Bowdoin Athletic Hall of Honor
Kristin Hanczor was the most dominant player in the history of women’s volleyball at Bowdoin and lifted the program to new heights while rewriting the individual and team record books in the process.
Her arrival at Bowdoin ushered in a new era for the volleyball program, improving the team’s record from 17-17 to 27-3 over four years, including a historic undefeated 10-0 NESCAC conference record her senior year. As captain of the team in both her junior and senior seasons, Hanczor’s prowess at the net was legendary, as she accumulated a school-record 401 career blocks. Most important, however, was leading Bowdoin to its first-ever NESCAC championship in 2011, followed by its first-ever berth in the NCAA tournament and a first-ever tournament victory. That year, Hanczor was named NESCAC Player of the Year and was selected as a NCAA Division III All-American, the first Bowdoin volleyball player ever to receive either of those honors.
She returned to Bowdoin as an assistant coach in 2014 and 2015, helping to sustain the team’s success during a transitional period, and working as an advocate for sustainability in athletics as Bowdoin’s Sustainability Outreach Coordinator. In those two years, the Polar Bears posted records of 23-9 and 26-5, as well as a NESCAC championship in 2015 and an unprecedented run to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals.
