Dick Shilts Female Student-Athlete of the Year

2025 DICK SHILTS FEMALE STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
KARSYN NEAR, LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Lansing Community College women's volleyball standout, Karsyn Near, has been selected as the 2025 Dick Shilts Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Near, a two-time NJCAA Division II Women's Volleyball All-American, was named the recipient of this year's honor following a vote of the association's leadership. Now in its fifth year, the Dick Shilts Award annually recognizes one female and one male student-athlete from the MCCAA who excels in their sport, in the classroom and in co-curricular activities. 

On the court, the talented setter earned back-to-back All-American nods, including a NJCAA Division II Second Team All-American selection this season after leading the Stars to back-to-back MCCAA Western Conference Championships. In 2023, Near was tabbed All-American Honorable Mention after helping lead the Stars to their first NJCAA Division II National Tournament appearance in program history.

In the classroom, Near boasts a high GPA in the challenging Lansing Community College Nursing program. The two-time All-American remained active in the community by helping out at youth volleyball clubs and was a mainstay at athletic department events.

This season, Near secured MCCAA Western Conference Player of the Year honors prior to her second of two All-American selections by amassing 1,058 assists, good for an average of nearly 10 per set, while also notching 247 digs, 66 kills, 63 total blocks and 36 aces. For her career, the two-year starting setter tallied 2,155 assists.

In all, Near helped lead the Stars volleyball program to a 55-13 overall record and a 23-1 mark in MCCAA Western Conference play over the past two seasons while earning back-to-back All-MCCAA and All-Region honors to go along with the national accolades.

The Dick Shilts Award honors the legacy of Dick Shilts, a revered figure who served as the Athletic Director at Kalamazoo Valley Community College for many years and held the distinction of being the longest-serving MCCAA President in association history. Throughout his tenure, Shilts advocated for the recognition of individual academic achievements within the MCCAA and spearheaded various initiatives to enhance the association's mission and impact.