Lincoln-Way East Grad Named NAIA Women’s Basketball Player of the Year

SIOUX CITY, IA - Kara Krolicki, a Lincoln-Way East alum and Mokena native who plays collegiate basketball at Saint Xavier University, was named the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Player of the Year Tuesday night after her team finished the season as the national runner-up.

Krolicki is the first player in the history of the SXU women’s basketball program to be named national player of the year. She was also named to the First Team All-Tournament squad in the 32-field playoff that concluded with the Cougars’ loss to Marian University, Indiana, 66-52, in Tuesday night’s championship game.

The team finish was the best in program history, as is the 34 wins they compiled throughout the regular season and postseason. Tuesday night’s defeat was only the third loss of the entire season for the squad made up of a majority of players from Chicago’s south suburbs.

Krolicki is coming off her junior season at SXU, having played at LWE until her graduation in 2014.

Photo via Saint Xavier University athletics