“Lauren Wicinski gave us that extra kick,” said head coach Cathy George. “She’s extra ferocious, she hits the ball hard, she makes us a very strong team. She gave us that extra 1-2 punch and was able to kick us into the next level.”

Last Saturday, Wicinski surpassed Jenna Wrobel to set the all-time MSU career kills record. Wicinski’s 2,304 career kills rank third all-time in Big Ten history and 16th all-time in NCAA history.

“It’s an honor,” Wicinski said. “(Wrobel) is legit. She’s gotten into the Hall of Fame, so obviously that’s something I strive to be. I strive to be like her. I’m honored that I’m able to be like her. But as I said before, I wouldn’t be able to do that without these girls. Without my team, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish something like that.”

Joining the team, Wicinski didn’t know entirely what to expect. But since transferring, she’s been a key reason why MSU has ascended to near-contender status in the NCAA.

“Coming in, I had something to prove,” Wicinski said. “And I felt last year I proved myself. This year, I wanted to be very successful. I feel a little more comfortable with myself and with the team, and I think that’s the biggest difference for me.”

George praises Wicinski for the offensive punch she has brought to the team. Wicinski and senior middle blocker Alexis Mathews have formed a formidable 1-2 punch for the Spartans.

“It’s an amazing accolade for her to be able to do that over the course of her career,” George said. “Lauren has made a mark on this program, bringing us that extra lift that we needed to kick us to that next level and to push us into the Big Ten.”

Teammates applaud Wicinski for her aggressive approach to the game. Her “go-get-it” attitude often leads to easy scoring opportunities for setters Kristen Kelsay and Halle Peterson.

“The accolades come because of the player she is,” Kelsay said. “Because she’s not afraid to take those swings. Me and Halle as a setter, feel very comfortable giving her the ball and just letting her take a swing.”

Wicinski’s accomplishment comes a week after junior libero Kori Moster set the all-time MSU digs record. The two players are a huge reason why the Spartans are in the midst of one of the greatest seasons of George’s head coaching tenure.

“First of all, it’s very cool for her,” Moster said. “Especially coming in as a transfer and having to prove herself. That’s awesome for our program. You see two completely categories in how much the program has grown and just the three years I’ve been her and her in her second year. It’s just a huge accomplishment for the program in general.”