Lauren Wicinski

Classroom

Wicinski transferred from Northern Illinois University prior to her junior season. She was an Academic All-Big Ten pick in 2012 and has made the Dean’s List in each of her three collegiate seasons. She was Academic All-MAC as a freshman and sophomore , and had a 4.0 semester (Spring 2011) at Northern Illinois University.

Character

Wicinski is a relentless competitor; her mentality is one of grit and grinding out the work that needs to be done to win.  The way she plays has earned her the respect of the Big Ten coaches, as she was a unanimous preseason All-Big Ten selection this season.  She has been at MSU only a year, but has earned her role as a leader and plays the game with a tremendous amount of passion.  She does not back down from a competitive challenge and she is an incredibly determined individual.

Community

Wicinski has participated in campus activities like Chuck A Puck (raising money for Children’s cancer research), golf outings, Thank-a-thon (calling MSU donors), Volunteered at the EVE (Ending Violent Encounters) and Fore the Spartans Golf Outings, volunteered as a coach for the YMCA Volleyball Clinic, volunteered at Fun Fairs working with children, volunteered in her hometown as a worker in a local community garden for several weeks, participated in day care work, coached volleyball at a local club and ran free volleyball clinics for children, was among the volunteer DeKalb, Ill. Festival workers, worked as a Salvation Army Bell ringer, and picked up trash for several Sundays out of the year at a local park.

Competition

Wicinski was a second-team AVCA All-American as a junior and is a three-time pick overall. She was a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2012, when she ranked fourth nationally in service aces/set (0.63), seventh in points/set (5.33) and 15th kills/set (4.43). She set the single-season MSU record for service aces (81), and her 571 kills was fourth-most in a single season in the MSU record book. She also ranked first in the Big Ten in aces and points and was second in kills. Wicinski led the Spartans with 10 double-doubles and recorded at least 10 kills in 33 of 35 matches.