POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. - At Tuesday night's DI Women's Volleyball National Championship banquet, the National Christian College Association announced that the University of Northwestern's Marley Aune (New Brighton, Minn./Avail Academy) is the recipient of the organization's Susan R. Hellings Award. The award is part of the NCCAA's 'Game Plan 4 LIFE' series, awarded to one student-athlete from each NCCAA-sponsored sport who best exemplifies Game Plan 4 LIFE standards of Love, Integrity, Faith and Excellence. Aune is the third UNW Volleyball player to win the award, preceded by Sydney Schwitters in 2020 and Kiera Brown (Columbia Falls, Mont./Columbia Falls) in 2023. She is also the third Northwestern student-athlete to win a Game Plan 4 LIFE award in the 2025 fall sports season, joining Jakob Swanson (Men's Golf) and Haley Mersberger (Women's Soccer).

The full NCCAA press release can be found here.

There may not be a collegiate volleyball player at any level who better lives out the Game Plan 4 LIFE pillars than Aune. A two-time AVCA All-American and 2025 UMAC Player of the Year who was the active NCAA Division III leader in total blocks throughout her entire senior season, the New Brighton native dominated the UMAC for four years. Her 542 career blocks are second in program history, and her 148 blocks this season were second in Division III at the conclusion of the regular season. The senior led her team in points per set (3.84), blocks and blocks per set (1.33), adding 293 kills (2.64 per set) and 25 aces. But Aune is much more than just a dominant presence at the net. The Kinesiology Pre-Therapy major also holds a 3.82 GPA, has racked up several academic awards while on campus, and displays excellent leadership and Christian service as well. She has spent time working with local elementary schools and children's ministries at church, leads a small group for her teammates, and participated in a team mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where the Eagles led volleyball clinics, delivered food, and spent time ministering at orphanages and women's centers.