Wicinski is All-American Honorable Mention and All-Mideast Region Selection

Northern Illinois volleyball freshman Lauren Wicinski added an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Mideast Region selection to her impressive list of accomplishments, the organization announced Tuesday. 

"This is a very prestigious honor for Lauren and we are proud to have her represent the Huskie volleyball program and Northern Illinois University on a national level," said NIU head coach Ray Gooden of his second player to earn the AVCA award during his nine-year tenure. "(The Mideast) is one of the toughest regions in the country, being paired up with the Big Ten. For her to be recognized like this is quite an accomplishment."

Wicinski wrapped up her astounding rookie campaign by garnering American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Honorable Mention All-American recognition, as well.

Wicinski came to NIU as the volleyball program's first high school All-American and now becomes the Huskies' first freshman, and second overall (Kate McCullagh in 2006), to earn AVCA All-American status.  After becoming the first rookie to take home Mid-American Conference Player and Freshman of the Year, the Geneva High School (Geneva, Ill.) standout is the first freshman from the league to be named an AVCA All-American, and is the 11th overall.

"I am never a fan of individual accolades in coaching a team sport, but I do think that there are certain titles that are worthy to note," said Gooden, who has coached the only two AVCA All-Americans in NIU volleyball history.  "Any time you can be named an All-American it is an amazing accomplishment, whether it's athletic or academic.  For Lauren to be put in that category in her first season as a Huskie is nothing short of amazing."

The AVCA All-American list has been announced every year for the past 30 years. The recipients are chosen by the AVCA Division I All-American Committee.  This year's group included 14 players each on the first, second and third teams, and 70 honorable mention selections.  Of the group of 112, Wicinski is one of three freshmen, and is the only Mid-American Conference representative.  Since 2003, she is one of 39 rookies to achieve an AVCA All-American nod.

Leading NIU to its best MAC finish (second place) since 2001, Wicinski produced quite an indelible season.  Along with taking two of the MAC's top regular season honors, she was a First Team All-MAC and MAC All-Tournament selection.  Additionally, she collected three all-invitational selections, including being chosen MVP of the Illinois-Chicago Invitational, and five MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week accolades, an NIU career record.

Wicinski's numbers were prominent among the MAC and NCAA all year.  She led the nation's freshmen and the MAC in points (5.63), kills (4.82) and aces (0.54); ranked with the nation's leaders in points (fifth), kills (sixth) and aces (10th); her kill (636) and ace (71) totals rank second and fourth, respectively, on the NCAA's all-time single season 25-point set lists, third and second on NIU's all-time single season lists, and fifth and 10th on the MAC's all-time single season lists;  she scored double figures in points in all 35 matches and tallied double figure kills in the last 34 matches;  served up multiple aces on 17 occasions; totaled 16 kill-dig double-doubles; and notched multiple blocks in 16 matches.

With the sensational rookie season, Wicinski is continuing her family's Huskie legacy. Her mother, Gina (Graf), was a standout on the court from 1983-87 and ranks inNIU's top-15 in aces, kills, points, solo blocks and digs. Her father, Rob, was an outstanding linebacker on the football team from 1981-85 and was a key performer on the NIU 1983 California Bowl championship team. 

Wicinski joins the person who assisted her remarkable season on the All-American list: setter Kristin Hoffman (Batavia, Ill./Batavia).  On Nov. 30, the junior became NIUvolleyball's first ESPN/College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American.  The dynamic duo returns to the Huskies next year, as NIU loses just one player, two time all-MAC libero Maddie Hughes (St. Charles, Ill./North).

Editor's note: This story and photo comes courtesy of Zach Peters and NIU's outstanding  sports information team.