Quick Hits 9/2

Holly Bihlman, Sports Editor

GV soccer replaces head coach with Jim Conlon

At the beginning of the summer in June, the head coach of the women’s soccer team, Jeff Hosler, announced his resignation at GVSU as he transitions to the head coaching position for Michigan State University’s DI women’s soccer team. At the end of July, the GVSU Athletic Department finalized the hiring of Jim Conlon as the new head coach for the soccer team. He will be the fourth coach in the history of the program after 12 seasons of DIII soccer at Washington University where he made three National Championship appearances. Prior to his tenure at Washington University, Conlon coached both DIII men’s and women’s soccer at Wartburg where he coached the men to four NCAA national championship appearances and the women to their first.

Coach Hosler led the Lakers to three out of six total DII national titles and will be taking over for 30-year head coach, Tom Saxon, for the Spartans. Hosler is leaving GVSU with an overall record of 144-12-6 with the all-time win-percentage in his seven seasons with the Lakers.

 

Football preseason road show dates

The GVSU football season previews will be hosted at Peppino’s with the first taking place on Aug. 18 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Allendale location and the second on Aug. 25 at the downtown Grand Rapids location for the same hour.  Both shows will be broadcasted on The Ticket (106.1 FM) and on the Grand Valley Sports Network. There will be players attending as well as head coach Matt Mitchell to talk about the season schedule and the new roster. After a full year of practices and scrimmages, the team is looking forward to getting back to full contact football for their 50th season.

 

Local Michigan athletes compete in 2020 Olympics

As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have begun, several native Michigan athletes have made their hometowns proud. In the BMX Freestyle, Buchanan local, Hannah Roberts won silver in the event behind Charlotte Worthington. Draymond Green from Saginaw is competing in his second Olympics with the Team USA Basketball after winning gold in 2016. Green played for the Michigan State Spartans and now plays for the Golden State Warriors where he’s won three NBA titles. Grace Luczak from Ann Arbor is competing in four-boat rowing after placing fourth in 2016 and earning three gold medals at the World Championships. These athletes, among several others, continue to make Michigan schools proud as they bring home medals for Team USA.