GVSU leads 2016-17 Learfield Directors’ Cup standings

After leading all of Division II by 26 points following the fall season, Grand Valley State increased its lead in the 2016-17 Learfield Directors’ Cup standings by more than 200 points after a successful winter season. The Lakers recorded the highest scoring winter season of any institution.

After a national championship in women’s cross country and runner-up finishes in soccer and men’s cross country, the Lakers accumulated 350 points, 26 points ahead of Colorado School of Mines. GVSU is the only school to record more than 300 points in both the fall and winter seasons.

In the winter season, the Lakers received points after a national runner-up finish in women’s indoor track and field, a fifth place finish in men’s swimming and diving and an eighth place finish in men’s indoor track and field. The women’s swimming and diving team finished in 11th for 66 points, and the women’s basketball team finished in 17th place for 50 points.

GVSU has won a Division II record 11 Directors’ Cup titles. The Lakers have won three consecutive cups, including recording a Division II record 1,070 points last year.

GVSU softball wins GLIAC Player and Pitcher of the Week

After helping the Grand Valley State softball team to four wins in six games, GVSU’s Jenna Lenza earned GLIAC Player of the Week while Allison Lipovsky won GLIAC Pitcher of the Week.

The Lakers started the week with a two-game sweep over Lewis 1-0 and 8-0 Tuesday, March 28. Then in a four-game GLIAC weekend series, the Lakers split a pair of doubleheaders against Hillsdale and Wayne State.

At the plate, Lenza collected 11 hits in 19 at-bats. She drove in three runs on a double in the second game against Lewis. In the two games against Hillsdale, Lenza was almost perfect with seven hits in eight at-bats. She is now third in GVSU history with 48 doubles and ninth with 134 runs scored. She needs only one hit, two homeruns, five total bases and 10 RBIs to reach the top-10 in those respective categories.

Lipovsky threw 20 innings during the week and allowed only three runs on 12 hits. She totaled only five walks to go along with 20 strikeouts in three appearances. The reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year tossed a complete-game shutout against Lewis. She also recorded a complete-game victory against Hillsdale. Lipovsky is second in the GLIAC with three shutouts, 7.58 strikeouts per game and a .169 opponent batting average on the season.

GVSU’s Panning named GLIAC Outdoor Men’s Track Athlete of the Week

In the second weekend of competition, the Grand Valley State men’s outdoor track and field team’s Zach Panning was named GLIAC Outdoor Men’s Track Athlete of the Week. Panning finished ninth in his section at the Stanford Invitational Saturday, April 1.

Panning recorded the second-fastest time in all of Division II at the Stanford Invitational. The sophomore competed in a section of 30 runners, all of which were from the Division I level. He finished with a time of 29:05.65 in his first 10k outdoor race this season.