When Kristen Eible graduates from Grand Valley State University in December, she leave the school with much more than just an education. On top of a degree, Eible will leave GVSU with two Division II National Championships, multiple All-GLIAC honors, and more than 100 games played at the collegiate level – in two different sports.
Eible, a four-year starter on the GVSU women’s soccer team, hung up her cleats after the team’s second consecutive national title in December and traded them in for basketball sneakers.
“My decision (to play GVSU basketball) came as soon as soccer ended,” Eible said. “Especially since it’s my senior year, I realized that this is it and I’m never going to be able to play again. I didn’t want to stop, and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to continue my collegiate athletic experience, and there was no way I could pass it up.”
Before Eible stepped a foot in Allendale, she was already a head coach’s dream. In high school she was a four-year varsity athlete in both basketball and soccer, first-team all state in both and the DeWitt High School soccer team’s all-time goal scoring leader.
She was the Lansing State Journal’s Women’s Soccer Player of the Year in 2007, and named to the State Journal’s Dream Team in basketball and soccer in 2006. She is also a NFL Punt, Pass & Kick National Champion, and two-time national finalist.
Since coming to GVSU, Eible’s success has continued. She’s been a First Team All-GLIAC selection in each of her four years as a Laker and was part of a senior class that had an 87-3-7 overall record, four conference titles, and the two National Championships.
“She’s got tremendous character, she’s got a very tough mentality, she’s a competitor and she wants to win,” said GVSU head women’s basketball coach Janel Burgess. “It doesn’t matter what she has to do, in order to do that, she’ll do it.”
Burgess said she was impressed with Eible’s transition to the hard court, especially considering it has been more than four years since she’s played competitive basketball.
“She’s dribbling now with her hands instead of her feet,” Burgess said. “But being able to get into the flow of playing basketball didn’t take her long.”
After finishing the soccer season in early December, Eible almost immediately started practicing with the women’s basketball team. In addition to her athletic obligations, the education student also student teaches at Allendale High School.
“It’s definitely hard,” she said. “It’s always a busy day with early mornings, but I’ve had a lot of help from the coaches, the College of Education, and (GVSU Director of Laker Advising) Damon (Arnold).”
GVSU head coach Dave DiIanni, Eible’s coach for all four years on the soccer team, said he could not imagine having as much as Eible has on her plate as a college student.
“What she is doing right now is unbelievable,” DiIanni said. “The mental strength to be able to continue and play another season is something because most players would take a break in a heartbeat.”
Eible is one of the first athletes to play varsity soccer and basketball in the same season in GVSU history.
“Her willingness to want to help the basketball team in any way she can, knowing she hasn’t played basketball in four years, shows what kind of teammate she is,” DiIanni said. “I think Kristin Eible is a winner, and she can only help that team.”
After finishing up the basketball season this spring and enrolling in another round of student teaching in the fall, Eible will graduate in December. She said she is enjoying the combination of a relentless athletic and academic schedule.
“I’m definitely learning a lot every day in both practices and games and trying to get a feel for being part of this team,” she said. “It’s nice because there’s so many people here helping me out, and they’re my support system. I know it’ll all work out, and I’m very excited about this semester.”
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