Falcon Kat Krtnick (Sr., Fridley, Minn.) has been named the WIAC volleyball Scholar-Athlete for the 2006 season.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is presented to the most outstanding senior from each conference sport during the year who exhibits the greatest combination of performance and achievement in academics, athletics and leadership. The women's Scholar-Athlete award was renamed the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award effective with the 1998-99 season.

Krtnick was one of four Falcons named to the first All-WIAC team this year. She was named to the first team for the second straight season.

Krtnick, the team's setter, led the Falcons with 1,645 assists. That total was third all time in a single season. She ended her career with 4,297 assists which is third on the career all-time list. She was second on the team with 522 digs which is the seventh most in a single season. She established a career digs record with 1,799. She had 126 kills, 32 aces and 58 blocks. Krtnick was named the team's Player of the Week once in 2006.

Krtnick not only performed well on the floor throughout her career, but she did outstanding work in the classroom and in the campus community.

She's compiled a 3.768 cumulative grade point average while majoring in biomedical sciences and marketing. She will earn minors in professional writing, business and government. Krtnick has been named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll after the 2004, 2005 and 2006 school years. She has been named to the UWRF Dean's List after every semester (six). She earned the Kenneth M. White (2004) and Marcel K. Lynum (2004, 2005) scholarships. Krtnick has earned freshman, sophomore and junior merit.

Krtnick, who earned honorable mention to the All-WIAC team in 2004, was ranked 13th in the Oct. 22 NCAA Div. III statistics report in assists per game (12.21). She helped the Falcons win the 2003 WIAC championship and was named the team's Rookie of the Year that season. In 2004 and 2005 she was named the team's Hardest Worker and in 2005 she was named the team's Co-Player of the Year. Krtnick has been a team captain in 2005 and 2006. She has been named the team's Player of the Week seven times in her career.

This year she is a Student Senate athletic representative. She has been a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee throughout her career at UWRF. She has been the chair of the Recreation Committee (2004-06), a member of the health & human performance department Facilities Committee (2005-06), a member of the Facilities and Fees Board (2005-07) and a member of the Bookstore Committee (2005-06). Krtnick has worked as a special events and promotions manager of the Recreation staff. Krtnick worked for the UWRF public affairs office as a marketing communications and journalism intern during the 2005 and 2006 Kansas City Chiefs Summer Training camp.

"Kat is very deserving of the WIAC Scholar-Athlete award. She excels in all areas of her life," said Falcon Coach Patti Ford. "She exemplifies the true meaning of a Div. III student-athlete. She is a great student, a great athlete and she is committed to UWRF through her involvement in several University activities."

Krtnick joins Melissa Mattson (2000), Melissa Tvrdik (2003) and Nina Petersen (2004) as Falcons who have been volleyball Scholar-Athletes.

The Falcons finished 24-13 overall and 4-4 in the WIAC. They advanced to the WIAC tournament semifinals.

Go to the 2006 Falcon statistics.