is a professional soccer player currently competing in the United Soccer League (USL). He signed his first professional contract with Indy Eleven on February 2, 2024. After limited opportunities in his rookie season, he joined FC Naples of USL League One in 2025. After leading the team with 16 goals and 4 assists, he was named to the All League 1st Team. On December 3, 2025, the Tampa Bay Rowdies announced they had acquired Karsen from FC Naples via transfer for the 2026 season.

A naturally gifted athlete, Karsen played travel basketball, baseball, and club soccer through middle school. After his freshman season at Crown Point High School, he decided to focus exclusively on soccer. He joined the Indiana Fire of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA), committing to a demanding schedule that required commuting a minimum of four hours, four to five times per week for training and matches.

During two and a half seasons with the Indiana Fire, Karsen scored 43 goals, placing him among the top 10 goal scorers in the USSDA. Top Drawer Soccer rated him a four-star recruit and ranked him as high as the No. 45 overall player in his class. He left the Indiana Fire prior to the 2020 spring season to enroll early at Xavier University.

At Xavier, Karsen recorded an impressive 22 goals and 7 assists in just 45 matches. As a three-year starter, he was named All-Conference following both his sophomore (Second Team) and junior (First Team) seasons. Despite the challenges of the COVID-adjusted schedule that eliminated the fall portion of his sophomore year, he earned an invitation to the MLS Combine, one of only 15 underclassmen selected.

Despite his individual success, Karsen never appeared in a postseason match at Xavier. Seeking both higher-level competition and team success, he made the difficult decision to transfer to Indiana University. In his first season with the Hoosiers, he helped lead the team to the 2022 College Cup Final where they fell to Syracuse in a penalty shootout. Returning for a fifth year, he played a key role in Indiana capturing both the Big Ten regular season and conference tournament titles. The Hoosiers narrowly missed a second straight College Cup appearance, falling to Notre Dame in the Elite Eight, again by penalty kicks. Across two seasons at Indiana, Karsen appeared in 46 matches (10 starts), scoring 6 goals and adding 5 assists.

It was during his time in Bloomington that Karsen developed his passion for helping young, aspiring soccer players navigate their own journeys. Entering Indiana ranked No. 38 in the Top Drawer Soccer preseason Top 100, expectations were high. He started his first match with the Hoosiers but did not re-enter the starting lineup until the 10th match of his second season. During that stretch, he struggled to adapt to a different playing style. With limited minutes and opportunities, self-doubt began to creep in. He questioned his decision to transfer, wondered if his childhood dream of playing professionally was slipping away, and battled daily with the mental challenge of continuing to push forward.

After a summer of renewed commitment and soul searching, Karsen entered his final collegiate season reinvigorated and with a fresh perspective. However, he wouldn’t rejoin the starting lineup until midway through that final campaign. Seizing the opportunity, he became a key part of IU’s late-season surge, recording five goal contributions (three goals and two assists) across seven matches in October. His postseason highlight came in the NCAA Tournament Second Round when he scored the game-tying goal in Indiana’s eventual victory over Wake Forest.