Reno alum overcomes injury to reach Division I volleyball
By the time Amber Keen stepped back onto the court late in her senior season at Reno High, she wasn’t just returning from an injury.
She was returning from months of rehab, a season-ending knee surgery as a junior, and the uncertainty that comes with wondering whether a promising career might be slipping away.
Keen’s junior year ended abruptly when she suffered a major knee injury that required surgery. The setback forced her to the sideline and delayed her recruiting process, but it didn’t change her goals. She attacked recovery with the same competitiveness she brought to the net, determined to return before her high school career ended.
As she reflects on that period now, she said she wishes she had understood the importance of preparation long before the injury. The lessons she learned during rehab reshaped how she viewed training and development.
“Take strength training and other work outside of volleyball more seriously, it’s so important to your growth,” she said.
Keen returned in the final month of her senior season and immediately helped stabilize Reno’s lineup. The Huskies surged through the postseason, winning a regional championship and finishing as the state runner-up. That run included a breakthrough moment that still stands out as one of the highlights of her career.
“When we reverse swept Gorman for the first time ever to go to the state championship,” she said.
Her comeback opened the door to Division I volleyball. Keen earned a scholarship to San Diego State, joining the Mountain West Conference and facing former Reno and Northern Nevada Juniors teammates across the net, including Masyn Navarro, Sierra Bernard and Lara Pacheco.
Her time at SDSU brought another challenge when she reinjured her knee as a junior, ultimately forcing her to medically retire. Even with the setback, she found moments that reminded her why she loved the sport.
“My favorite memory was beating Oregon, a ranked team in preseason this year,” she said.
Keen credits Northern Nevada Juniors for helping her navigate the recruiting process, especially during the uncertainty surrounding her injury. She said the club provided structure, guidance and a clear path forward at a time when she needed direction.
“They helped set up recruiting clinics, and when I got more serious about playing in college the recruiting director was super helpful with guidance and help communicating with coaches,” she said.
Her recovery also depended on the people who invested in her development. Keen said she leaned heavily on coaches who believed in her potential and were willing to put in extra time to help her return to form. One coach in particular – Reno’s Kuna Nakagawa – made a lasting impact.
“He was so valuable to my growth as a player, taking his personal time to help me come back from my surgeries and reach a high level of play faster,” she said of Nakagawa, who is also a director at NNJ.
The support didn’t stop with coaches.
Keen said her teammates shaped her just as much, both in high school and college. They pushed her, supported her and helped her navigate the emotional and physical challenges of competing at a high level.
“Every person I played with in high school and college shaped me as a person, whether it was pushing me to be better as an athlete or supporting me through a difficult process,” she said.
Keen said being a Northern Nevada athlete gave her a sense of pride and purpose. She felt the region had something to prove, especially in volleyball, and that mindset fueled her throughout her career.
“It put a little bit of a chip on my shoulder to prove that we were as good as anybody,” she said.
Her community — family, friends and the Reno volleyball circle — played a major role in her journey. They helped her through surgeries, travel, camps and the emotional grind of recruiting.
“They were so important… supporting me through my surgeries and recovery, and helping me attend camps and visits,” she said.
Her advice to younger athletes is rooted in her own experience navigating injuries and the recruiting process. She believes the biggest advantage comes from being proactive and showing genuine interest early.
“Reach out to as many schools as possible early… getting your name and film out there early is so important and shows you want this opportunity,” she said.
Keen’s story is one of resilience, patience and belief — a reminder that a setback doesn’t have to define a career.
For her, the comeback became the defining chapter.
Photos provided by the Keen family.
