Posted: Jan 31, 2012
Petersen is the daughter of Jene and Russ Petersen and sister to Russ, John and Cole. She is currently a senior at Platteview High School where she and her family reside in Springfield, Neb.
Petersen is an honor roll student at Platteview and will be a four-year varsity letterwinner this spring while competing for the Trojans. She has scored 20 goals and six assists over her three years on the team, primarily from the defensive position.
“Kate is a huge addition to the team for next year," said Nicolarsen. "She is an extremely versatile player and can attack or play a defensive role depending on where we need her. She has all the tools to be an excellent college player."
Petersen earned all-state honorable mention honors her sophomore and junior seasons, as well as academic all-conference accolades, while helping lead her team to the Nebraska high school state tournament during her sophomore campaign.
She played her club soccer for OFC Elite White Rapids under coaches Mark Waddington and Neil Hope. The Rapids won the Premier NSL league three years in a row and reached the semifinals of the state cup last season.
"Another great thing about Kate is that she is as gifted in the classroom as she is on the field which makes her a tremendous asset to the program," added Nicolarsen. "I anticipate her having an immediate and big impact on the team in 2012 and beyond.”
The 2011 Bruins finished the season with a 14-2-3 overall record, winning the MCAC Tournament title and tying for the MCAC regular season crown with a 5-0-1 league record. Bellevue advanced to the NAIA National Championship for the second-straight season and ended the year with a No. 18 final national ranking.
