Lakeland College

Former Lakeland standout inducted into Wisconsin Volleyball Conference Hall of Fame

Athletics - posted on 8/27/2008

Rocky Koenig, a standout member of the Lakeland College men's volleyball team from 2003-05, was inducted into the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference Hall of Fame last April at the WVC State Championship Tournament at UW-La Crosse.

A Valders native, Koenig is the first Muskie inducted into the WVC Hall of Fame. As a libero, Koenig was a three-time All-WVC selection, a two-time All-Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association team honoree, and was twice named the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Libero of the Year. He graduated from Lakeland in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in sports administration.

Lakeland men's volleyball coach Chad Schreiber spoke on behalf of his former star at the Hall of Fame ceremony.

"During the evolution of the libero in volleyball, Rocky Koenig was the name most associated with that position," Schreiber said. "His fearless approach to defense, creative saves in hopeless situations and sidestepping the 10-foot line to legally set a teammate has often been copied but never duplicated."

Koenig, who spent six years in the U.S. Air Force stationed in South Carolina from 1994 to 2000, also received the WVC's Leif Storvik Sportsmanship Award in 2005.

"Rocky came to Lakeland as a self-taught player seasoned by years dedicated to the armed forces, and he took pride in doing what he loved to the best of his ability," Schreiber said. "This passion for life made those around him better and just happier because he was around. This trait was recognized with the WVC's Leif Storvik award his senior season."

During his three years at Lakeland, Koenig helped put Lakeland College men's volleyball on the national map. In 2003, Koenig led the Muskies to a Division II national runner-up finish. In his final two seasons, Lakeland competed at the Division I level, closing the 2004 season ranked No. 21 and placing third at the national championship tournament in 2005. The team is now annually among the top handful of teams in the country, with Koenig and his teammates setting the standard for success at Lakeland.

Koenig currently works as an assistant coach for the women's volleyball team at North Dakota State University.

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