Lauren Huebner, a five-time NCAA Division 2 All-American and national champion in the heptathlon and the 4x400-meter relay during her career at Saginaw Valley State, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss her recent recognition as an NCAA Today's Top 10 Award honoree, highlighted by her attendance and presentation at the NCAA banquet as part of its annual convention Jan. 19 in Indianapolis. Huebner, 23, was one of three female track and field scholar-athletes recognized among the 10 recipients, along with American Olympian and NCAA Division 1 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles champion Anna Cockrell of USC, along with 2019 Division 3 indoor and outdoor triple jump champion Eka Jose of Washington University in St. Louis. She was also one of only two Division 2 selections across all sports and the first recipient of the honor in Saginaw Valley State history. Huebner shares how meaningful it was to meet and interact with Cockrell and Jose, in addition to women's track and field having such a strong presence among the honorees. She expresses gratitude for the NCAA continuing to celebrate student-athletes being impactful with volunteer work and community service, in addition to their excellence in academics and athletics, and shares how the nomination process and recognition took place thanks to the help of Angela Pohl, Saginaw Valley State's deputy athletic director and senior women's administrator. Huebner reflects on her three years as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, with emphasis in community service, and her opportunities to contribute at the Ascension Lutheran Church as well as the Toni and Trish House, along with volunteering at the campus writing center. Huebner also shares how she completed her Masters degree in occupational therapy and graduated in December, along with preparing to take her Board Exam on Jan. 28 in order to begin work at a local medical facility in Saginaw. After placing runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles earlier in the meet, Huebner reflects on winning the last collegiate race of her career by leading off the 4x400 relay that triumphed in 3:39.46, including Alona Olshevska, Morgan Fuerst and Cheynne Williamson, at the Division 2 outdoor final at Grand Valley State in Allendale. Huebner also reminisces about capturing the 2019 title in the Division 2 outdoor heptathlon with 5,364 points at Texas A&M Kingsville, becoming the first Saginaw Valley State track and field athlete to win the championship. She looks ahead to the Division 2 indoor final in March at Pittsburg State in Kansas and the potential of Williamson and Olshevska, along with explaining her pride for contributing to a Cardinals program that began her career placing 12th in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and concluded last year as runner-up, in addition to finishing fifth at the outdoor national championship meet.