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Hard. Work.
Hard. Work.
Those two words can sum up Golden Eagle Lauren Van Kleunen’s basketball career and life. Coming from a blue-collar family meant that the value of hard work was instilled in Lauren from a young age. She carried this value with her throughout her life and with it, became an exceptional basketball player and eventually earned her place among the Marquette Big East championship team. Her family has roots in Marquette and she gushes about the opportunity to be a student athlete at such a great school.
Lauren is a girl who values every moment. From the moment you meet her she has a big smile on her face and you can feel her genuine attitude towards you. Her winning attitude has been cultivated through hardship. Her first year at Marquette, Lauren discovered that she had several blood clots in her lungs. She was put on blood thinners and had a hard time keeping up with the conditioning and training due to her health restrictions. She was benched for the year but didn’t let that keep her from making the most of her situation. Lauren took her illness and turned it into an educational lesson for her that benefited her in the future. While she was fighting to regain her health, Lauren observed her teammates and made it a point to become acquainted with each players individual playing style. She better understood the team chemistry, what kind of player she needed to be, and how she fit in with…
