Bio

Kellsi Parson returns for her fifth year as Head Coach for NIC's women's soccer team. She played as a midfielder for NIC in 2012-2013. Her team in 2012 finished 9-4-2. After her two years at NIC she went back to Lewiston, Idaho and coached the high school soccer team before returning to NIC.

Parson played high school soccer at Lewiston High School where she was a four-year starter. She was named to the All-League Team all four years and as a junior was named Most Valuable Player of the Inland Empire League. She was a part of the first team in Lewiston High School soccer history to make a state tournament appearance.

Parson returned to Coeur d’Alene and finished her degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Education from Lewis-Clark State College in December 2018.

As head coach for the 2021-2022 season, the team went 12-6 overall and 8-4 in conference which meant the team would host their first playoff game since Kellsi took over. With a 1-0 win over Whatcom College the team headed to the Elite 8 in the NWAC tournament for the first time in three years. The Cardinals ended up losing 1-0 in the Elite 8 to Highline College. The season saw many accolades as well. NIC had the East Region MVP, as well as four others named to the NWAC All-Star team.Three more were named NWAC Honorable Mentions, and Parson was named East Region Coach of the Year.

2022-2023 was another successful year for the Cardinals. Their record was 13-2-4 overall and 10-1-3 in conference. This team set a record by only giving up three goals in 14 conference games. This year’s playoff run started in Coos Bay, Oregon against the number two seed out of the south Southwestern Oregon Community College. After a 3-0 win the team headed to play the number one seed in the west Lower Columbia. A heart-breaking loss in a penalty kick shootout ended the team’s season. There were three athletes named to the NWAC All-Star team and three athletes named to Honorable Mention.

The 2023-2024 season ended just like the previous two seasons. The first-round playoff game was in Vancouver, WA where the team played the number two team in the west Clark College. Down 1-0 in the 87^th minute the Cardinals were awarded a free kick that sent the game into overtime. Just three minutes in into overtime the Cards finished a goal that was the game winner sending the team to play Peninsula College in the Elite 8. The Cardinals season came to an end in overtime against Peninsula College. This team had three NWAC All-Stars and three NWAC Honorable Mentions. 

The Cardinals look ahead to the 2024 season in the NJCAA with hopes of making the National Tournament.