Closing in on the first kickoff, the Grand Valley State University football team’s chase for a championship officially begins this week. Although the Lakers ended their 2024 season with an 11–2 record, the team is entering their new season with not only high expectations, but a reinvigorated identity and determination to chase greatness.

For the Lakers, the mission is clear: set the tone for a championship run, and show the home crowd this year’s team is just as capable as the veteran squads that came before—maybe even more so.

“It’s a different time in college football, and particularly here at GVSU,” said head coach Scott Wooster, who’s entering his third year at the helm. “We’ve been very veteran (with) great retention, great graduation rates (and) all the guys stay four, five (or) six years. We just graduated a class of 24 or 25, and I think 13 guys are in the transfer portal, so that’s quite a roster flux.”

Despite departures on the team, Wooster isn’t concerned about voids in leadership.

“We’re putting a leadership group together and getting down to captains right now,” Wooster said. “On the field and in the locker room, guys are stepping up.”

Redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Andrew Schuster and Zak Olejniczak are two players looking to step up in a young position group. Together, the two are signal-callers who bring different yet interdependent strengths to the field.

“Andrew has the ability to put the ball around, and I come in and run the RPO (run-pass option) game,” Olejniczak said. “It’s a very good complement.”

Schuster echoed this thought.

“We both came in the same class, and these last two years, I think we’ve excelled at operating in our offense,” Schuster said. “We’re getting even better at it right now.”

Both on and off the field, their growth mirrors the wider philosophy Wooster has instilled.

“We spend a lot of time on mindset, training and mental health,” Wooster said. “That piece of it is massive for us. You come here for all those numbers that are on Lubbers Stadium, but we’re after greatness, to be the best version of ourselves.”

For senior linebacker Anthony Cardamone, that mindset is lived daily. Last year, Cardamone’s mentality translated to his abilities on the field as he led the team in tackles, and was second on the team in sacks. 

“I’ve just grown into a man here,” Cardamone said. “Mentality’s always been a big thing for me. I’ve got to take this team by the reins and guide them in the right path. A lot of eyes are on me every single day, so I’ve got to be the best version of myself, not just in the facility or on the field, but in everything I do.”

The team enters 2025 younger than in years past, with underclassmen making up the majority of the roster. However, that hasn’t changed the group’s culture— if anything, it’s magnified it.

“Our goal is growth every single day, and getting to the places we want to be,” Cardamone said. 

With a reloaded roster, a clear cultural foundation and new leaders rising to meet the moment, the 2025 GVSU football team is more than a continuation of past successes— it’s a direct reflection of the program’s evolving identity.

“We’re after greatness,” Wooster said. “(We’re focused on being) the best version of ourselves.” 

The season starts Saturday, Aug. 30, at Lubbers Stadium against Lincoln University.