MADISON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Lauren Blasczyk has been selected the recipient of the 2017 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Softball Scholar-Athlete Award. The award is sponsored by Badgerland Financial.
WIAC Release
A senior from Appleton, Wis. (East), Blasczyk is majoring in communication sciences and disorders and boasts a 3.93 grade point average. In 2016 and 2017, she was named to the NCAA Division III Academic All-District™ Six Softball First Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Blasczyk is a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar-Athlete and three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. She has been recognized on UW-Eau Claire's Dean's List numerous semesters.
A team captain this year, she was selected to the All-WIAC first team for the third straight season. Blasczyk earned a spot on the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region second team a season ago when the Blugolds claimed the WIAC regular-season championship for the second consecutive year. She also was voted the Team Most Valuable Player in 2016 and is a Super Six Award Winner – the highest honor for a UW-Eau Claire student-athlete.
Blasczyk is a member of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association and UW-Eau Claire Athletes in Action. She has served as a volunteer for Chippewa Valley Aphasia Camp, Imitate Youth Group and Youth Softball Camps, as well as a college mentor on youth mission trips. Blasczyk has served as an instructional intern for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department.
Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse's Lane Dickman (Sr., Cashton, Wis.); UW-Oshkosh's Lauren Torborg (Sr., Brooklyn Park, Minn./Park Center); UW-Platteville's Jessica Butzen (Sr., Neenah, Wis.); UW-Stout's Heather Bol (Sr., Baldwin, Wis./Baldwin-Woodville); and UW-Whitewater's Cara Smoczynski (Sr., Aurora, Ill./Rosary).
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.
Badgerland Financial, headquartered in Prairie du Sac, Wis., is a customer-owned financial cooperative proud to finance the growth of agriculture and rural America. Badgerland Financial is one of the region's leading providers of credit, crop insurance, tax and accounting services to farmers, agribusinesses and rural residents. The company is committed to delivering on its vision to cultivate prosperity for agriculture and rural Wisconsin by serving member-owners through offices in 33 southern Wisconsin counties. To learn more, visit badgerlandfinancial.com.
