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Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
(article posted by Jeremy Rushing, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Oct. 1, 2013 - Balance. A student-athlete must have it both on the field and in every other aspect of his or her life, and nobody balances everything better than Mackenzie Wenger.  With varsity soccer, various on campus clubs, and class and homework to boot, Mackenzie may be one of the most involved individuals on a campus full of motivated students.
               
Aside from soccer, Mackenzie is a member of Blue Key Honor Society, she's leading a trip to Haiti in December, she's planned numerous Habitat for Humanity trips in the past, and she also serves as a Student Athlete Mentor.  She particularly enjoys her work planning and leading Habitat trips.
               
"It's really satisfying to see a group of people who may not have known each other before the (Habitat) trip come together and grow as a group," explains Mackenzie.  "This year especially, there was so much bonding between groups of people that may not have otherwise talked to each other." 
               
What the Dakota High School graduate finds the most rewarding, though, is when these relationships last beyond those few weeks.
               
"Even now I see they're still communicating regularly on social media and when we see each other around campus it's like a reunion," she says.
               
Not only does the Davis, Ill. native balance all of these activities, she does it extremely well.  She has earned two straight Academic All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) awards for her success in the classroom as well as on the soccer field.
               
"I've always been really motivated academically," she says.  "My parents definitely instilled that in me to just be disciplined in everything I do."
               
The senior exercise science major has taken her area of study and used it to her advantage in other areas of her life as well.  Soccer being a physically demanding sport, she's using what she learns in the classroom to also help her on the field.
               
"I definitely like how you can apply everything you're learning to your own body," says Mackenzie.  "I like to see something on the board and know that I can do that myself or apply it to myself or use it to better myself, my family, friends, and teammates."
               
On the field, Mackenzie has played a major role as a defender over the past four years.  She has played in 57 of North Central's last 60 games, starting 54 of those.  She has anchored a defense that posted six shutouts in each of the past two seasons.

Even on defense, she's found a way to be a part of some big goals for the Cardinals over the years.  In 2010, Mackenzie scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Lake Forest.  In 2011, Mackenzie had an assist on the Cardinals' only goal in a 1-1 draw against Carthage.  In 2012, her only assist of the season set up the game-winning goal against Elmhurst.

You may ask how a senior in college is able to deal with so much on her plate.  If you ask Mackenzie, she points to her parents.  "They are the hardest working, most dedicated and passionate people I've ever met.  They've provided me and my siblings with so many things in life.  They've done so much for us; I couldn't have gotten to where I am without them."