Meet the Clinton girl who can pull off as many volleyball kills as basketball dots.
Jenny Kester, a 1989 graduate, was pivotal to the success of both sports at Queens River, and was rewarded for her excellence with an athletic trip to Wichita State University, an NCAA Division I volleyball program.
It is not uncommon to see females succeed in both sports. Coaches couldn’t teach height or raw athleticism and coordination — all of which she had. But Keister’s abilities caused headaches for MAC enemies, especially late in her career.
There was its first volleyball season in 1988 in which Davenport North and Clinton were ranked first and second in the state. The River Queens have never beaten their rivals, but they have not been without impressive, impressive games – the likes of which clearly caught the college’s attention.
It’s hard to ignore the 17 kills and seven blocks in the win over North Scott. Or when she took down Bettendorf with eight blocks and six aces. There she dominated the national tournament as she cleaned up the all-tournament team and earned MVP honors as she led all players with 29 kills.
And there was the time Clinton shined during the 1988 Dubuque tournament in which Kester led all comers with 42 kills.
Her play earned her All-MAC and All-State honors. Had the River Queens not been defeated by North an out-of-state game, history might remember Clinton’s deep run to the Iowa state championship.
She continued through the college ranks where Keister decorated academically and for a time held the Shocker single-season record for most games played in a season and collected 374 career kills.
Her performance on the basketball court was second to none. Keister and teammate Maureen Roushar traded team highs for points, resulting in opponents having to choose who to lose.
Roshard, who shot from outside, and when teams focused on the perimeter, Kester was waiting for low points. She led the River Queens on numerous occasions in the 1988 playoffs: 16 points in a win over Tipton, and another 14 over Davenport West.
But late in the 1989 season, Kester suffered an injury that hampered Clinton late in the season.
The River Queens were defeated in the district finals, losing badly to Kester’s familiar 12 points per game.
When it came to scoring points—in either sport—Clinton teams of the late 1980s cherished Kester’s production.