Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus #1 Stanford on December 5, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1
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Final
Women's Soccer
0
vs #1 Stanford
1
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Kelly Preussner: The Woman Behind the Scenes
2/19/2021 3:28:00 PM | Women's Soccer
By Charlotte Tannenbaum, Duke Communications Student Assistant
Kelly Preussner. It's a name that many Blue Devils wouldn't recognize, but one that is crucial nonetheless to the success of their favorite players and teams. Preussner is Duke's Associate Director of Academic Support Services, a job that encompasses a wide variety of functions essential in supporting Duke's student athletes. She works closely with women's soccer and other sports here at Duke as an undeniably integral part of the team, though most of her heavy lifting is done behind the scenes.
Trying to juggle the high caliber academics of a top university like Duke with the demands of varsity athletics is overwhelming, to say the least. That's why the Blue Devils are lucky to have Preussner, who works with student-athletes and coaches to ensure that things run as smoothly as possible both on the field and in the classroom. From balancing travel schedules to helping students pick classes, all of her work is crucial to the success of the team. But Preussner's most important duty is being there for her students; she devotes immense time and energy towards making sure they know that they always have somebody on their side.
"I knew that my strengths were working with people, and I wanted to make a difference on that level," says Preussner. By taking this approach to the job, she has transformed the position into something much more personal and productive than it is at other schools. Her efforts do not go unnoticed by the student-athletes that she works with.
"Kelly has been a phenomenal resource, mentor, and friend to the members of Duke women's soccer. She works tirelessly to make sure our Duke education is logistically seamless, enjoyable, and exciting," says senior Karlie Paschall. "She is essential to the program and has helped many women's soccer players achieve their academic and career goals."
At many schools, an academic coordinator's sole priority is making sure that their student-athletes have the GPA needed to pass courses and play their sport. But for Preussner, it's important that each of her students gets an education that will help them follow their dreams on and off the field. In order to do this, she needs to know the student-athletes she works with.
"There's over 300 people who work in athletics, but there's very few people who have those relationships and know the backstories and know what it takes and what they're going through. You may see them on TV and see them playing, but you have no idea who they really are and what it takes to get there," says Preussner. She takes the time to get to know students, forming lasting connections with them that often start before they come to Duke and extend long after they graduate.
"You really develop those relationships. You laugh with them, you cry with them. Sometimes the hardest part of this position is that you carry their struggles with you... sometimes I feel like I have 177 kids and I'm constantly carrying their burdens," says Preussner.
Those who have worked with Preussner had the comfort of knowing that they were never alone.
"Her door was always open and I knew she deeply cared about every one of her students as a person," recalls Duke soccer alumna Kayla McCoy.
Preussner's student-athletes always have someone in their corner, ready to work through any problem with them. "I want my students to know that it's a no judgement zone. I want you to come in here and tell me everything and then we can figure it out," says Preussner. Whether it be family problems, stress from athletic performance, learning issues, or the infamous imposter syndrome that seems to plague most college students, Preussner has seen it all and is ready to tackle any issue that students approach her with.
"It's different for different students. It's just breaking down those barriers and those walls and figuring out why they're struggling. And there can be a lot of different reasons," says Preussner. "My priority is to help them grow as a person. It's not just to get them to achieve a 3.5 GPA."
By focusing on the student themself as opposed to just the scores they are getting in the classroom, Preussner is able to help student-athletes where they really need it.
"Eligibility and passing classes is never usually the issue at Duke. For us it is about supporting them to be the best student and the best athlete they can be," she says.
Preussner's students rave about the support she has steadfastly provided them with.
"She helped me grow so much since freshman year and helped me gain so much confidence in the classroom. I am beyond grateful for her and all that she has done for our program. She truly loves all her athletes and wants the absolute best for them," says senior midfielder Lily Nabet.
Nabet's teammate, senior Tess Boade, shares her sentiments: "Kelly is the behind-the-scenes reason why Duke women's soccer has such a long history of academic success."
Boade is right – clearly, Preussner's approach is working. In her 20 semesters working with women's soccer, they have boasted a team GPA of 3.0 or above, with the past 18 semesters being 3.4 or greater. The impressive number is still climbing, as during her last five semesters, the team GPA has clocked in at over 3.5. With 85 selections to the ACC All-Academic Team, three ACC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, and 10 United Soccer Coaches Association Scholar All-American Selections, the accolades racked up during Preussner's time here just keep piling on.
"I think part of the success with women's soccer is that Coach Robbie [Church] puts so much value on me and who I am," she says. "We build that relationship during the recruiting process and then we work with them the summer before their freshman year."
Once they're on campus, Preussner's connection with players only grows. She supports their advancement on and off the field, spending time with them on the busses to away games, during team meals, and this year, on many Zoom calls.
"Duke is such a unique place for a student-athlete and I believe wholeheartedly in our mission, but also what we prioritize. And that is the relationship aspect. From sports information to the training room to the coaching staff to academics, we are just one family," says Preussner.
And without a doubt, athletes all across campus would agree: in this family, Kelly Preussner is the compassionate mom who holds everything together.
#GoDuke
Kelly Preussner. It's a name that many Blue Devils wouldn't recognize, but one that is crucial nonetheless to the success of their favorite players and teams. Preussner is Duke's Associate Director of Academic Support Services, a job that encompasses a wide variety of functions essential in supporting Duke's student athletes. She works closely with women's soccer and other sports here at Duke as an undeniably integral part of the team, though most of her heavy lifting is done behind the scenes.
Trying to juggle the high caliber academics of a top university like Duke with the demands of varsity athletics is overwhelming, to say the least. That's why the Blue Devils are lucky to have Preussner, who works with student-athletes and coaches to ensure that things run as smoothly as possible both on the field and in the classroom. From balancing travel schedules to helping students pick classes, all of her work is crucial to the success of the team. But Preussner's most important duty is being there for her students; she devotes immense time and energy towards making sure they know that they always have somebody on their side.
"I knew that my strengths were working with people, and I wanted to make a difference on that level," says Preussner. By taking this approach to the job, she has transformed the position into something much more personal and productive than it is at other schools. Her efforts do not go unnoticed by the student-athletes that she works with.
"Kelly has been a phenomenal resource, mentor, and friend to the members of Duke women's soccer. She works tirelessly to make sure our Duke education is logistically seamless, enjoyable, and exciting," says senior Karlie Paschall. "She is essential to the program and has helped many women's soccer players achieve their academic and career goals."
At many schools, an academic coordinator's sole priority is making sure that their student-athletes have the GPA needed to pass courses and play their sport. But for Preussner, it's important that each of her students gets an education that will help them follow their dreams on and off the field. In order to do this, she needs to know the student-athletes she works with.
"There's over 300 people who work in athletics, but there's very few people who have those relationships and know the backstories and know what it takes and what they're going through. You may see them on TV and see them playing, but you have no idea who they really are and what it takes to get there," says Preussner. She takes the time to get to know students, forming lasting connections with them that often start before they come to Duke and extend long after they graduate.
"You really develop those relationships. You laugh with them, you cry with them. Sometimes the hardest part of this position is that you carry their struggles with you... sometimes I feel like I have 177 kids and I'm constantly carrying their burdens," says Preussner.
Those who have worked with Preussner had the comfort of knowing that they were never alone.
"Her door was always open and I knew she deeply cared about every one of her students as a person," recalls Duke soccer alumna Kayla McCoy.
Preussner's student-athletes always have someone in their corner, ready to work through any problem with them. "I want my students to know that it's a no judgement zone. I want you to come in here and tell me everything and then we can figure it out," says Preussner. Whether it be family problems, stress from athletic performance, learning issues, or the infamous imposter syndrome that seems to plague most college students, Preussner has seen it all and is ready to tackle any issue that students approach her with.
"It's different for different students. It's just breaking down those barriers and those walls and figuring out why they're struggling. And there can be a lot of different reasons," says Preussner. "My priority is to help them grow as a person. It's not just to get them to achieve a 3.5 GPA."
By focusing on the student themself as opposed to just the scores they are getting in the classroom, Preussner is able to help student-athletes where they really need it.
"Eligibility and passing classes is never usually the issue at Duke. For us it is about supporting them to be the best student and the best athlete they can be," she says.
Preussner's students rave about the support she has steadfastly provided them with.
"She helped me grow so much since freshman year and helped me gain so much confidence in the classroom. I am beyond grateful for her and all that she has done for our program. She truly loves all her athletes and wants the absolute best for them," says senior midfielder Lily Nabet.
Nabet's teammate, senior Tess Boade, shares her sentiments: "Kelly is the behind-the-scenes reason why Duke women's soccer has such a long history of academic success."
Boade is right – clearly, Preussner's approach is working. In her 20 semesters working with women's soccer, they have boasted a team GPA of 3.0 or above, with the past 18 semesters being 3.4 or greater. The impressive number is still climbing, as during her last five semesters, the team GPA has clocked in at over 3.5. With 85 selections to the ACC All-Academic Team, three ACC Scholar-Athletes of the Year, and 10 United Soccer Coaches Association Scholar All-American Selections, the accolades racked up during Preussner's time here just keep piling on.
"I think part of the success with women's soccer is that Coach Robbie [Church] puts so much value on me and who I am," she says. "We build that relationship during the recruiting process and then we work with them the summer before their freshman year."
Once they're on campus, Preussner's connection with players only grows. She supports their advancement on and off the field, spending time with them on the busses to away games, during team meals, and this year, on many Zoom calls.
"Duke is such a unique place for a student-athlete and I believe wholeheartedly in our mission, but also what we prioritize. And that is the relationship aspect. From sports information to the training room to the coaching staff to academics, we are just one family," says Preussner.
And without a doubt, athletes all across campus would agree: in this family, Kelly Preussner is the compassionate mom who holds everything together.
#GoDuke
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