Christensen's first appearance on the national stage was at the 2011 United States Junior National Championships, where she finished fifth. Out of her six Junior National appearances, that would be the only time she did not play in the championship final. At the 2012 Junior Championships Christensen returned with the same team of third Elizabeth Busche, second Anna Bauman and lead Sonja Bauman. Christensen skipped her team to victory, earning her first national title and her first opportunity to represent the United States at the World Junior Championships. At the 2012 World Juniors in Ostersund, Sweden, Christensen's team finished with a winless 0–9 record. Tragedy struck just weeks after competing at the World Championship when Christensen's vice-skip Busche died from cancer. Buche's sudden, young death hit Christensen and the rest of the Duluth junior curlers hard.