Mizzou football signee Karsten Fiene has always wanted to be a Missouri Tiger. The Lee's Summit, Missouri, wide receiver talks his recruitment process, multi-sport experience in volleyball and relationships with Preston Hatfield and Josh Manning.
Mizzou signee Karsten Fiene has known he wanted to be a Tiger for years. Technically speaking, he already has been.
The three-star wideout spent his last four years of Friday nights on the football field at Lee’s Summit Summit High School. If that school sounds familiar, it’s because former Mizzou receiver Josh Manning spent his playing days there too.
Fiene’s freshman season overlapped with Manning’s senior season, so when Manning committed to Mizzou, Fiene could see that somebody in his shoes could make it to the highest level — Fiene’s longtime goal.
“What are the odds that one of my idols my senior year — who I looked up to — went to Mizzou and played for Mizzou?” Fiene told MizzouRoundtable. “Now I'm kind of following in his footsteps.”
While Manning played the same position as Fiene, it was the way the former Tiger carried himself off the field that gave Fiene hope in reaching stardom.
“Everybody loved him,” Fiene said. “That kind of made me realize you don't have to go out and party to be a good football player. I mean, you can still be a good kid and focus, have good goals and only play football.”
On his background in football and volleyball
Fiene’s high school playing days are over, although it felt like he played four seasons in one; he rushed for 1,096 yards and 17 touchdowns, caught 17 passes for 435 yards and four touchdowns, completed nine of his 13 passing attempts for 93 yards and while logging 60 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery on defense.
Despite football being out of season, Fiene still has plenty on his plate to keep him busy, and it’s not partying.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior is a four-sport athlete. Football, of course, keeps him busy in the fall while basketball takes up his time in the winter. Like many other football players, Fiene runs track in the spring.
The fourth? Volleyball, which officially became a MSHSAA sanctioned sport in 2024. Fiene suits up as a middle blocker and hitter for his team, which translates to boosting his skill on the gridiron.
“The best thing volleyball helps with is tracking the ball in the air,” Fiene said. “When the center sets the ball and I have to jump up and track it and then hit it, it's kind of like just going up and just trying to catch the ball midair at a high point.”
He recommends other football players to try it out.
“f you enjoy playing volleyball, I would definitely say give it a shot, because it's only going to help you,” Fiene said.
On relationships with Jacob Peeler and Preston Hatfield
His all-around athleticism and talent caught Mizzou’s eye in the recruitment process. Mizzou wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler recruited Fiene and the pair hit it off instantly — their relationship was the most enticing factor in Fiene committing to the program.
“His receiver talent that he's developed is (insane),” Fiene said. “For him to be able to kind of recruit me and text me like every other day, letting me know, ‘Hey, we want you here’, and just seeing him on the official visit, you know, and him taking him, taking us around campus and whatnot, like, it's just such a good bond that me and him have.”
Another strong bond Fiene has is with his high school teammate Preston Hatfield. The pair took official visits to Mizzou together Jan. 18 and committed to the program six days apart.
Hatfield missed much of their senior season with a leg fracture but returned in time for the final stretch, where he more than made up for lost time. Hatfield rushed for 1,662 yards and 18 touchdowns in just eight games in his senior season, along with setting a new state record by rushing for 457 yards in the Class 6 State Championship game.
“I was so happy for him when he got the offer,” Fiene said. “I played with him before even middle school football, like, I kind of grew up with him almost. And so to be able to continue to be teammates at the collegiate level, I think it's just amazing.”
While Fiene is ecstatic to play alongside Hatfield, he alluded to opponents needing to worry about facing off against the elite tailback.
“When he gets to Mizzou and he has the facilities and the coaching and everything like that, I don't even want to know how scary he's going to be for other teams.”
Year-one goals
Both will be walking into stacked position rooms at Mizzou. Hatfield now plays in a backfield behind Ahmad Hardy, Jamal Roberts and promising transfers like Xai’Shaun Edwards, while Fiene joins a loaded wideout room with Donovan Olugbode, Cayden Lee and plenty more talented receivers.
Fiene knows he’ll need to work his way to the top — nothing is earned — so he and his mother set a goal for himself to take it one step at a time.
“My goal is to make the travel squad (in) year one,” Fiene said. “Put my head down, develop, grind, work on my craft, and then hopefully spark something sophomore year.”