University of Minnesota Duluth senior forward Clara Van Wieren has been selected as the 2023-24 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year.  The award is presented annually to the league's top student-athlete who excels on the ice and in the classroom.

A resident of Okemos, Mich., Van Wieren is a three-time WCHA Scholar Athlete award recipient and three-time WCHA All-Academic team member.  A double major at Minnesota Duluth in political science and philosophy, Wieren serves as a team alternate captain for the Bulldogs this season.
 

As senior, Van Wieren has scored 13 goals and 11 assists for the #8 ranked Bulldogs.  In 132 career games played for UMD, Van Wieren has scored 38 goals, 47 assists and 85 points.

In addition to her excellence on the ice, Van Wieren has been on the Dean's List at UMD for three years and is a member of the university's honors program.  Listed below are some of her many academic achievements.

• UMD Department of Political Science Scholarship recipient
• UMD Women’s Hockey Books Scholarship Recipient 
• 3X Teaching Assistant (Political Theory, Philosophy of Dialogue and Debate, Freshman Seminar)
• Internship under Athletic Director Forrest Karr 
• Curriculum Committee Student Representative
• Community-engagement Honors Course- Brain Development 
• Highlighted in article published in The Bark, the student newspaper, UMD Athletics Launches DEI Council (2022)

Van Wieren has also participated in numerous campus and community activites during her collegiate career, as highlighted by the list below.

• Vice President and Equity Chair of Department of Athletics Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (2022-23, 2023-24). Helped organize 2023 DEI Clothing Drive, and helped organize The Loyola Project Movie Night Event and currently working on Land Acknowledgement to play before all sports games
• President of PreLaw Club (two years)
• President of Political Science Association (2022)
• Student Athlete Advisory Committee DEI Representative
• Assistant Captain (2023-24 season)
• Welcome Week Group Leader (2022)
• Freshmen Peer Leader (2020-21)
• NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) SAAC Representative (2023)
• Volunteer summer camp counselor, Camp Fowler, Adirondack Mountains – cabin counselor for elementary school-aged students
• Summer youth hockey coach, Puckmasters

"Clara Van Wieren is a major in political science with a goal of attending law school. She is a very high performer in her class work and leader in the program," Dr. Cynthia Rugeley, associate professor of political science and head of the Political Science Program at UMD said.  "Her GPA lands her clearly in the top 1% of all students in the program. Also, she serves as president of the Pre-Law club and has helped rebuild the club after it went dormant during the Pandemic."

Dr. Joseph L. Staats, professor of political science at UMD, added his insight into Van Wieren's success as a student-athlete, “Clara Van Wieren is a student of outstanding talent and intellect who works hard at everything she does. She is a delight to be with and is an exceptional candidate to be chosen as WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year.”

Van Wieren becomes the eighth student-athlete from Minnesota Duluth to earn this prestigious honor from the WCHA.

WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete Award Recipients (since 1999-00)

Season Name, Position, Year, Team
1999-00 Katie Beaudy, G, Fr., Minnesota State & Shannon Kennedy, F, Sr., Minnesota
2000-01 Bre Dedrickson, G, So., Bemidji State
2001-02 Guylaine Hache, F, So., Bemidji State
2002-03 Anik Cote, G, Jr., Bemidji State
2003-04 Emma Laaksonen, D, Sr., Ohio State
2004-05 Caroline Ouellette, F, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
2005-06 Riitta Schaublin, G, Jr., Minnesota Duluth
2006-07 Riitta Schaublin, G, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
2007-08 Casie Hanson, F, Jr., North Dakota
2008-09 Gigi Marvin, F, Sr., Minnesota
2009-10 Caitlin Hogan, F, Sr., St. Cloud State
2010-11 Jocelyne Larocque, D, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
2011-12 Jocelyne Lamoureux, F, Jr., North Dakota
2012-13 Jocelyne Lamoureux, F, Sr., North Dakota
2013-14 Kelly Terry, F, Sr., Minnesota
2014-15 Shelby Amsley-Benzie, G, Jr., North Dakota
2015-16 Shelby Amsley-Benzie, G, Jr., North Dakota
2016-17 Lara Stalder, F, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
2017-18 Catherine Daoust, D, Sr., Minnesota Duluth
2018-19 Corbin Boyd, F, Sr., Minnesota State
2019-20 Alex Woken, F, Sr., Minnesota
2020-21 Mak Langei, D, Sr., Bemidji State
2021-22 Sophie Jaques, D, Sr., Ohio State
2022-23 Emma Soderberg, G, Grad., Minnesota Duluth
2023-24 Clara Van Wieren, F, Sr., Minnesota Duluth