Northwestern is unveiling its Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2014 this week. Check back each day as we reveal another member in the newest class that has been selected to receive Northwestern's highest athletic honor.
These elite Wildcats will formally be inducted during Hall of Fame weekend Jan 3-4, 2015. The induction ceremony and dinner will begin with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, at the Hotel Orrington in Evanston. The induction is open to the public. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by contacting Christian Williams in Northwestern's Athletic Development office at christian-williams@northwestern.edu or 847-467-1039.
The Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame was inaugurated in 1984 to honor former athletes, coaches and administrators who have helped establish a proud tradition in intercollegiate competition at Northwestern. Individuals are eligible for Hall of Fame recognition beginning five years after their final competition at NU. For more information and to view the complete membership, visit the NUsports.com Hall of Fame website.
| NU Athletic Hall of Fame -- Class of 2014 |
|||
| Date | Name | Years | Sport |
| November 17 | Mike Alexandrov Bruno Barbic Kyle Bubolz |
2003-07 2004-08 2006-08 |
Men's Swimming and Diving 400 Medley Relay (2007) |
| November 18 |
Jake Herbert | 2003-09 | Wrestling |
| November 19 | Hannah Nielsen | 2006-09 | Women's Lacrosse |
| November 20 |
TBA | ||
| November 21 | TBA | ||
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Hannah Nielsen, whose play-making ability on attack was a driving force behind four straight NCAA championships won by Northwestern Lacrosse from 2006-09, has been elected to the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.
A native of Adelaide, Australia, Nielsen was a three-time IWLCA first-team All-American and a two-time national player of the year during her Northwestern tenure. Five years after completing her career, Nielsen remains NCAA Women's Lacrosse's all-time leader in assists with 224 -- nearly 50 more than her closes competitor -- and is second in career points (398). Her 83 assists as a senior in 2009 still stands as the NCAA single-season record.
Nielsen's domination of the sport as a junior and senior led to back-to-back years in which she won the Tewaaraton Trophy -- considered the Heisman Trophy of women's lacrosse -- earned the Lacrosse Honda Sports Award, and was named the IWCLA, WomensLax.com and Womenslacrosse.com National Player of the Year. She also was named the American Lacrosse Conference Player of the Year in each of those seasons. In the spring of 2008, she was honored as the Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year.
Nielsen was a leader on Northwestern squads that won four consecutive NCAA championships and were victorious in 82 of 85 games played during her time in Evanston. She also was the career assist leader in NCAA Championship play at the conclusion of her career.
Internationally, Nielsen has appeared in three FIL Women's World Cups representing her native Australia, winning one gold, one silver and one bronze medal in her three appearances. In 2009, shortly after her graduation from Northwestern, she led Australia with 12 goals and 13 assists over the course of the tournament as the Aussies fell by a single goal to the U.S. in the title game.
Nielsen is currently in her second season as an assistant women's lacrosse coach at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Nielsen is the sixth Northwestern Lacrosse player to gain induction into the school's Athletics Hall of the Fame and the second (along with 2012 inductee Kristen Kjellman) from the modern era.
Continue to visit NUsports.com throughout the week to learn the rest of the 2014 Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame class.
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