Kristin Hoffman

Classroom

Hoffman is as good in the classroom as she is on the court.  The history major with a cumulative 3.97 GPA became NIU’s first ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2010 and has been named to the Academic All-MAC Team in each of the past two years.

Character

As the leader of the Huskies on and off the court, Hoffman has battled injuries and split time in each of her first two seasons before emerging as the full-time setter last year.  Her hard work and continued dedication to the program allowed her to emerge as a first team All-MAC selection and Academic All-American. 
Another definitive aspect of Hoffman’s character is her dedication to keeping her best friend’s legacy alive after her former club teammate succumbed to cancer.  She does this through volleyball, community involvement, and by continually spending time with her best friend’s family.

Community

One of the most involved Huskies to come through the program, Hoffman has been a mainstay in the community.  The 2009 NIU Female Community Service Award recipient is an active member in Students Today Leaders Forever and over the past two years has led NIU Volleyball’s Relay for Life team to raise more than $3,500 for the American Cancer Society.  Hoffman also spends time reading to children at local schools, helping out at local food shelters.

Competition

Even though she split time in her first two seasons, Hoffman has been a rallying figure for the Huskies as her competitive, fiery spirit and natural yearning to win help elevate the play of her teammates.  Once she took over as the full-time setter last year, the Huskies erupted for a 27-win season as Hoffman ran one of the nation’s top offenses.  In 2010, she ranked 17th in the country with 11.51 assists per set and climbed up to seventh on the NIU all-time assists list.  She also tallied career highs in kills (53), aces (28), digs (260) and blocks (35).  As a result, she was named to the All-MAC first team and garnered an ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American selection.