A team captain and tennis team MVP at Guilderland High School, Kirsten Ackerman excelled in high school. As a member of the 2008 team, she helped the squad capture the 2008 Section II Championship as well as finishing as a 2010 Section II finalist. An honor roll student, she is majoring nutrition at Sage.

She is the daughter of Elizabeth McVey of Mobile, Alabama and Phil Ackerman of Rensselaer, NY.