For the second time in program history, Grand Valley State University’s women’s basketball team won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) National Championship. Making history on Friday, March 28, the Lakers achieved the highest honor in Division II women’s college basketball. The last time GVSU went to the championship was in 2006.

The Lakers began their championship journey on Monday, March 24 by competing in the NCAA Elite Eight against Gannon University. This was the third time in the last 10 seasons that the Lakers competed in the Elite Eight, and the third time advancing to the Final Four after defeating Gannon, 60-32. With a day’s rest, the Lakers took the Final Four win, 68-61, against Pittsburgh State on Wednesday, March 26 after a hard-fought, nail-biting match up.

After spending time in Pittsburgh adapting to the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse court, the Lakers found themselves in the final championship game against California State University, Dominguez Hills. In support of the big game, Laker Nation took over the fieldhouse, as GVSU supplied transportation for students, the marching band, cheerleaders and family. Additionally, other University athletic groups, such as the football and women’s volleyball teams, shared various posts of support and encouragement on Instagram.

“The support (from Laker Nation) has been like no other, and they truly love being there to support us,” said redshirt senior guard Ellie Droste. “Having them at the game on Friday was a game changer. I truly think they shifted the momentum of that game and were able to get in the other team’s head a bit.”

By 7 p.m. on Friday, reality was setting in. Despite the Lakers’ 38-2 record this year, which is also the most single season wins in program history, the championship game was the ultimate test.

To read more from Tori Byrne on this historic victory, click here.

GV track and field shatters records at home meet

The Grand Valley State University track and field teams competed in their first outdoor home meet of the season from Friday, April 4 to Saturday, April 5. There were plenty of notable moments from the weekend, none bigger than school records being broken.

The meet kicked off with sprints and hurdles, where GVSU saw plenty of success. In the 110m, two men and three women for the Lakers qualified for finals. In the finals, senior Ethan Smith finished first with a time of 14.60. For the women, all three runners finished in the top five. Junior Destini Dorkins led the way by running a 14.35, beating her personal record.

In the 100m, GVSU had five men and three women competing in the finals. Graduate student Myles Rhodes led the way for the men with a first place finish. Rhodes ran a 10.48, which tied his personal record. Second and third place also belonged to the Lakers, thanks to freshmen Jacob Machiniak and Desmond Chapa, respectively.

Women’s first, second and third place all belonged to the Lakers. Freshman Claire Neumann ran a personal best, which placed her first. Sophomore Catherine Guckenberger placed second and senior Melia Williams rounded it out at third.

Click here to read more from Griffin Missant on this first meet for the outdoor track and field season.

GV swim and dive secures first win of the semester

On Saturday, Jan. 11, Grand Valley State University’s swim and dive team competed against the Wayne State University Warriors at home. The Lakers came out on top, with leading scores in both the men’s and women’s divisions. The final score for the women was 215 to the Warriors’ 84, in addition to the men’s lead of 207 to 93.

The Lakers had standout performances across the board. Sophomore diver Macy Polasek displayed skill in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events. In the 1-meter, Polasek came in first, which awarded nine points to the Lakers’ final score. During the 3-meter event, Polasek attempted a new dive, securing her third place in the event.

“Macy Polasek’s forward 3 ½ somersault is a new dive and she performed it very well,” said Steve Burciaga, both the men’s and women’s diving head coach.

In addition to strong diving performances, the women had other notable accomplishments in the pool– the 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay. The Lakers triumphed in both events, securing a combined 22 points toward the team’s final score.

To read more from Arianna Westbrooks on the swim and dive team’s victory against Wayne State, click here.

GV women’s wrestling debuts at home against Northern Michigan

In front of a packed crowd at the Fieldhouse Arena, the Grand Valley State University women’s wrestling team debuted their inaugural dual against Northern

Michigan University, dominating their way to a win, 42-6.

Kicking things off for the Lakers was 160-pound junior Clarissa Agostini. She quickly scored her first points with a takedown over Sophia Bassino from NMU. Agostini maintained her early lead into the second period, where she scored four points from a takedown that resulted in her opponent being controlled on their back. Another quick takedown put Agostini up by 10 points, giving her the win by technical fall, 14-4.

Following GVSU scoring their first official points, 180-pound freshman Sabrina Nauss used her overpowering strength to quickly pin her opponent in only one minute and 40 seconds.

Off to a good start, 207-pound freshman Aaliyah Grandberry took the mat next for the Lakers. A strong first period put Grandberry up 7-0, but a quick pin by her opponent gave the Wildcats their only points of the duel. 103-pound junior Rayana Sahagun received an easy, automatic win for GVSU, as Northern Michigan then forfeited the match.

Click here to read more from Brady Kemmerling on the debut of the new women’s wrestling program.

Representing GVSU in the tournament were juniors Chris Donathan, Josh Kenny and Carter Blough, along with redshirt freshman Brayden Mirjavadi and senior Wyatt Miller. To qualify for finals, each wrestler had to place within the top three in their weight class at regional competitions.

The first wrestler to compete for the Lakers was the No. 1 seed Donathan in the 149-pound class. Ranked first heading into the tournament, Donathan snuck out a close win by decision, 6-4, in his first match. In the second round, Donathan scored quickly, gaining enough points to give him the win by technical fall, 20-4. However, in the third round, Donathan was up against No. 4 ranked Nick James from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Despite scoring fast and keeping it close, Donathan took his first loss of the season.

This loss did not knock Donathan out of the tournament, as wrestlers were put in the Wrestleback bracket after their first loss. Donathan rematched against Brennan Watkins. However, Donathan medically forfeited the match, ending his season with a 14-1 record.

The next Laker to compete was No. 2 seed Josh Kenny in the 174-pound class. Winning GVSUs first national title in 32 years during the previous season, Kenny kept a consistent mentality going into the match.

“My mindset stays the same, (which is to) go out, try my best and have fun,” Kenny said. “The only thing I can control is my effort and my attitude.”

In a slow and low-scoring first match, Kenny won his first match, 2-1. He followed this with another low-scoring match against the seventh-seed Matt Ortiz from McKendree University. This time, however, Kenny took his first loss from decision, 4-2.

Kenny then claimed an 11-1 win by major decision in the first round of the Wrestleback bracket. Moving on, Kenny faced off against No. 3 seed Bryce Dagel from St. Cloud State University. The night unfortunately ended for Kenny, as lost by a major decision, and finished the season with a 20-7 record.

Although he was unable to repeat his previous successes, Kenny still reflected positively on this season.

“One thing I think about a lot from this year (are) the outcomes of each match, and all the factors that only I can control,” expressed Kenny. “(I think) about how I have eaten good, managed my weight and worked hard at practice. (I try) not to think about outside factors because of the target on my back that I made last year at finals.”

Seventh-seed Mirjavadi was up next for GVSU, representing the 184-pound class. He began his run in the tournament with a strong outing, winning the first round by major decision, 14-3.

Next, he paired against No. 2 seed Matt Weinberg from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. Facing a tough opponent, Mirjavadi lost 9-0, which moved him into the Wrestleback bracket. In his first match of the bracket, Mirjavadi took on and lost 4-1 to Damon Ashworth from the University of Central Missouri.

The next Laker up was the 197-pound Wyatt Miller. In his first match, he faced No. 4 seed Max Ramberg from Augustana University, where he lost in a low-scoring battle, 5-0.

Being bumped down to the Wrestleback bracket, Miller quickly started with a win by fall, pinning his opponent in just over a minute. No. 6 seed Dakoda Rodger from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown was up next, where a win by decision, 5-1, gave Miller another victory. This run continued for Miller, as he won his next match, 7-1. In his following match, however, Miller’s run ended with an 8-7 loss against the No. 5 seed Jackson Kinsella from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. 

Due to the amount of wins he racked up, Miller had one final match for fifth place. Competing against the No. 7 ranked Nicholas Johnson from Glenville State University, Miller took his second loss by decision, 10-3. 

The final wrestler representing GVSU was No. 3 seed Carter Blough in the 285-pound class. A transfer from the Divison I Michigan State University, Blough started strong with a close overtime win, 7-5. In the second round, Blough once again went into overtime, but lost 2-1 to the No. 6 Jake Swirple from Minot State University.

In the Wrestleback bracket, Blough managed to take his opponent to overtime again, and won, 9-7. For his next match, Blough faced the No. 1 Crew Howard from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Taking his second loss by major decision, Blough ended the season with a 28-7 record.

Although no Lakers were able to bring home a title this season, the team didn’t leave completely empty-handed. Donathan, Kenny, Miller and Blough all received All-American honors for their seasons on the mat.

Opening the night for the Lakers was redshirt freshman Orion Wilson in the 125-pound weight class. With two quick takedowns, Wilson pulled ahead early, 6-1. Keeping pressure on his opponent into the third period, Wilson rallied enough points to take the win by technical fall, 19-1.

Sophomore Jak Keller followed in the 133-pound weight class. Ranked 10th in his class, Keller swiftly pinned his opponent, taking the win by fall.

The next match saw redshirt freshman CJ Poole in the 141-pound weight class. Despite being down early in the first period, a takedown by Poole tied the score, 5-5. The match ended quickly with Poole overpowering his opponent into a pin, giving him the win by fall.

Ranked first in the 149-pound weight class, junior Chris Donathan scored points quickly with multiple takedowns. He closed out his match similarly, putting his opponent’s shoulders on the mat, and winning by fall.

This trend continued with redshirt freshman Maddox Simcoe in the 157-pound weight class. After taking an early lead, he pinned his opponent, giving himself a win by fall. Heading into the halfway point, GVSU controlled the score 29-0.

Redshirt freshman Bradley Mayse started the second half in the 165-pound weight class. A close match ensued, with each wrestler scraping for points and an opportunity. Such an opportunity came for Mayse, taking down his opponent late in the second period to pull ahead. This was enough to give Mayse the win by major decision, 14-6.

Representing the 174-pound weight class for the Lakers was junior Josh Kenny. Ranked fifth in the class, Kenny rallied enough points to give him the win by technical fall, 16-1.

Although he won last season’s national championship in the 174-pound class, Kenny still looks for ways to improve his performance.

“I’ve done a lot in Division II already, so I go prepare for each match trying to learn new techniques, stuff that (I’ve) never hit before,” said Kenny. “I have been doing this for a really long time, so right now it’s all about learning new stuff and (continuing to have) fun out here.”

Kenny also looks to help his teammates improve.

“Mostly, I want to go out there and win a team national title, and if I can, I want to be the guy in the room that helps others improve to the best of their ability,” said Kenny.

Next up for GVSU was redshirt freshman Brayden Bobo in the 184-pound weight class. Bobo and his opponent started aggressively, taking turns nearing a pin. However, Davenport came out on top, and took their first points with a win by fall.

Junior Wyatt Miller, ranked 14th in the 194-pound weight class, was next up for the Lakers. Points came quickly to Miller with a pair of takedowns, and a win followed shortly after by major decision, 16-2.

Closing the duel was junior Carter Blough, ranked third in the 285-pound weight class. Blough overcame his opponent, winning 19-3 by technical fall.

As a Division I transfer from Michigan State University, Blough brought his talents to GVSU and has been a pivotal heavyweight wrestler.

“Here at Grand Valley, the coaches care much more, and it’s more of a family-type feel,” said Blough. “With not as much on the line as Division I, the care here has been big in helping me improve.”

With the NCAA Tournaments a month away, the GVSU men’s wrestling team is beginning to focus on bigger matches.

“We’re going into the fun part,” said Blough. “We are all trying to fine-tune our skills (to) get ready for the big show.”

Head coach Joey Simcoe noted that the team’s philosophy is to “not completely change” who they are. He explained that while the team watches back performances in order to learn from other wrestlers’ tendencies, the Lakers persist in aiming to be selfless.

“We have been able to put this program together quickly and we have faith in what we do,” Simcoe said. “It’s all about sticking together through hard times and being selfless.”

The wrestlers will be on the road next, heading to Indianapolis, Illinois for the Greyhound Duels on Saturday, Feb. 8 through Sunday, Feb. 9.

Now in their second season as a program, the Lakers have been able to find their footing through a pair of ranked wins the previous weekend against No. 2 Glenville State University and No. 8 Lander University. The Lakers’ five individually-ranked wrestlers have helped the team snatch these wins. These athletes include junior Josh Kenny, ranked third in the 173-pound class, and Division I Michigan State transfer, junior Carter Blough, who is ranked fourth in the 285-pound class. Junior Chris Donathan is ranked sixth in the 149-pound class, redshirt freshman Brayden Mirjavadi is ranked ninth in the 184-pound class and sophomore Jak Keller is ranked 12th in the 133-pound class.

Kicking the tournament off, GVSU and Augustana traded points back and forth early on. A 9-0 win by majority by Keller and a 5-4 win by decision from Donathan kept the Lakers close in points. Despite back-to-back wins by Kelly and Mirjavadi, and a final win by decision, 9-0, from Blough, the Lakers fell short in the first round of duels to Augustana, 17-20.

In the second round of matches, GVSU showed off their resilience against UIndy, winning 36-10, and taking eight straight matches out of 10. The Lakers finished the first day with another clutch win over Upper Iowa. With the score tied heading into the final two matches, a 14-13 win by decision from senior Wyatt Miller in the 197-pound class and a 2-0 win by decision from Blough secured his team the victory.

“It is nothing but fun,” said head coach Joey Simcoe. “It’s really the only word that comes to mind thinking of how this team has been in year two. Everything we do has become more fluid and we can see how much we have been able to grow now. I am beyond proud of what these guys have accomplished against these sizable opponents.”

Day two of the tournament began against UMary, where a win by GVSU would lock in a top six placing. UMary started strong, winning five out of the first six matches. However, GVSU rebounded with four straight wins on their own. An 8-0 win by majority decision from Kenny and a win by fall from Mirjavadi started the streak. A 6-1 win by decision from Miller and a final win by fall from Blough helped GVSU take a last-second, 20-17 lead. The Lakers went on to face Parkside for their final match. With a majority of starters out for GVSU, they fell 3-43 to the Rangers.

Walking out of their first ever NWCA Tournament in sixth place out of 16 teams, GVSU was the only unranked team heading into the tournament to place.

The Lakers are once again on the road, heading to Erie, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Jan. 18, where they will take on Gannon University.

The Grand Valley State University football team hosted their biggest rival, Ferris State University, in a packed Lubbers Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 26. Despite the Lakers’ confidence going into the game, Ferris controlled all four quarters. GVSU fell to the Bulldogs 34-7, giving the Lakers their first loss of the season.

From the very beginning, many fans could feel the energy in the air– there was something off about this game. Students waited in line for hours just to get inside, the cheerleaders showed up late and even the players themselves had a delayed arrival.

This game being against Ferris only added to the chaotic atmosphere. If there was any question as to whether these schools truly despise each other, look no further than GVSU players gesturing that the Bulldogs stunk while running out of the tunnel. While funny in the moment, this overconfidence came to bite the Lakers later on.

Read more of Griffin Missant’s coverage on GVSU’s shocking defeat against Ferris State here.

GV cross country earns over 25 personal records at Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite

The Grand Valley State University’s men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational, which saw over 25 Lakers earn their personal bests.

Oct 4. marked the first time GVSU’s cross country teams have attended Notre Dame’s invitational in over a decade. The teams ran in four of the six races– the Women’s Blue 5k, the Men’s Blue 8k, the Women’s Open 5k and the Men’s Open

8k. The teams saw success in all four of these races. Of the nine total Lakers who ran in the Women’s Blue 5k, each of them finished with a personal record, with senior Abby Olson placing first for the women’s team. Olson finished with a time of 16:59.2, landing in forty-ninth place of 191 racers.

The Lakers saw similar success in the Men’s Blue 8k. The top five racers for GVSU all earned personal bests. Leading the pack was senior Caleb Futter who placed sevente

enth out of 166 runners. He finished the race with 22:58.6 as his new record.

Read more of Ethan Outman’s coverage of GVSU cross country’s success at the Notre Dame Invite here.

GV men’s DI hockey club sweeps Western Michigan in home, away games

The No. 21 ranked Grand Valley State University Division I men’s hockey club faced off against the Western Michigan University Stallions on Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23. The first game of the competition was away, in Stallion territory, and the second was at home.

Going into the doubleheader, the Lakers were fourth in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Great Lakes Six Conference, with an 8-4 record. However, the Lakers were on a two-game losing streak to local rivals Calvin (1-4) and Davenport (1-7). Undergoing the tough losses, the team also had five injuries within the two games– one being junior captain Carson Wood. With multiple injuries and half the season gone, the Lakers were luckily granted a bye week, due to facility issues at Ohio University. The time off gave the Lakers the ability to heal their injuries and regroup after their losses.

Coming off the losing streak and the bye week, third-year head coach Matthew Sekosan expressed that team members have been having conversations regarding positioning and strengths.

“We are on this teetering point of either going toward our successful route or going in the route no team wants to go,” said Sekosan. “The games where we’ve been the most successful (are) when we’re the loosest and having the most fun as a group.”

Read more on Tori Byrne’s coverage of GVSU’s men’s DI club hockey team here.

GV volleyball triumphs over Saginaw Valley, Lake Superior State in three set sweeps

Grand Valley State University’s volleyball team swept Lake Superior State University and Saginaw Valley State University 3-0 in both of their games this weekend.

On Friday, Sept. 27, the GVSU Lakers dominated against LSSU with a 3-0 sweep. They won their sets with scores of 25-19, 25-18 and 25-22. This win for the Lakers counted as their thirty-fifth consecutive victory over LSSU, with the record dating back to 2002.

With GVSU’s current dominant record and ranking, teams such as LSSU can easily be brushed off by the Lakers. However, the team’s head coach Jason Johnson feels that regardless of the opponent’s record, playing away games is essential to being a skilled team.

“No matter what the record of a team might be, travel is a great equalizer,” Johnson said. “You must go and play in someone else’s gym, and manage what their strengths are. We still have a lot to work on and get better at, so every match we play is another opportunity to do that.”

Read more of Arianna Westbrook’s coverage on the two sweeps by GVSU women’s volleyball here.

GV women’s wrestling debuts at home against Northern Michigan

In front of a packed crowd at the Fieldhouse Arena, the Grand Valley State University women’s wrestling team debuted their inaugural dual against Northern Michigan University, dominating their way to a win, 42-6.

Kicking things off for the Lakers was 160-pound junior Clarissa Agostini. She quickly scored her first points with a takedown over Sophia Bassino from NMU. Agostini maintained her early lead into the second period, where she scored four points from a takedown that resulted in her opponent being controlled on their back. Another quick takedown put Agostini up by 10 points, giving her the win by technical fall, 14-4.

Following GVSU scoring their first official points, 180-pound freshman Sabrina Nauss used her overpowering strength to quickly pin her opponent in only one minute and 40 seconds.

Off to a good start, 207-pound freshman Aaliyah Grandberry took the mat next for the Lakers. A strong first period put Grandberry up 7-0, but a quick pin by her opponent gave the Wildcats their only points of the duel. 103-pound junior Rayana Sahagun received an easy, automatic win for GVSU, as Northern Michigan then forfeited the match.

Read more of Brady Kemmerling’s coverage on the first home match for the new women’s wrestling program here.

Kicking things off for the Lakers was 160-pound junior Clarissa Agostini. She quickly scored her first points with a takedown over Sophia Bassino from NMU. Agostini maintained her early lead into the second period, where she scored four points from a takedown that resulted in her opponent being controlled on their back. Another quick takedown put Agostini up by 10 points, giving her the win by technical fall, 14-4.

Following GVSU scoring their first official points, 180-pound freshman Sabrina Nauss used her overpowering strength to quickly pin her opponent in only one minute and 40 seconds.

Off to a good start, 207-pound freshman Aaliyah Grandberry took the mat next for the Lakers. A strong first period put Grandberry up 7-0, but a quick pin by her opponent gave the Wildcats their only points of the duel. 103-pound junior Rayana Sahagun received an easy, automatic win for GVSU, as Northern Michigan then forfeited the match.

Taking the mat next was 110-pound junior Sage Mortimer. As a gold medal recipient in the Under-23 World Championships and having placed in the top three of her weight class in the U.S. Olympic Trials, Mortimer demonstrated her speed and strength for GVSU, winning her match with a grand amplitude throw into a pin. Halfway through the duel, the Lakers held a strong lead, 18-6.

Opening the second half was 114-pound freshman Ana Malovich. With a quick swipe of her opponent’s feet, Malovich gained the lead with a takedown. Dominantly, Malovich swiftly pinned her opponent for the win.

The winning streak continued with 124-pound freshman Aspen Blasko, who pinned her opponent early. This allowed GVSU to pull away in points, leading 28-6.

A shoving match ensued with 131-junior Hannah Palise, but a solid takedown gave her the lead. A slow and steady match followed, lasting into the final seconds of the match, but a quick burst of energy by Palise ended the match with another grand amplitude throw for the win.

Freshman Katerina Lange, at 136 pounds, quickly racked up points with takedowns, giving her the win by technical fall, 10-0.

Closing out this milestone victory for the Lakers was 145-pound freshman Elleni Johnson. She wrapped her match up quickly with an automatic win, as NMU forfeited.

Although the duel had concluded, three exhibition matches followed. Sahagun and Johnson both got to show their talent in these matches, with Sahagun winning with a pin and Johnson scoring a fast technical fall, 11-0. Nauss closed out the exhibition rounds by taking part in her second match of the night. She won this match, ending with a pin.

“Having this big of a turnout here for our first match (was) crazy,” said Nauss. “We want to show everyone how hard we have been working, and it’s been a great experience with this team.”

The women’s wrestling program, which is newly established this semester, is led by head coach Jake Short. Previously, Short coached the women’s wrestling squad at Augsburg University, where he led the school’s team to a fifth-place finish in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Tournament.

While at Augsburg, Short coached nine wrestlers to NWCA All-American honors, including three individual national champions. Although Short found success before coming to Allendale, coaching at GVSU presented a new start that was too intriguing for him to pass up. 

“There were a lot of moving parts in my decision to come here, but it was destined to be,” said Short. “I took a look at the institution (GVSU) and the resources that they had, and I felt this was an opportunity to see what we could do.”

Having to build a program from the ground up, Short went into the process of establishing a roster.

“I was fortunate enough to get some athletes out of the transfer portal, and I had an awesome recruiting class,” Short said. “These girls don’t act like your typical freshmen. They want to come out here (to) dominate and win matches. With recruiting, I was real and told recruits how I coach and operate.”

Short added that there have been few challenges with this group, and he believes it’s a result of the culture they’ve worked to create.

“I didn’t know if it would be a struggle,” said Short. “It does help to have a few juniors and sophomores with seniority, but the freshmen act as if they have been in my program for years. It’s the players that have created this strong culture.”

The Grand Valley State University men’s Division I club hockey team won two heavy-hitting and nail-biting games versus the University of Toledo Rockets. The first matchup was a 4-3 win at home for GVSU, then a second win in an OT thriller at Toledo 4-3.

In a home game at Griff’s Georgetown Ice Arena on Friday, Feb. 2, GVSU came out very aggressive and it paid off. Early on, the Lakers got a ton of great scoring opportunities and kept the puck on the Rockets’ end of the ice for much of the game.

GVSU scored two quick goals in the first 10 minutes of the first period, one from forward Carson Wood and another shortly after by forward Nick Sommerfield.

With about three minutes to go in the first, Toledo had a chance to get back in the game with a power play. GVSU was whistled for a high stick, the first penalty of the game on both sides, and the Lakers killed it with ease.

Shortly thereafter, GVSU captain Zach Borchardt was set up by Carson Korte for a missile of a one timer, making it three unanswered goals in the first period.

Lakers junior forward Braeden Fouchea emphasized the importance of scoring early in games, which has not been easy for the Lakers.

“We’ve had a tough time this year getting off to good starts,” Fouchea said. “A lot of games we didn’t get the first goal and we have to come back. (It) felt really good to get a good start.”

Click here to read more from Staff Writer Griffin Missant about GVSU men’s DI club hockey’s thrilling victory.

GV women’s basketball earns No. 1 seed in GLIAC Tournament, wins 3rd straight regular season title

The Grand Valley State University Lakers women’s basketball team (29-2, 17-1) won against the Northern Michigan University Wildcats (19-8, 13-) and the Michigan Technological University Huskies (15-11, 11-7), an eleventh straight victory for the team as they head into the tournament season.

The Lakers first faced the Wildcats on Thursday, Feb. 29, taking the victory 74-67 in an overtime battle, before facing the Huskies on Saturday, March 2 for a narrow 92-86 win. 

With the win against the Wildcats, GVSU earned multiple accomplishments. The Lakers won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship for the third-consecutive season. In the process, Lakers head coach Mike Williams became the winningest coach in GVSU women’s basketball history with 234 wins. Redshirt junior forward Rylie Bisballe also tallied her 1,000th career point in the matchup with NMU.

Click here to read more from Staff Writer Delaney Miller about GVSU women’s basketball  winning a GLIAC regular season championship.

GV women’s basketball wins GLIAC Championship

While winning 14 straight games, the No. 1 ranked Grand Valley State University Lakers women’s basketball team took home the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference Championship (GLIAC), beating three opponents en route to their second consecutive tournament title.

After winning 11 straight games to finish the regular season, the Lakers beat the Purdue University Northwest (PNW) Pride, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers, and the Northern Michigan University Wildcats to sweep the regular season and postseason titles.

The Lakers’ star redshirt junior forward and 2023-2024 GLIAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, Rylie Bisballe, spoke glowingly about her team following the tournament win while deflecting some of the praise.

“Back-to-back. I think that this is just a special group and it’s a special thing. I think we’re all really close off the court and on the court,” Bisballe said. “We don’t just have one player that really dominates.”

Click here to read more from Sports Editor Nelson Hubbell about GVSU basketball’s GLIAC Tournament Championship run and victory.

GV’s Josh Kenny wins wrestling National Championship in program’s first season since 1992

In their inaugural season, the No. 13 ranked Grand Valley State University men’s wrestling team (13-7) sent four wrestlers to compete in the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championships in Wichita, Kansas, as redshirt sophomore Josh Kenny won the National Championship for the 174-pound weight class.

The tournament was played on March 15 and 16, where Kenny, sophomore Chris Donathan, redshirt sophomore Wyatt Miller, and senior Seth Konynenbelt competed against the best wrestlers in the country for a national title. To qualify for the event, each wrestler placed top three in their weight class at the regional tournament on March 2 at West Liberty University in West Virginia.

Click here to read more from Staff Writer Brady Kemmerling about Josh Kenny’s national championship for GVSU wrestling.

GV softball drops game one of DH, wins game two at Ferris State

The Grand Valley State University Laker Softball (20-7, 3-1) team split their afternoon doubleheader against Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) rival Ferris State University Bulldogs (14-17, 2-4) as both games ended with a narrow 2-1 final score.

GVSU won one game of a doubleheader with the Lewis University Flyers 8-5 and lost the second game 2-1 on Wednesday, March 27. Following those games, the Lakers and head coach Dana Callihan hoped for two complete victories on Friday, March 29.

Callihan said that after Wednesday’s game against Lewis, the Lakers focused on “adjusting to what the pitchers are throwing so we can start executing better and getting some more runs on the board.”

Game one was a pitching duel from the get go. Lakers freshman pitcher Kylie Swierkos got the start in the circle  and did not allow a hit in the first two innings of play. She was matched by Bulldogs junior pitcher Aryn Gallacher, who was just as dominant.

Click here to read more from Staff Writer Drew Burlingame about GVSU softball’s doubleheader win over rival Ferris State University.

The tournament was played on March 15 and 16, where Kenny, sophomore Chris Donathan, redshirt sophomore Wyatt Miller, and senior Seth Konynenbelt competed against the best wrestlers in the country for a national title. To qualify for the event, each wrestler placed top three in their weight class at the regional tournament on March 2 at West Liberty University in West Virginia.

The first wrestler to compete for the Lakers was the No. 3 seeded Donathan in the 149-pound class. Ranked third heading into the tournament, Donathan took on Devan Moore from Newberry College in the first round. Donathan battled for a close win by decision. For his second match, Donathan faced No. 6 seed Dylan Brown from the University of Central Oklahoma. Donathan scored first with a takedown, but a late turnaround by Brown led to Donathan’s second loss of the season.

However, this loss did not knock Donathan out of the tournament yet, as wrestlers are put in the
“Wrestleback Bracket” after their first loss. Next for Donathan, he faced Dean Noble from Western Colorado University. Although another low-scoring match ensued, Donathan ultimately fell to Noble with a score of 9-3. Finishing the season with a 25-3 record, Donathan had lost just one game heading into the NCAA Championship Tournament.

The next Laker to compete was No. 4 seed Josh Kenny in the 174-pound class. He began his run with a win by major decision over Johnathan Parrilla from Millersville University. Kenny followed this win with a lengthy overtime match against Matt Ortiz from McKendree University. In this low-scoring match, Kenny came out on top with a late takedown, advancing him to the semifinals.

Closing in on the title round, Kenny said he focuses on himself and his mindset before each match.

“Winning was of course the biggest thing, but to do so, I just have to have fun,” Kenny said. “I choose to go into each match without hate, but instead I trust in myself and just try and dominate. I wrestle because I love to do so and for no other reason.”

Kenny would next claim a 17-2 win by technical fall against eighth-seeded Brody Hemauer from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. This win advanced Kenny to the final round. Kenny, a native of Grandville, Michigan, was the first Lakers to do so since 1988.

In the title match, Kenny faced Anthony Des Vigne, the second wrestler that a GVSU player faced from UCO. The first period would end up scoreless, with both wrestlers putting everything they had left into this match. Kenny went on to score four points early into the second period that put him narrowly ahead. As the second period was closing out, Kenny pinned Des Vigne to win the NCAA DII National Championship.

Kenny ended the season with a 32-5 record, as well as earning All-American honors on top of winning the national title in the 174-pound class.

After reaching the pinnacle of success, Kenny said he aims to continue to have high goals going forward.

“I definitely want to make it back next year, but I mainly want to focus on helping others,” Kenny said. “I have hit my biggest goal, so it is now my responsibility to try and help others hit their goals, and hopefully that is them winning a title. We are a team first and I will always put myself second to that.”

Kenny became GVSU’s first wrestler since 1988 to become a National Champion, when 118-pound Roger Singleton did so. The GVSU wrestling program, which had been disbanded in 1992, added another National Championship under their belt in its first season returning. 

Still, two more Lakers were yet to compete for a title of their own. The unseeded Konyenbelt was up next for GVSU, representing the 184-pound class. He began his portion of the tournament against Cole Casilio from Gannon University. After a tough few minutes, Konynenbelt fell to Casilio, bumping him into the Wrestleback Bracket. He then took on No. 6 seed Bryce Fitzpatrick from St. Cloud State University for his second match. With another slow start, Konyenbelt also fell to Fitzpatrick, knocking him out of the tournament.

As the only senior on the roster for the Lakers, Konyenbelt wrapped up his career with a 27-16 record on the season.

The final wrestler representing GVSU was the 197-pound Wyatt Miller. In his first match, he faced No. 5 seed Dakota Rodgers from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, where he lost 4-3 in a low-scoring battle.

Being bumped down to the Wrestleback Bracket, Miller first wrestled against No. 4 seed Caden Steffon from Southwest Minnesota State University to stay. Miller quickly scored three points on Steffon and held this small lead until the end of the third period, where Miller pulled away for the win.

No. 6 seed Tereus Henry from Fort Hays State University was up next, where a late overtime takedown gave Miller another victory. Following back-to-back wins, Miller’s next opponent was Max Ramberg from Augustana University. However, Ramberg quickly outwrestled Miller into a loss by major decision. 

Miller, who finished in eighth place with a final record of 31-8, was also awarded as an All-American.

With four GVSU wrestlers competing in the tournament, head coach Joey Simcoe decided to bring along a few of the other members of the team who he thinks may also soon be competing for a national title. 

“We had a few of the guys travel down to watch us at nationals and it was a great experience for them to see what it is like to compete on the biggest stage,” Simcoe said. “My goal is to make sure that everyone is ready for nationals once they make it, regardless of if they had been there before or not. We are going to keep our high standards and guarantee that we will be prepared for any match.”

With their first full season of competition behind them, Simcoe looks forward to what this squad has to offer down the road.

“Nothing can describe how proud I am of these guys,” Simcoe said. “It was by far the most fun ride from start to finish. Once we began growing not as a team, but as a family, that was when we really started to see our best wrestling.”

To qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championship, an individual wrestler must finish top three in their weight class out of the 12 competing wrestlers. The Lakers were able to successfully send four wrestlers to nationals, those being sophomore Chris Donathan, redshirt sophomore Josh Kenny, senior Seth Konynenbelt and redshirt sophomore Wyatt Miller.

The regional tournament was hosted at West Liberty University in West Liberty, West Virginia. The Lakers had already faced many of the 12 teams that were present previously in the regular season.

GVSU head coach Joey Simcoe, who was recently named Coach of the Year for the NCAA Super Region 3 by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, explained how the team prepares for their big matches.

“Once we are aware of our wrestler’s matchups, we watch film and begin game planning to try and get the best preparation for our team,” Simcoe said. “We work different situations, with live wrestling, and hope that our preparation gives us the advantage in the match.”

Ranked No. 4 nationally in the 149-pound weight class, Donathan’s first match was in the quarterfinal round against Kaelob Pearce from Bluefield State University. Within the first minute of the match, Donathan swiftly put up 19 points, giving him the win by technical fall.

In the semifinals, Donathan faced Nolan Gessler from Tiffin University. Unlike with his previous opponent, both wrestlers found themselves in a slow match, which lasted roughly 11 minutes. Despite few points being scored, Donathan would maintain the lead and get the win by decision with a score of 9-4, punching his ticket into the finals.

Another slow match ensued in the finals, where against Christian Small from Lake Erie College, Donathan fought to get a small lead. Despite holding the lead for the majority of the match, Small scored a near fall with seconds remaining, putting him ahead in points. 

This final match would be Donathan’s first loss of the season, and currently, with a 24-1 record, he looks to make a strong run at the national tournament.

Also looking to make a nationals run is No. 2 ranked Josh Kenny in the 174-pound class. 

In the quarterfinal round, Kenny faced Gavin Rodriguez-Cayro from Davis & Elkins College. Throughout the first few minutes, Kenny would steadily grow his lead in points and would end the match with a pin.

Next, Kenny faced David Davis from Tiffin in the semifinals. Applying his speed and strength, Kenny overpowered his opponent and won 21-4 by technical fall.

For his final match, Kenny took on Nate Barrett from Ashland University. This match would take up the entire time limit, with back-and-forth takedowns. Ultimately, Kenny outscored his opponent 15-5, taking first place in his weight class with a win by major decision.

Wrestling in the 184-pound class for the Lakers was Seth Konyenbelt. In the quarterfinals, he barely escaped with a 3-2 win against Lucas Salmon from Tiffin. Konyenbelt would then fall to Daniel Beemer from Ashland in the semifinal round. Still with an opportunity to finish in third place in the competition, Konyenbelt went on to win his next two rounds to secure the third-place finish.

Having to rebound after losing in the semifinals, Konyenbelt said he kept a determined mindset throughout the tournament.

“Each match revolves around trust,” Konyenbelt said. “I trust in my coaches that they have prepared me physically and technically. I also have to trust in myself to be able to execute during the match.”

The final wrestler to qualify for nationals was Wyatt Miller in the 197-pound class. Miller started with a win by technical fall, 20-2, in the quarterfinal against Crue Cooper from Davenport University. Miller would then lose in the semifinals and be put in the third-place bracket. In the same fashion as Konyenbelt, Miller went on to win his next two matches to secure third place.

As the lone senior on the team, Konyenbelt said he is “excited going into the tournament knowing it is my last couple of matches. Knowing I am not returning next year, I am excited to wrestle every match like it is my last.”

All four wrestlers, Donathan, Kenny, Konynenbelt and Miller, will compete for a national championship at the NCAA competition in Wichita, Kansas on March 15 and 16.

After missing nearly all of their top wrestlers a week prior to injuries and illness, the Lakers were back to full health and beat Rochester University with a dominating final score of 51-1 on Wednesday, Jan. 24. 

Despite this being GVSU’s inaugural season, they have been able to establish themselves as a top-ranked program nationwide. The Lakers’ head coach, Joey Simcoe, feels like the team is on track to meet many of their goals in their first year.

“Some of our main goals this year were to have a 3.0 team GPA and to finish top 10. We are exceeding most, and we are pushing our expectations,” Simcoe said. “We talk about never settling, whether it be school or wrestling. We plan to push our expectations, but also set them high.”

In the first matchup of the meet, Rochester forfeited in the 125-pound weight class, putting GVSU up 6-0 before the action even started, giving the automatic win to freshman Luca Conflitti.

Opening the duel for the Lakers was 133 pound freshman Collin Twigg. Twigg would quickly get back-to-back takedowns, putting him up by six points early. Shortly after, Twigg would wrestle his way into pinning his opponent, Dallas Stanton, scoring one of many bonus point wins for the Lakers.

Junior Jak Keller, in the 141-pound class, followed up at a slower pace. After Keller played a more decisive approach, a late burst of energy would score him 19 points, giving him the win by technical fall.

Next up to wrestle was the No. 4 ranked 149-pounder, sophomore Chris Donathan. His undefeated record of 16-0. Using his power and quickness, Donathan pinned his overmatched opponent, Nathan Young.

In the following match, junior Caden Jacobs, wrestled in the 157-pound weight class. Although the scuffle began slowly and with few points, the crowd of nearly 550 people cheered on the close contest. A takedown in the final seconds by the Warriors would give them the win, but unsportsmanlike conduct by Rochester’s head coach Wesley Maskill would lose them a point. 

Halfway through the meet, GVSU led 23-2, showing no signs of stopping the smattering as they went into their next match.

Freshman Trammel Robinson, standing 6’1” and 165 pounds, was up next. Starting with an early takedown for the lead, Robinson joined Keller and Donathan with a pin on his opponent late in the match. Another unsportsmanlike conduct would be called, this time on the Falcon’s Jailen Tatum, dropping Rochester’s score to just one point as the Lakers moved to 29 total points.

Robinson leads the team in wins, making this one his 22nd of the season.

Succeeding that match was redshirt sophomore and No. 2 nationally ranked 174-pounder Josh Kenny. Kenny swiftly put up 17 points in the match, giving him the win by technical fall as Rochester’s David Van Daele mustered two points.

Moving his record to 19-4, Kenny said a lot of work goes into being a top ranked wrestler and it is a part of creating a name for GVSU’s wrestling program in its first year. 

“You have to pour your heart and soul into every practice, conditioning, lift or match. I train seven days a week, and five of those days consist of working out twice daily. This does not include the film you watch about your opponents or the strict diet you have to follow when the competition gets close,” Kenny said. “Grand Valley is at the pinnacle of DII athletics and I wanted to be a part of the inaugural program that puts Grand Valley on the map for wrestling.”

Keeping the dominance going for the Lakers, 184-pound senior Seth Konynenbelt got yet another pin before the No. 9 ranked 197-pounder, GVSU sophomore Wyatt Miller, took to the mat. Miller extended his team’s lead with a technical fall before freshman heavyweight Owen Hawley pinned Rochester’s Jackson Slenk, using a suplex to help get the takedown.

The Lakers will next travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, where they will head to the University of Indianapolis (4-5) for the Greyhound Dual and Greyhound open on Saturday, Feb. 3 and Sunday, Feb. 4.

GVSU will then head back to Allendale, Michigan to take on Findlay University for their final home meet at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8.