happiness. They wanted me to go somewhere I would find my second family. They felt really comfortable with the coaches and the people here. As long as I’m happy, they’re happy.

GS: For those that haven’t seen you play before, how would you describe yourself as a player?
KK: I’m a pretty well-rounded player and can play in a lot of areas on the court. I’ll do anything to help the team win, whatever that looks like. Since I’ve played so many different  positions, I can hit a lot of different shots, including from the back row. I’m excited that I have a good technical base, but have a lot of room to grow and get better.

GS: What excites you most about your first collegiate volleyball season?
KK: I’ve just been looking forward to this for so long. The fact I’m blessed enough to play in the Big Ten and Division I in general is super exciting to me. It’s going to show how much my work in the past is going to pay off. I’m going to be able to grow so much as a player. I’m looking forward to playing in different gyms around the Big Ten and be with the team. We’ve had a couple open gyms and lifts, but I can’t wait to see how it pays off on the court.

GS: Where are you most excited to go and play?
KK: Probably everywhere. I’ve only been to a few colleges, so I’m excited to play in so many different gyms. One of my club teammates is on UCLA, so I can’t wait to play them. Other than that, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Penn State. I’m looking forward to seeing my NTDP teammates across the net from me during my games.

GS: What have your teammates told you about our rivalry matches?
KK: Not much so far. I do know the games against Wisconsin are some of the most anticipating matches of the year. I watched both of them last year and they were amazing five-set battles. I can’t wait to live it out myself.

GS: What goals do you have for the team and for yourself this year?
KK: I want the team to go as far as we can. A Big Ten championship and deep run in the tournament is always the goal. For myself, to have a solid freshman year, doing whatever I need to do to help the team. I can’t wait to play in front of the fans too. I want to be a better player every single day and work really hard in practice. I want to grow as a player and as a person.

GS: Do you have a favorite Golden Gopher that you look up to?
KK: I have watched Stephanie Samedy play, when I started watching volleyball. It’s cool that she’s from Florida too. Other than that, I have just watched so many players that I like and try to take something from each of their games.

GS: When you’re not playing volleyball, what do you like to do?
KK: I’m a huge reader. I like hanging out with friends, going to the beach or going to the pool. I’m excited to explore Minneapolis, I’ve been to a few restaurants so far but haven’t really been able to explore the city.

Rapid Fire:
Favorite Food: Pasta or Sushi
Fun Fact: I went on a mission trip to Nicaragua to build houses this year
Big Kill or Big Block: Block
Favorite Sport To Watch: Basketball or Soccer
Pro Sports Team: Liverpool FC
Favorite Vacation Spot: Greece
TV Shows: Supernatural, SWAT, Court of Gold and The Last Dance
Biggest Inspirations: My mom and sister