Trent Kersten returns for his third year at the helm of the Spartan program in 2022 after a very successful 2021 campaign.
The Spartans finished 2021 with a 19-10 overall record and 13-5 MW record. The 19 wins were the most by a San José State team in 15 years and the third time in five seasons that the program finished above .500. The 13 conference wins were the most MW wins in school history. The team finished in third place, the highest finish in the MW for the program and conference finish for a Spartan team since 1999-2001 when the team was second in the Western Athletic Conference each of those seasons.
He spent his first season navigating through a pandemic. Kersten led Spartans to a 7-9 overall record as the team played a Mountain West only schedule in the Spring of 2021. San José State was the only team in the conference that played all 16 matches scheduled.
The Spartans have also made a strong showing in the classroom during his tenure. The team has earned 12 Academic All-MW honors and 16 Mountain West Scholar Athlete recognitions. This past year, six players were named either San José State President’s or Dean’s Scholars.
Kersten was named the eighth head coach of the San José State women’s volleyball program in February of 2020. He came to San José State after five seasons (2015-19) as a member of the TCU coaching staff where the team played in the postseason four of the five years. As the Recruiting Coordinator, his 2019 class was ranked fifth in the nation by Volleyball Magazine and sixth in the nation by Prep Volleyball.
Active in the USA Volleyball High Performance programs, he has assisted in developing athletes ranging in ages from 12-18. Kersten’s 2019 team won a gold medal at the High Performance Championships and was selected to the 2020 U.S. Girls Youth National Training Team coaching staff as an assistant coach. He has assisted at the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team Open Program tryouts and was an assistant coach at the 2021 USA Volleyball National Team Development Program Winter Training Series.
Kersten played three seasons at UCLA under legendary men’s coaches Al Scates and John Speraw, the current USA Men’s National Team Head Coach. A walk-on, he was a three-year starter and earned a scholarship during his playing career. A 2015 All-MPSF honorable mention selection, he ranked among the nation’s top-15 in hitting percentage (.387) and blocks per set (1.08) his final year.
“Trent has my strong and enthusiastic support for this opportunity because of the integrity and work ethic he demonstrated as a player at UCLA and the passion and innovative thinking he brings to his coaching career. I am so proud of what he has accomplished in such a short time. The drive and thoughtfulness he brings to teaching is nothing short of inspirational. Congratulations to San José State and the women who will play for him. To the parents of those women, know that I would be honored to send my own daughters to play for him. I can offer no higher praise,” said Speraw.
During his undergraduate years, Kersten worked in the UCLA Recruiting Department during the summer of 2014 and was a lead coach for three summers at the UCLA Summer Volleyball Camps.
Kersten has extensive experience working with club teams in California and Texas. He has been responsible for managing coaching staffs and working with budgets for each team.
Kersten graduated from UCLA in June of 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in geography and environmental studies. He and his wife, Tara, are the proud parents of a daughter, Kolbie
The Spartans finished 2021 with a 19-10 overall record and 13-5 MW record. The 19 wins were the most by a San José State team in 15 years and the third time in five seasons that the program finished above .500. The 13 conference wins were the most MW wins in school history. The team finished in third place, the highest finish in the MW for the program and conference finish for a Spartan team since 1999-2001 when the team was second in the Western Athletic Conference each of those seasons.
He spent his first season navigating through a pandemic. Kersten led Spartans to a 7-9 overall record as the team played a Mountain West only schedule in the Spring of 2021. San José State was the only team in the conference that played all 16 matches scheduled.
The Spartans have also made a strong showing in the classroom during his tenure. The team has earned 12 Academic All-MW honors and 16 Mountain West Scholar Athlete recognitions. This past year, six players were named either San José State President’s or Dean’s Scholars.
Kersten was named the eighth head coach of the San José State women’s volleyball program in February of 2020. He came to San José State after five seasons (2015-19) as a member of the TCU coaching staff where the team played in the postseason four of the five years. As the Recruiting Coordinator, his 2019 class was ranked fifth in the nation by Volleyball Magazine and sixth in the nation by Prep Volleyball.
Active in the USA Volleyball High Performance programs, he has assisted in developing athletes ranging in ages from 12-18. Kersten’s 2019 team won a gold medal at the High Performance Championships and was selected to the 2020 U.S. Girls Youth National Training Team coaching staff as an assistant coach. He has assisted at the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team Open Program tryouts and was an assistant coach at the 2021 USA Volleyball National Team Development Program Winter Training Series.
Kersten played three seasons at UCLA under legendary men’s coaches Al Scates and John Speraw, the current USA Men’s National Team Head Coach. A walk-on, he was a three-year starter and earned a scholarship during his playing career. A 2015 All-MPSF honorable mention selection, he ranked among the nation’s top-15 in hitting percentage (.387) and blocks per set (1.08) his final year.
“Trent has my strong and enthusiastic support for this opportunity because of the integrity and work ethic he demonstrated as a player at UCLA and the passion and innovative thinking he brings to his coaching career. I am so proud of what he has accomplished in such a short time. The drive and thoughtfulness he brings to teaching is nothing short of inspirational. Congratulations to San José State and the women who will play for him. To the parents of those women, know that I would be honored to send my own daughters to play for him. I can offer no higher praise,” said Speraw.
During his undergraduate years, Kersten worked in the UCLA Recruiting Department during the summer of 2014 and was a lead coach for three summers at the UCLA Summer Volleyball Camps.
Kersten has extensive experience working with club teams in California and Texas. He has been responsible for managing coaching staffs and working with budgets for each team.
Kersten graduated from UCLA in June of 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in geography and environmental studies. He and his wife, Tara, are the proud parents of a daughter, Kolbie