WESTERVILLE – For some, pursuing a nursing degree while competing in a collegiate sport can be a daunting task. But not for senior Kennedy Hoffman, who credits Otterbein as having been the perfect place to pursue both her athletic and academic passions as a nursing student and member of the volleyball team.

"I'm super grateful for my time at Otterbein," Hoffman said. "When I stepped on campus, it was an amazing experience. I loved all the girls and saw myself really fitting in here with the volleyball and nursing aspect. I was super excited that I found a program where there were multiple girls on the team who were in nursing. They told me that even though it's hard, it's doable, and that's what I was looking for. I'm glad that I picked a program that worked best for me personally while still getting to compete and play well and have success."

A native of Seymour, Ind., Hoffman knew she wanted to attend an out-of-state school and was determined to find one where she could succeed both in the classroom as a future nurse and on the volleyball court. Otterbein and head coach Monica Wright stood out in that regard.

"There were a couple other schools I was considering, but I leaned heavily toward Otterbein because so many schools told me that volleyball and nursing weren't a possibility," Hoffman said. "I loved how Monica was supportive the whole entire time of me pursuing volleyball and nursing."

In the four years since, Hoffman has turned lots of hard work and determination into athletic and academic success. Her standout accolades in volleyball include being a three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree and being named MVP of the 2023 OAC Tournament in addition to earning AVCA All-Region status and surpassing 1,000 career kills. Among her academic achievements are holding a cumulative 3.90 GPA and being a three-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and Academic All-OAC selection. Her path has led her to already having a post-graduation job lined up as a labor and delivery nurse at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus.

"I did an internship my senior year of high school at a local women's health clinic, and when I got into the OB rotation of clinical, I loved my instructor and the class and got to see Riverside and explore the labor and delivery department there and loved it," Hoffman said. "I got lucky with my preceptorship, and I've loved every second, and thankfully they offered me a job."

While volleyball will take a back seat to her nursing career upon graduation, there is no doubt the sport has helped shape Hoffman into the person she is today. Growing up in a household where both parents were coaches, she participated in a wide variety of sports, including volleyball, basketball, soccer and gymnastics. But around sixth or seventh grade, she decided to make volleyball her focus.

Initially, playing volleyball was a way for her to spend more time with her friends. But it wasn't long before she fell in love with it and wanted to play it year-round at both the school and club levels.

"It was a great way for me to stay competitive and be active," she said.

Now 5-foot-11, Hoffman was always on the taller side for her age group, which certainly helped on the volleyball court. At Trinity Lutheran High School, where her graduating class numbered around 32 students, the small volleyball team proved quite talented during her time there.

"My sophomore, junior and senior years, we were really good," she said.

Based on her long list of accolades, Hoffman was a big reason why. A four-year letter winner in volleyball at Trinity Lutheran, she was a three-time All-County and All-Area selection, two-time First Team All-District honoree and was county co-MVP as a senior.

During Hoffman's junior year, Trinity Lutheran advanced all the way to the state championship game hosted by Ball State University. While her team came up short in that game, that experience inspired her to pursue playing volleyball at the next level.

"Being able to compete in an arena like that and have such a competitive game, that's when I decided I wanted to play at the collegiate level," she said. "It broke my heart when we lost that game, and I wasn't ready to give it up at the end of high school. I love the supportive program I had in high school and all the coaches who took the time to develop me and make me better for the collegiate level."

The shutdown of sports due to the Covid pandemic turned Hoffman's college recruitment process into a whirlwind. Much of that phase typically occurs during a high-schooler's sophomore or junior years, but Hoffman didn't consider pursuing collegiate volleyball until after her junior season. That meant she had some catching up to do. Fortuitously, she had played in a tournament in Indianapolis just prior to the Covid-induced shutdown where she was noticed by Otterbein graduate assistant coach Josie Andres. That connection, and the knowledge that she would be able to successfully pursue collegiate volleyball and a nursing career, led her to Otterbein.

She played in 19 matches as a freshman with the Cardinals while learning from teammates Morgan Hartman and Amber Greeley. That tutelage paid off, as she played in 29 matches as a sophomore and finished the season ranked seventh in the OAC with 286 kills en route to earning All-OAC Honorable Mention, Academic All-OAC and CSC Academic All-District status.

"I didn't feel a stress on me because Morgan and Amber and all the other hitters did such a good job, so I was able to just play and take my role how I wanted it," Hoffman said of that season. "I loved competing, and I was super glad I got to start establishing how I wanted to play and what my hitting style was going to be like. It was nice to able to do that without too much pressure."

Hoffman really came into her own as a junior, playing 31 matches and finishing the season second to Hartman in the OAC in kills (391) in helping lead the Cardinals to OAC regular season and tournament championships.

"That is a season that I'll remember forever," she said.

She earned All-OAC Second Team, Academic All-OAC and CSC Academic All-District recognition that year and was named OAC Tournament MVP after posting a career-high 27 kills in the championship victory over Mount Union. That total ranks fifth all-time at Otterbein for a single match.

"That was a crazy game and super fun," Hoffman said. "Coach had told me right before we started the tournament that I could go get MVP. I just went out and played like every match was my last, and I played super hard, especially for those seniors that year."

A senior herself this past season, Hoffman played in 30 matches and compiled 354 kills, which ranked fourth in the OAC. Her numerous accolades included All-OAC First Team, AVCA All-Region 7 Honorable Mention, CSC Academic All-District and Academic All-OAC. She was also named to the All-OAC Tournament Team after the Cardinals won the championship with a 3-1 victory at No. 8 Marietta.

"This season was super special," Hoffman said. "We had so many girls playing in different positions throughout the season, and it took us awhile to find our style, but when we did, we were great. I'm so proud of what we accomplished at the end of the year. We overcame a bunch of obstacles to have the season that we did, and winning that tournament championship was super fun."

In all, the Cardinals posted a 92-30 record, including a 31-5 conference mark, and won three OAC Tournament and two OAC regular-season championships and made four NCAA Tournament appearances in Hoffman's four years with the program. During that time, she amassed 1,068 career kills, which ranks fifth all-time at Otterbein, to go with 287 digs and 101 total blocks in 109 matches. But she is most proud of the team culture she was able to help create.

"You can't have that kind of success without a great team environment," she said. "I'm so proud that we've created an environment where everybody wants to play for each other, and that's how we make those long end-of-season runs."

Hoffman is also thankful for the coaching and mentorship she received from Wright.

"She really takes the time to get to know each one of her players and really tries to get on your level," Hoffman said of Wright. "As a person, she has shown me the love of the game even more and continually pushes us to do our best in volleyball and in school. So many of us come to Otterbein for more than just athletics, and she allows us to do extra things to develop ourselves outside of volleyball to set ourselves up for the future."

Outside of volleyball, Hoffman has developed into a highly successful nursing student. While she naturally enjoys taking care of others, she first became interested in nursing after watching some of her relatives experience battles with disease. Her passion for the field has only grown during her time at Otterbein.

"I love the nursing program here," she said. "The professors are always super accommodating to me. They know me by name and know that I play volleyball, and a lot of them check up on me and congratulate me in class. It's really nice knowing you have that supportive community."

In addition to helpful professors, Hoffman credits the same competitive nature she has on the volleyball court for what drives her to succeed in the classroom.

"I give a hundred percent to everything I do and always strive to do my best," she said. "My parents have always pushed me academically and want me to do my best in all things, so as long as I give my best effort, I can be proud of myself for that."

While her plate is plenty full with academic and athletic responsibilities, Hoffman still finds time to engage in multiple volunteer opportunities. Her favorite among them is an annual youth volleyball clinic she helps with in her hometown during her Christmas breaks.

"It's a day full of volleyball for all age groups," she said. "Seeing them start their love of volleyball is so precious, and I love it so much. It's a great day to be able to give back to my community and plant the fire and love of the game in little girls back home."

She has also been a student nurse assistant at The James Cancer Hospital since 2023, which she described as a great experience.

"These are patients who are at the worst times of their lives, and getting to see the smiles they have on their faces throughout their journey is inspiring," she said. "Even on their worst days, they are still so kind and happy to be receiving care. That has been awesome to get nursing experience in general and be able to give back."

Wright said Hoffman has displayed that same selflessness throughout her time with the Otterbein volleyball program.

"For three years, Kennedy was our go-to offensive player and the face of our program, and her leadership on and off the court was also integral to our success," Wright said. "She embraced her role as a senior, mentoring young students and showing them a path to excellence both in the classroom and on the court, and she was always a player those younger teammates gravitated to for advice, guidance and mentorship. She embraced our values of growth and servitude and was always looking to improve and find ways to give to better herself and the program. Our team's identity will change in her absence. We can only hope to be successful in different ways, as her presence and her productivity will be impossible to replace."

Despite receiving high praise from her coach, Hoffman focuses less on herself and more on the volleyball program as a whole when asked to reflect on her Otterbein legacy.

"The type of legacy I want to leave behind is the team culture we have built," she said. "It's such an inclusive environment where all the girls are like family, and I'm so proud of the banners we've been able to hang and the numbers we've been able to add to the banners. We have really shaped ourselves into a program that is known in the OAC, and I'm super proud of that."