By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Scott Shafer wasn’t looking for love.
In fact, he was on a “dating hiatus,” determined to focus more on himself and less on the complications that can come with relationships.
This “self-reflective state,” as he calls it, ended up working in an unexpected way.
Scott was a graduate student at the time, pursuing a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. Kristy Kounovsky was a doctoral student in the analytical chemistry program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Thanks to a mutual friend, they were both at the Glass Nickel Pizza Co. for a “random get-together” organized by Scott and his classmates in January 2007.
She thought he was funny. And he immediately changed his dating policy.
“When I met Kristy, I started to see things differently,” Scott said.
This time, he was looking at his future wife and lifelong partner.
Scott and Kristy dated for almost two years before he popped the question on his 33rd birthday in October 2008. They were in San Francisco for a friend’s wedding, with Scott serving as best man for his former roommate. He asked the couple for permission to piggyback on their big weekend, then took Kristy to Washington Square Park to ask for her hand in marriage.
“Kristy set me up perfectly,” Scott recalled. “She was like, ‘Did you get everything you wanted for your birthday?’ I said, oh, there’s one more thing, and proposed there in the park.”
They married on Aug. 22, 2009, at a lakeside country club in Middleton, Wisconsin.
KEARNEY BOUND
Scott calls their relationship a “true 50/50 partnership” – two strong individuals without defined roles.
“If she can do something, I can do it, too,” he said.
“That also might be a little bit of competitiveness,” he quickly added with a smile.
He proved that when their first child, Zia, was born. Kristy was still working on her doctorate, so Scott became “daddy day care,” spending most of his day at home before leaving late in the afternoon to teach tennis lessons.
The next major decision belonged to Kristy.
A Norfolk native and Wayne State College graduate, she wanted to return to Nebraska after completing her doctorate to be closer to her family.
Scott had other ideas.
“When we started dating, I told her if this continues I’m never moving to Nebraska,” said Scott, a Tucson native and Arizona State University alumnus. “I’m used to living in larger cities, so I think that had a lot to do with it.”
Kristy interviewed at multiple schools in the Midwest before choosing the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Despite Scott’s reservations, the family moved here in June 2013.
It turned out to be the best thing for them.
IMPACTFUL PROFESSOR
A professor in the UNK Department of Chemistry, Kristy currently teaches Introduction to Chemistry for health science students and General Chemistry II. In 2019, she received the prestigious Pratt-Heins Award for Teaching, a reflection of her ability to connect with students while making chemistry fun and enjoyable.
“Kristy truly cares for her students and wants them to succeed in their goals,” said Annette Moser, a professor and chair in the department. “She is an excellent academic adviser and ensures that her students take the classes they need for graduation and to be successful in their post-graduation plans.”
She’s also an outstanding scholar, with her research focusing on the use of 3D printing to create devices that protect and concentrate large DNA for genome analysis. Last summer, she was awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to support this work.
Kristy continues to serve as a fellow for the National Strategic Research Institute at the University of Nebraska, and she’s a devoted mentor for undergraduate researchers.
“Kristy has made a significant impact on our department in both her teaching and with her research endeavors. She embodies our department’s goal of being a teacher-scholar,” Moser said. “She is an excellent teacher and has been instrumental in developing/modifying several courses in our department to allow for improved student learning. Additionally, she continually manages and mentors one of the largest research groups in our department. She and her students publish in top-tier research journals and present their research at local, regional and national meetings.”
If you ask Kristy what her favorite part of the job is, she doesn’t hesitate to answer. It’s the people.
“I love the students and faculty that I get to work with,” she said. “My days are never the same – ever. It’s always fun because you never know what’s going to happen.”
DEDICATED COACH
Scott echoes those remarks.
“Being a coach, there’s rarely a day that turns out how you thought it would go,” he said. “But it’s definitely a fulfilling job. I feel like I’m assisting others in some way and making a difference in their lives.”
Scott joined the UNK tennis program as an assistant coach in summer 2013 and was elevated to head coach in 2019. He’s also a teaching professional with Kearney Tennis Association.
UNK Athletic Director Marc Bauer calls him a “steady and consistent leader” for the men’s and women’s teams.
“We value Scott for his leadership,” Bauer said. “I especially appreciate his work ethic, integrity, character, attitude, professionalism and commitment to inspiring others, bringing people together and investing in their lives. Scott is very passionate about coaching tennis, and he continually works to create the best formula for his teams to succeed.”
As an assistant coach, Scott helped the Loper men and women reach the NCAA Division II Regionals in five consecutive seasons. Since he was named head coach, eight different players have earned all-conference honors and the UNK women have won the MIAA Sportsmanship Award three times.
A two-time MIAA Women’s Coach of the Year, Scott was also recognized as the ITA Central Region Women’s Coach of the Year in 2024, when the Lopers won conference and regional titles, reached the NCAA Elite Eight and finished the season ranked No. 9 nationally.
FAMILY LIFE
As they approach 12 years living in Kearney, Scott has grown to appreciate life in Nebraska.
The small-town environment he once feared is now the biggest benefit.
“This concept of community is something that I never really knew before, but I really love and enjoy it,” he said.
Outside work, Scott and Kristy are committed parents to two children. Zia is 14 now and active in youth softball, basketball and tennis. Younger sister Simona, 8, participates in softball, volleyball, basketball, soccer, tennis, dance, gymnastics and music.
Kristy is an “Uber driver” and assistant coach for Zia’s softball team.
“We love going to their activities and watching them play,” she said. “It’s so much fun because you get to meet different people and Scott gets to take pictures, which is another thing that he loves to do in his spare time.”
Although they have hectic schedules, weekly lunch dates are another priority for the couple.
“We definitely make a concerted effort to find time to connect when it’s just the two of us,” Scott said.
That’s one of their secrets to a lasting relationship. Don’t go on a dating hiatus.
