GVSU men’s basketball charity preseason challenge

In an effort to raise money for those affected by the recent hurricanes in the U.S., the Grand Valley State men’s basketball team teamed up with Hope College to face off in a preseason charity game Monday, Oct. 30.

Usually, teams are not allowed to play extra games due to NCAA restrictions. However, the NCAA recently passed a waiver allowing for an extra exhibition game for teams if the proceeds of the ticket sales went to the American Red Cross to help recovery efforts from the recent hurricanes.

GVSU and Hope College aren’t the only schools competing, as the Calvin College Knights and the Davenport University Panthers have also agreed to the preseason matchup. The teams will compete at the DeVos Fieldhouse, named in part after the late Helen DeVos, which is located on the campus of Hope College. The teams will play a doubleheader, meaning that Calvin and Davenport will play at 6 p.m. before the main event of GVSU taking on Hope.

All seating is general admission with ticket prices at $10 for adults and $5 for children 18 and under and students from all four schools with a valid school ID.

GVSU swimming and diving names new assistant coach

On Tuesday, Oct. 24, Grand Valley State swimming and diving coach Andy Boyce announced the hiring of Eric Murray as an assistant coach, effectively immediately.

Murray enters the Lakers’ swimming program with an extensive history of experience as a swimmer and a coach. In 2015, Murray was awarded “Coach of the Year” by the Michigan Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association for Zone 7 while he was the head coach at Owosso High School. During the 2015 season at Owosso, Murray led the program to a 46-26 dual meet record and captured the Capital Area Activities Conference title for the first time in school history.

In addition, Murray was also a volunteer assistant at Michigan State, director of the St. Johns Sea Lions Swim Club and a swimming camp counselor at the University of Texas. 

GVSU’s swimming program will look to continue their success from last season, as both the men’s and women’s teams captured the GLIAC Swimming and Diving Championship last year.

GVSU club rowing competes at Head of the Charles

The members of the Grand Valley State club rowing team, known as the Laker Navy, have been on the road quite a few times already this season, including a trip to Nashville, Tennessee. The list of road destinations just got longer after the Laker Navy competed in the 53rd annual Head of the Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Friday, Oct. 20, through Sunday, Oct. 22.

The Charles River is famously known as the home “turf” for the world-acclaimed Harvard University rowing program. The Head of the Charles Regatta is the biggest race the Laker Navy will face in the fall season. 

The Lakers’ varsity men’s eight-man crew earned themselves a 20th place finish, while the women’s eight-woman crew finished 13th in their event. The last event the Laker Navy competed in was the men’s collegiate four-man event, where the Lakers finished in 35th.

Although the outcomes didn’t go as planned, the team walks away with valuable experience for the underclassmen leading into their final fall event Saturday, Nov. 4, in Indianapolis, Indiana.