You were an All-American at Duke as a player – what was that experience like? What is your favorite memory as a Blue Devil?
CK I absolutely loved my experience at Duke, hands down. My Blue Devil family created the best 4 years of my life and shaped me to be the coach I am now – it's why I got into coaching! The atmosphere of excellence was incredible – we worked hard on and off the field as athletes and had some awesome experiences along the way. A few highlights include the basketball team winning a national championship my junior year; going undefeated at home my senior year on the lacrosse field; and competing in two Final Fours – my freshman year and again as a senior. I still go back to Duke twice a year representing Monmouth to work camp and have a great relationship with my head coach. It was truly a lifelong fit for me as a student athlete.
They say lacrosse is family – that certainly is true in the Kaestner family. Where did that come from?
CK Lacrosse is certainly a part of the Kaestner family DNA! I grew up playing it from a young age and needless to say I think all of my siblings and I were destined to be lacrosse players…we Kaestner's have 7 D1 players, a D3 player, and 6 All Americans across 3 generations. My grandfather, Bud, played at Johns Hopkins and is in the National Hall of Fame; my uncle Hank also played at Hopkins and is in the National Hall of Fame; my uncle Reed was an All American at Maryland; my dad John was a 3x All American and Turnbull Award Winner at Maryland; my older sister Ashby was a 3x All American at Georgetown; my younger brother Johnny played at Hopkins; and our cousin Eleanor played at Dickinson. My sister, brother and I all overlapped for a season at our respective schools in 2010. It was a wild spring for my parents to cover all of our games around the country, especially since we were always begging for mom or dad or both based on who we played! Good news though – mom and dad still get their lax fix at Monmouth games. I'm proud to hold down the lacrosse fort for my family.
What made you decide to join and stay with Coach Trautman at Monmouth University?
CK Jordan is one of the most important people in my life and has been in my world for quite some time. She played at Georgetown with my sister and they have always been very close. When she called me about this opportunity, it was a no brainer. I said yes before she had the chance to tell me details! She's passionate and fair, encouraging and organized, an incredible role model and selfless. She has taught me more about how to lead a program than I ever imagined. I came with her to build something here – we both saw the potential for success and embraced the challenge to put Monmouth back on the map. We're both incredibly competitive with our sights set on winning championships while helping our players become the people they were meant to be. It's been one of the best decisions of my life. I stay here with her because I feel like she's given me an opportunity to make my mark and be authentic to who I am as a coach while growing in leaps and bounds. Jordan has given me a platform to succeed and we balance each other really well. We're a team. Plus, she's got two pretty cute kids that are fun to be around!
What kind of student-athletes are you looking to recruit? What traits are a must?
CK We love a well-balanced student athlete here at Monmouth University. Multi-sport athletes, good students, kind people, family first, and passionate players will ALWAYS be a good fit. We are always looking for the student athlete that wants to get a great education and win championships – we certainly recruit the whole package. We know that a commitment to play for us will be the greatest and most rewarding challenge of your life. Monmouth is a special placed filled with special people doing big things.
What is your favorite thing about working at Monmouth?
CK I love the atmosphere here at Monmouth. Monmouth is a close-knit community offering an excellent education with access to big cities like New York, and of course, the ocean. The athletic department support is fantastic – we love going to other sporting events and seeing the coaches and student athletes in the stands for our games. Also, I do a wave check every day on my way in to work to see some of my favorite people and work towards winning a championship. What's better than that?
Christie Kaestner recently completed her third season with the Hawks, directs the Monmouth offense. Her unit in 2019 featured the highest scoring average in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and the Offensive Player of the Year in Nicole Ceraso. Prior to the sudden end of the season the Hawks were 6-2 and were preseason favorites to win the conference for the first time since joining the MAAC. Kaestner currently lives in Bradley Beach and has visited all 48 contiguous states.
