Nikki Elsaesser enters her second non consecutive year as an assistant coach on the Messiah women's soccer coaching staff in 2022.

Elsaesser was a graduate assistant coach for the Falcons for a season in 2018 before accepting the head coaching position at Houghton College where she coached from 2019-2021. While at Houghton, she compiled a 17-20-4 record.

Nikki returns to Messiah College most recently from coaching soccer, teaching physical education, and supporting teams as an athletic trainer at a private school in Connecticut.  While there, she got to draw upon a multitude of sports ministry experiences she gained throughout her college years.

While a Messiah College student-athlete, Nikki had a very successful career on the soccer field-- coupling that success with a ministry minded approach to her sport.  The culture of her team provided an environment in which she was mentored as an underclassman and grew to be a strong leader by her senior year. 

Just prior to her senior year, Nikki spent a summer with Missionary Athletes International, a soccer ministry in Charlotte, NC.  Her time in Charlotte was eye-opening, as she experienced how powerful the ministry platform of sports can be, especially in connecting with people that don’t have a faith background.  She returned to Messiah with a renewed passion for using her senior year to pour into her teammates spiritually.  She and her fellow classmates were responsible for team devotions, as well as leading a small group for the underclassman.  Together they sought to see their teammates grow spiritually while also challenging them to pursue excellence on the field.

In a wider scope of experiences at Messiah, Nikki was involved in AROMA as a student through attending chapels and going on an international trip to Uganda.  Her experience in Uganda lead to a relationship with AROMA’s international partner, Sports Outreach, where she would eventually serve as an intern, gaining even more experience in a different aspect of sports ministry.  This also lead her back to Uganda with AROMA and Sports Outreach; this time as an alum.

Drawing upon this wide breadth of experiences, Nikki pursued opportunities to love and serve her students through her many roles in Connecticut. Her passion to continue in sports ministry ultimately brought her back to Messiah as the AROMA Graduate Assistant.  She desired to be surrounded by other people with a passion for ministry and to glean all she could in order to prepare for wherever God calls her next.  While here, she is excited to develop meaningful relationships with female athletes on campus, giving in the same ways she received in her time here.

Last updated: 12/06/22