- Kristen Lewicki of Adrian (photo: Dave Pearcy)
Adrian’s Kristin Lewicki has had spectacular seasons every year of her college career, yet managed to out-do herself in her senior season. The Bulldogs powerhouse tallied points in all but three of her team’s games, helping them to a perfect 18-0 conference record and their first-ever berth to the NCAA Division III semifinals.
She then scored the overtime winner against Gustavus Adolphus in the semifinal game to give the Bulldogs a berth in the national championship game at home. She was named to the all-tournament team.
Her 66 points lead the country and her 32 goals and 34 assists are each good for second in the nation. Her 12 power-play goals were best in the nation and her nine game-winning goals were second. The 66 points obliterates her own program single-season record and her 32 goals matches the record she set last season.
After leading the NCHA in points her junior season, she set a new standard this year. She was the NCHA player of the year, recording 44 points in 18 league games. The 44 points — as well as her 2.44 points per game — were the best in the league and set new NCHA single-season records. She scored 23 points against NCHA teams that made the conference playoffs, averaging 2.56 points against the top teams in the league. She was named to the All-NCHA teams every year of her career and was named a first-team All-American her junior and senior seasons.
Playing the best in the league seemed to bring out another level for Lewicki, who tallied points against rival Lake Forest, including four goals and two assists in the final regular-season series between the two that clinched the top seed for Adrian. In the final eight games of the season — the two against Lake Forest and six playoff games — she scored 11 goals and added four assists.
She is the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in goals (90), assists (89), and total points (179). She will enter the D-III record books with the sixth-best career point total, tied for 10th in total goals scored and 12th in total assists.
Adrian had an unprecedented year, completing the first undefeated and untied season in NCHA history, hosting the championship weekend, and advancing to the title game. Lewicki’s total numbers and numbers in the clutch make it impossible to consider any other player for the honor.
Congratulations Kristin Lewicki, our Division III player of the year.
