Marquette University Athletics
Van Kleunen Named as a Candidate for Senior CLASS Award
12/7/2021 12:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Graduate forward among 30 candidates for prestigious award
MILWAUKEE — Marquette University graduate forward Lauren Van Kleunen was named as a candidate for the 2021-22 Senior CLASS Award, a prestigious honor which focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Van Kleunen is one of 30 women's basketball players to be selected as a candidate. The field will be narrowed to 10Â finalists in February, which will be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award, which will be announced during the 2022 NCAA Final Four in April.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as a senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
A five-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection, Van Kleunen has taken advantage of her time in the classroom at Marquette. She earned her undergraduate degree in public relations with a minor in marketing, then went on to earn a master's degree in communication with a specialization in media studies. She has also earned a professional certificate in sports leadership and is currently working on a second certificate in leadership. Van Kleunen has also impacted others in the classroom, working as a tutor in the academic center for MU student-athletes.
Van Kleunen has been a model of leadership and character throughout her career, and was selected by the league's coaches as the recipient of the 2020-21 BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award. She is currently serving as the president of the Marquette Diversity, Equity and Inclusion council on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Â
Van Kleunen's impact on the Milwaukee community reaches far beyond the basketball court and the classroom. She has been involved with countless hours of community service throughout her time at Marquette, including volunteering with the Interchange Food Pantry, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Milwaukee Neighborhood House, the MU Backpack Program and Scouting & Scavenging, an organization which collects unused toiletries to donate to local homeless shelters. Additionally, she's given back to youth in the area by reading to kids in local schools and participating in several free local basketball clinics.
In a program-record 134 career games at Marquette, Van Kleunen has also been a major on-the-court contributor to the Golden Eagles' success. She was named a member of the All-BIG EAST Second Team and the All-BIG EAST Tournament team in 2020-21, and was a preseason All-BIG EAST selection prior to this season. She has accrued over 1,000 career points (1,138) and ranks 15th all-time in career rebounds with 645. She has started 66 of a possible 68 games since her junior year, and in 2020-21 she scored in double-figures in 20 of the team's 26 games. In her time at Marquette, the Golden Eagles have an overall record of 100-35.
