Tabor College multi-sport athlete Tena Loewen has been named the KCAC Champion of Character Female Student-Athlete of the Year for 2015-16.
A member of the Tabor volleyball and basketball teams, Loewen was a first team, All-KCAC selection in both sports during her junior campaign.
In volleyball, Loewen led the Bluejays in service aces (78) and kills (525). She ranked third nationally in service aces and fifth in aces per game (0.58). She ranked 12th in kills and 21st in kills per game (3.89).
She received All-American accolades as an honorable mention selection and was an NAIA Academic All-American.
“Tena has unconditional respect for the coaches and members of the team,” said head volleyball coach Amy Ratzlaff. “She communicates in a way that puts others first and genuinely admires the others on the team. It continues into competition as her sportsmanship is second to none.”
In basketball, Loewen helped lead the Bluejays to their second consecutive appearance in the NAIA Division II national championship quarterfinals.
Loewen led the team in points per game (9.37), rebounds (221, 7.37 per game) and assists (49, 1.63 per game) last season. She made 64.4 percent of her shots from the field (103-for-160) and ranked 43rd in NAIA Division II in offensive rebounds per game (3.067).
Loewen received NAIA All-American honors on the second team and earned the NAIA Tournament Hustle Award. She was also honored as an NAIA Academic All-American.
“Tena is a servant leader at heart, and she is always worried more about others than herself,” said head basketball coach Shawn Reed. “In her mind, our team always comes first, which means her desires are secondary to those of teammates.”
An elementary education major, Loewen is a repeat member of the Dean’s List.
She has been involved in numerous community service projects, including serving on the student-led Eve to Eve Leadership Team on campus; reading at the elementary school, helping with Special Olympics, volunteering with the elementary school’s Walking School Bus, serving as a sponsor for her church’s junior high youth group; teaching children’s church; leading a Bible study for freshmen and sophomore volleyball players; and traveling to Thailand for a basketball mission trip. She is also a participant in the Presidential Leadership Scholar Program.
Loewen is the fourth Bluejay to receive the honor, joining Jordan Crosson (2009-10), Taylor Funk (2010-11) and Hollister Wolf (2011-12) as KCAC Champions of Character Female Student-Athletes of the Year.
Loewen was formally recognized at the KCAC Sport Management Conference Aug. 2 at the University of Saint Mary.
