Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois Wesleyan University's Lauren Huber has been named the 2024-25 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Women’s Student-Athlete of the Year. The announcement was made by the league office on Monday. Huber, a biology graduate, is IWU's second consecutive recipient of this award and the 14th from the institution since 2005-06.

The selection process for this accolade began with nominations in April and May, followed by voting in June by Senior Woman Administrators and Faculty Athletics Representatives within the league.

Huber is only the third women's basketball player to receive this honor in CCIW history. She joins North Park’s Esther Miller as one of two recipients who have competed in both basketball and track & field.

A native of Lombard, Illinois, Huber concluded her basketball career as IWU's all-time leading scorer with 1,700 points. She was recognized as an All-American by both the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (First Team) and D3hoops.com (Third Team) in 2025. Additionally, she was a two-time finalist for the Jostens Trophy and participated in numerous regional selections.

After finishing her basketball career, Huber joined IWU's track & field team where she earned All-America honors for a fourth-place finish in the heptathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. She also excelled in other events such as the 800 meters and high jump.

Academically, Huber received Academic All-America honors from College Sports Communicators (CSC) for two consecutive years. Her achievements include three CSC Academic All-District selections and multiple appearances on CCIW’s Dave Wrath Academic All-Conference list. In 2025, she was nominated for the Allstate NACDA Good Works Team due to her community service efforts.

During her time at IWU, Huber took on various leadership roles including Vice President of IWU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee from 2022–2025. Her volunteer work extended to organizations like US Hunger and Feed My Starving Children among others.

In healthcare-related activities, Huber gained experience working as an EMT and volunteering in emergency rooms and hospice care facilities.

Reflecting on her journey, Huber stated: “My experiences as an EMT, researcher, teammate, and mentor have shaped who I am... I am proud not just of what I have done but of who I have become.”

Huber will now be considered for the NCAA Woman of the Year award representing CCIW. The selection committee will announce its top honorees later this year at the NCAA Convention scheduled for January 2026.