Van Kleunen, Marotta Honored by BIG EAST

NEW YORK — Marquette women's basketball graduate forward Lauren Van Kleunen was named to the All-BIG EAST First Team while senior forward Chloe Marotta earned the league's Sportsmanship Award, the BIG EAST announced Thursday morning. Major awards and all-conference teams were selected by a vote of the BIG EAST head coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own players.

Van Kleunen, MU's all-time record holder for career games played with 155, put together the best statistical season of her career this year. The Mason, Ohio, native averaged a team-best 13.2 points to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. She finished the regular season shooting 47.4 percent (161-of-340), good for sixth in the BIG EAST. Addiditonlly, she had the fewest turnovers (46) of any Marquette starter while starting all 29 games. She was twice named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll this season, and was a member of the Daytona Beach Invitational All-Tournament Second Team back in November.

This is Van Kleunen's second-straight year being recognized by the league, after earning All-BIG EAST Second Team honors and being named the recipient of the league's Sportsmanship Award in 2020-21.

Marotta is the recipient of the BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award, an honor which recognizes important contributions both on and off the court. The Mequon, Wisconsin, native currently serves as the president of Marquette's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Marotta will graduate in May with a dual major in Journalism and Public Relations, and will then begin graduate school with dual enrollment to earn master's degrees in both business and law. She has logged countless hours of community service in and around the Milwaukee community, volunteering with groups such as the Interchange Food Pantry, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Milwaukee Neighborhood House, the MU Backpack Program, Scouting & Scavenging and the Neighborhood Kitchen.

A Milwaukee-area native herself, Marotta has given back to the area's youth by being a part of free basketball clinics for youth and by reading to kids in local schools, as well as participating in Milwaukee's PEARLS program, a group which helps to guide and empower teenage girls. On the court, she started all 29 games for Marquette this year, averaging 5.8 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds.

BIG EAST Player of the Year
Maddy Siegrist, Villanova, Jr., F

BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul, Fr., F*

BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Denise Dillon, Villanova

BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
Nika Mühl, Connecticut, So., G

BIG EAST Co-Most Improved Players
Lior Garzon, Villanova, So., F
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, So., G

BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award
Chloe Marotta, Marquette, Sr., F

BIG EAST Sixth-Woman Award
Morgan Maly, Creighton, So., G/F

All-BIG EAST First Team
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Connecticut, Sr., F
Christyn Williams, Connecticut, Sr., G*
Emma Ronsiek, Creighton, So., F
Sonya Morris, DePaul, Sr., G*
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul, Fr., F*
Lauren Van Kleunen, Marquette, Grad., F
Leilani Correa, St. John's, Jr., G
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall, Jr., G*
Sidney Cooks, Seton Hall, R-Sr., F/C
Maddy Siegrist, Villanova, Jr., F*

All-BIG EAST Second Team
Caroline Ducharme, Connecticut, Fr., G
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, So., G
Lexi Held, DePaul, Sr., G
Andra Espinoza-Hunter, Seton Hall, Grad., G/F
Lior Garzon, Villanova, So., F

All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Deja Church, DePaul, Grad., G
Janai Crooms, Providence, Jr., G

BIG EAST All-Freshman Team
Caroline Ducharme, Connecticut, Fr., G*
Azzi Fudd, Connecticut, Fr., G*
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul, Fr., F*
Kylee Sheppard, Providence, Fr., G*
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, Fr., G*

Players Mentioned

Chloe Marotta

Lauren Van Kleunen

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