The Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Jalen Sundell already had sports in his DNA thanks to his father, who was a basketball player at Northwest Missouri State. In fact, his mother, Korena, also played at Missouri Rolla. Oh, wait, there is more!  Even his sister Serena is a standout basketball player for Kansas State. So you can imagine the competitive streak that was always simmering in their household, especially when it was time to have a break and play sports in the backyard.

Coming from a family steeped in athletic success, he grew up fiercely competitive—yet to Jalen, he was the weakest athlete in the family. If the most “flawed” one still made the NFL, imagine the grit and work ethic he was raised with. So where did it all begin? Let’s take a look at his roots.

Where is Jalen Sundell from? What is Jalen Sundell’s nationality?

Jalen Sundell was born on October 18th, 1999, and grew up in Maryville, MO. He played for North Dakota State before joining the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, so he is an American through and through. “It’s always been competitive in our family. I tell people all the time, I’m the worst athlete in our family which is a truthful statement.” he had said while he was the North Dakota State junior center. 

Naturally, the strict competitiveness in his family is palpable from his words. In fact, he was the NDSU’s Starting centre, so he definitely was not the worst athlete in his family. Bob was a three-time All-MIAA selection in basketball while setting school records in track, so it’s obvious where Jalen got his athletic DNA from.

One thing that the Sundell family collectively has is focus. And the siblings? Well, they are eachother’s highest competition. Serena once spoke about her dynamic with Jalen while talking to Kstatesports.com. She said, “I’m really proud of him. “We don’t share too many emotions. I know he’s been watching a lot of my games during the season, which means a lot. It was a pretty cool day.”

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What is Jalen Sundell’s ethnicity?

There’s no confirmed information about Jalen Sundell’s ethnicity, but he comes from a highly athletic family. His parents were college athletes, and he and his sister Serena continued that legacy.

Growing up in Maryville, sports were simply part of everyday life. Jalen won a football state championship, Serena won one in volleyball, and their constant competition helped shape the strong family bond they share today.

Is Jalen Sundell Christian?

Jalen has frequently spoken about his deep Christian faith and how it is the foundation of his life, career, and personal.  While speaking to the Kansas City Star Magazine, he said he was extremely grateful to all the coaches at NDSU and to God for helping him through the hard times.

“My faith comes first, and I have a lot more joy that comes around my faith and my trust in Christ and what he’s done for me than all the championships,” Sundell said. “But winning and championships are awesome, don’t get me wrong.”

While training and recovering from his injuries, Sundell earned money as an Uber driver. He was just married to his partner, fresh out of college, and staying with his in-laws in Minneapolis. He even had an interview prepared for a medical-sales job before relishing a string of NFL tryouts. So yes, his hard work and faith got him out of the difficult times.

 He is also pretty vocal about his faith on Instagram, and just looking at his bio is enough to know he believes in Christ. His bio states ‘Believer’ and then the cross emoji before putting “NDSU Alum and Seahawks” later on. In fact, he also showed his gratitude to God when he and his wife, Kalessa, welcomed their adorable daughter, Sydney, in 2025 June. 

With a recent celebration of a touchdown during the NFC Championship, Jalen and his team are definitely on fire. What do you think about his background and athletic family?