Kennedy Shelstead

Biography

Kennedy Shelstead was hired as UNT volleyball’s assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in March 2025. She joined the Mean Green after one season at Pittsburg State (Pittsburg, Kan.) where she worked under head coach Jen Gomez. While with the Gorillas, Shelstead coached one all-conference performer and nine members of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Prior to her arrival at Pittsburg State, Shelstead coached four seasons at Arkansas Tech (Russellville, Ark.) with two years as a graduate assistant (2020-21) and two as an assistant coach (2022-23) under Kera Coleman. In 2021, the Golden Suns won the Great American Conference (GAC) tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament for the sixth time in program history. Shelstead began coaching after her four-year playing career with two seasons at John Brown University (2015-16) before she transferred to Abilene Christian (2017-19). She finished her indoor career with 317 sets played, 608 kills and 292 blocks over four seasons. She competed in both indoor and beach during her time at JBU and ACU while she earned a Southland Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll selection in spring 2020 as a member of the Wildcats beach volleyball team. As a sophomore at John Brown, she was named an honorable mention all-league selection for the Sooner Athletic Conference for her indoor performance. A native of Keller, Texas, Shelstead was a three-year letter winner during her prep career and graduated from Melissa High