Fort Atkinson's Pfeifer Earns WIAC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Award at UW-Whitewater

2016 Nov 7

Lauren Pfeifer, a native of Fort Atkinson, WI, and senior on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team, was named a co-recipient of the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Award.

A graduate of Fort Atkinson High School, Pfeifer is majoring in communciation with a minor in coaching and owns a 3.88 grade point average. She was named to the 2016 NCAA Division III Academic All-District? Women's Volleyball First Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Pfeifer is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has appeared on UW-Whitewater's Dean's List numerous semesters. In 2015-16, she received the Bill Lowell Outstanding Student Award.

She is a three-time All-WIAC first team selection and a season ago, received American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America third team honors, as well as All-Midwest Region first team laurels. In 2013, Pfeifer claimed Midwest Region Freshman of the Year accolades from the AVCA. A team captain this year, she has helped the Warhawks claim two WIAC regular-season titles and a pair of tournament championships. Pfeifer ranks in the top 12 in program history in career kills, attacks and blocks.

In 2016, she was chosen to attend the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, as well as the NCAA Choices Apple Conference. Pfeifer is president of UW-Whitewater's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and assistant director of the Warhawk Leadership Academy. She is a peer mentor for the NCAA Choices program and has volunteered at a senior living community.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October 1984 - September 1996. Kruckman was the women's athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

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