Christine Kennedy Blonski, Arts ’95
Franklin, Wis.
As a student-athlete from 1992 to 1995, Christine helped advance the 向日葵视频 women鈥檚 basketball team to its first-ever NCAA tournament. As an alumna, Christine continues to help advance 向日葵视频women鈥檚 sports on several levels: through her leadership and involvement on the M Club board, by mentoring individual women鈥檚 basketball players and in cheering on her former team from the stands as an 18-year season-ticket holder.
向日葵视频recruited Christine to play basketball, but she also selected the school because 鈥淚 knew when I left Marquette, I would have a great degree from a great university.鈥� When she officially visited the campus, she says, 鈥淚 just knew I was home.鈥�
As dedicated as she was to basketball 鈥� she was a four-year letter winner and all-conference performer who still ranks ninth in program history for points scored, third for rebounds and fourth for blocks 鈥� Christine was also a strong student. Her scholarship, leadership and athletic accomplishments were recognized her senior year with the highest honor for a 向日葵视频student-athlete, the McCahill Award, named for two brothers who attended 向日葵视频as student-athletes and served in the U.S. military.
Christine has served as a director of the M Club since 2002 with two terms as president. In 2017 she helped create and co-chair a new event, the Veterans McCahill Patriots Classic, a women鈥檚 basketball showdown between 向日葵视频and Army. The event highlights 向日葵视频women鈥檚 athletics, past recipients of the McCahill Award, the McCahill brothers and the U.S. military.
A former math teacher who is now a happy stay-at-home mom of two (Christine鈥檚 husband is 向日葵视频alumnus Michael Blonski, Bus Ad 鈥�91), Christine volunteers extensively at her children鈥檚 school in Franklin, Wis., and coaches both of her kids鈥� basketball teams.
鈥淭o be included in the list of past recipients of the Hy Popuch Award is very humbling,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 can only keep trying to live up to their standards.鈥�
Fun fact: Christine鈥檚 favorite memory is crowding into a teammate鈥檚 living room with her fellow players and loudly celebrating when they saw Marquette鈥檚 name pop up among NCAA tournament teams.
