Lakers earn AVCA All-Midwest Region laurels

Two Grand Valley State volleyball players earned American
Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) honors following their performance in the
Midwest Region Tournament. Senior libero Christina Canepa and senior setter Kaitlyn
Wolters garnered All-Midwest Region Team awards – Wolters to the 14-member
team and Canepa with an honorable mention.

With the recognition, Wolters advances to
the All-America ballot. Wolters was also named the 2014 GLIAC Player of the
Year and first-ever GLIAC Setter of the Year. Canepa earned GLIAC Libero of the Year honors – becoming just the
second Laker to earn that accolade. 

Both Wolters and Canepa were named to the Midwest
All-Region Tournament Team last weekend as GVSU swept all three contests.

Baltes named region’s top coach for 11th, 12th time

Grand Valley State cross country continues to excel in 2014,
and head coach Jerry Baltes continues to be recognized. 

Baltes, in his 16th year as head coach, earned honors as the United States Track & Field and
Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Midwest Region Coach of the Year
for both the men’s and women’s teams.

The award is Baltes’ second consecutive for the men’s team,
and the two bring his total to 12 overall. It is the first time since 2010 that
Baltes has swept both awards. The Laker men and women won their 13th and 14th GLIAC Midwest Regional championships, respectively, in
2014.

GVSU swimmer garners weekly GLIAC honors

Grand Valley State swimmer Danny Abbott (Romeo, Mich.) was
named the GLIAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week last week. Abbot, a sophomore, helped
lead the Lakers to an 836-686 victory over Ball State at the Doug Coers
Invitational.

Abbott finished in second place in both the 50 free (21.47)
and 100 free (48.05), while gliding in at 10th in the 200 free
(1:49.70).

Abbott also helped propel the Laker 200 medley relay
(1:35.57), 400 medley relay (3:29.82) and 400 free relay (3:08.44) teams to
first-place finishes. The 200 free team, which Abbott was also a part of,
finished second with a time of 1:25.83.