GVSU names new assistant athletic director for Sales and Marketing

The Grand Valley State deputy director of Athletics for External Relations Doug Lipinski announced the hiring of Jared Alexander for the Assistant Athletic Director for Sales and Marketing. Alexander will begin his duties at GVSU Monday, Feb. 27.

Before his hiring at GVSU, Alexander served as the Assistant Director for External Relations at Missouri-St. Louis. He started at UMSL in 2012, supervising corporate and community partnerships, athletics development and departmental marketing. Alexander helped the athletic department and teams to a supplemental revenue stream.

His duties also included being a supervisor for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams while handling game and event operations. He oversaw the development and maintenance of the athletic fields.

A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in Sport Communication, Alexander acted as an assistant to the football head coach, managing team travel and logistics. He earned his Master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Central Missouri in 2015.

Baseball ranks 25th in preseason poll

After finishing 36-18-1 in the 2016 season, the Grand Valley State baseball team ranks 25th in all of Division II according to the College Baseball Newspaper Top 40 Preseason Poll. The Lakers are coming off a 2016 GLIAC Tournament title and an appearance in the Midwest Region Tournament before the season’s end.

Earning the top spot in the poll is defending national champion Nova Southeastern, followed by Tampa. Central Missouri, Southern New Hampshire and Millersville round out the top five.

GVSU is one of two GLIAC schools featured in the poll. The Lakers are ranked four spots ahead of No. 29 Ashland, who finished 33-22 last season. GVSU will host Ashland in a two-game series Wednesday, April 12.

Of the top-40 schools in the poll, the Lakers are set to face four of them in the 2017 season. GVSU will face Minnesota State-Mankato, West Chester and Seton Hall all in the first half of the season, along with Ashland in April.

GVSU will open up its season with a four-game series against two GMAC opponents before the Russmatt Invitational in Orlando, Florida over spring break. The Lakers will play Trevecca Nazarene and Alderson Broaddus each twice in Nashville, Tennessee Friday, Feb. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 25.

Hockey fights cancer

In an effort to raise money for cancer research, the Grand Valley State men’s division III club hockey team hosted a game in which all of the proceeds went to the Purple Community of the Van Andel Institute.

The team sold purple GVSU gear throughout the week to raise money for the cause. Before the game Saturday, Feb. 4 against Adrian-Black, the team raised $1,700. The team is hoping to reach around $2,500 after ticket sales, donations and merchandise sales during the game.

“This is a really good time to get involved with things like that,” said GVSU captain Alex Bjork. “I’m really happy with our guys, all the work they put in to fundraise it.”

The Lakers won the contest 7-2 to improve to 23-8-2 with one game left in the regular season before playoffs.