GVSU women’s cross country named USTFCCCA Division II Scholar Team of the Year

After Adams State captured the top spot in 2015, the Grand Valley State women’s cross country team reclaimed its spot as the 2016 Division II Cross Country Scholar Team of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The Lakers won the award for the fifth time in seven years as the highest finishing team at the NCAA Championships that achieved All-Academic Team honors.

Leading the Lakers on and off the track was USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Kendra Foley. Foley earned the honor for the second consecutive season by holding a 3.55 cumulative GPA in communications. She also won her second individual national title with a time of 20:01.8 at the Division II National Championship. She finished almost 25 seconds ahead of the next runner.

Winning the honor tied GVSU with Adams State with the most wins of the award since the award’s inception in 2006. Aside from Foley, three of the other four scorers at the National Championships earned All-Academic Individual honors including Stacey Metzger, Kelly Haubert and Rachel Bendewald.

GVSU lacrosse picked to win GLIAC in preseason poll

After the team’s first ever NCAA Division II Tournament berth in the 2016 season, the Grand Valley State women’s lacrosse team is tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the GLIAC in the 2017 season. The Lakers have won the GLIAC regular season and tournament championship in four consecutive seasons.

The Lakers will return a number of vital contributors to the team for the 2017 season. Last year’s point leader and top goal-scorer Erika Neumen will return for her senior year. Neumen racked up 74 points and 69 goals last season. GVSU returns Meghan Datema who led the team with 68 draw controls and assist-leader Chelsey Bishop (35 assists). The Lakers also return both goalkeepers from last year’s team, Sarah Zwilsky and Brianna DeMilia.

In the team’s first five games of the season, the Lakers will play five IWLCA Preseason Top-20 teams. The Lakers will travel to Florida to play No. 1 Florida Southern and No. 2 Adelphi to open the season, followed by No. 12 Bentley, No. 3 Le Moyne and No. 20 Pace in the team’s spring trip to Maryland.

GVSU club roller hockey splits weekend

The Grand Valley State Division I and III club roller teams returned to action after taking a weekend off. The DI squad won the first two games of the weekend before falling short in the final two, and the DIII team won two of three games of the weekend.

The Lakers (DI) beat Western Michigan 8-2 and Eastern Michigan 9-2 to start the weekend, but then ran into rival Michigan State in a 5-1 loss. The Lakers are 0-3 against the Spartans this season, but still have two meetings left in the regular season. GVSU (15-6) dropped the last game of the weekend to Miami (Ohio) in a 3-2 overtime loss.

The DIII team (15-3) won two of three games on the weekend, beating Michigan State 5-3 and Northern Illinois (DII) 9-1. The Lakers dropped the final game of the weekend 5-2 against Akron (DII).