First look at football
The Grand Valley State University Lakers are kicking off this season in yet another top five matchup against the Colorado School of Mines. GVSU is ranked second nationally behind only Ferris State University, while the Miners sit at fourth in the country. The two teams will play on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 8 p.m.
Last season the Lakers opened up with a matchup of the same caliber in Allendale with Matt Mitchell as their front man. This time around they have to travel to the high altitude of Golden, Colorado to take on the Miners with brand new Head Football Coach Scott Wooster leading the way.
Wooster was promoted from Offensive Line Coach to Head Coach in January of 2023. He comes into a team full of experienced veteran leadership where it matters most. Their offense brings back Senior Quarterback Cade Peterson and Senior Running Back Tariq Reid. Petersen finished as the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year as well as First Team All-GLIAC. Reid earned First Team All-GLIAC honors as well, likely second behind Peterson for conference player of the year.
Four returning seniors were named Don Hansen DII Football Gazette All-Americans for the 2022 season. Linebacker Abe Swanson and Offensive Lineman Garret Carroll joined Peterson and Reid for the distinction.
Wooster is in good hands and has high expectations as a first time head coach. Wooster spent 11 seasons with Wayne State University as a coach. He also played for the Warriors for three seasons during his collegiate career after transferring from Eastern Michigan.
Women’s Soccer Season
The Grand Valley State University Women’s Soccer team will start their season at home against the Lewis University Flyers in less than two weeks on Aug. 18.
Head Coach Katie Hulton will begin her second year with the Lakers with a team that has high expectations following a terrific 2022 season. Last year, Hultin led GVSU to a GLIAC Championship both the regular season and conference tournament. The Lakers earned the number one seed in the Midwest Region and reached the sweet sixteen, the program’s 17th straight.
Much like the football team, GVSU Soccer is returning major veteran contributors for the 2023 season. GVSU has three United Soccer Coaches Midwest All-Region First Team players from 2022 in Graduate Senior Kennedy Bearden, Senior Mackenzie Jones and Senior Taylor Reid. Reid earned First Team All-American as well as GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year. Junior Goalkeeper Kendall Robertson is also returning as she won GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year.
As two of the top players in the conference, the Lakers are looking towards Robertson and Reid to lead the team to an even more dominant season than last year.
Women’s Volleyball takes the court
Grand Valley State University Volleyball will begin their season on Friday Sept. 1 against Washburn University in a doubleheader with Barry University at the Florida Southern Invitational in Lakeland, Florida. The Lakers will take on four total opponents in two days before traveling back home to Michigan almost a week later to compete in the 2023 Hampton Inn and Suites Grand Rapids Downtown Classic.
Entering his 25th season with the program and third season as Head Coach, Jason Johnson looks to take his team back to the promised land of the NCAA Regional Tournament, which the Lakers reached for their first time since 2015 just last season.
His team returns American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American Junior Setter Jordyn Gates. Gates is a transfer from Arkansas University in 2022. Gates has the potential to help take the program to new heights under Johnson as she led the NCAA in triple-doubles (13) last season.
