GVSU wins 18th straight GLIAC Presidents’ Cup

Grand Valley State won its 18th straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Presidents’ Cup, which is awarded to the top overall sports program in the conference. Since the turn of the century, GVSU has won the award every year.

The Lakers won 12 GLIAC championships during the 2015-16 year. GVSU earned a total of 244 points, 54.5 points higher than second-place finisher Ashland University. The Lakers finished a point shy of the school record for points in a season (245), which was done in the 2012-13 season.

The GVSU women earned a total of 137 points while the men finished the year with 107. The women won seven conference titles including: cross country; tennis; soccer; indoor and outdoor track and field; golf and lacrosse. The men won a total of five, including: indoor and outdoor track and field; swimming and diving; cross country and baseball.

Two Lakers named finalists for Division II Athlete of the Year

Grand Valley State is well represented in the Honda Division II Athlete of the Year Class of 2016. Gabrielle Shipley (women’s golf) and Marti Corby (women’s soccer) are two of the 11 finalists for the award.

Shipley was recently crowned the individual title at the 2016 Division II National Championship in Aurora, Colorado. Shipley shot a career best 69 (-3) in the final round of the tournament, including a birdie on the 18th hole to win the tournament by one stroke. The senior’s final round led the Lakers to a fourth place finish overall in the four day tournament.

Joining Shipley is junior soccer player Marti Corby. Corby was a key factor for the Lakers in the team’s third consecutive national championship. She finished top in the nation in assists (17) and game-winning goals (9), while notching an assist and game-winning goal in the championship game.

The winner of the 2016 Honda Division II Athlete of the Year will be announced on June 27 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.

Former GVSU basketball player signs with Uruguay professional team

Former Grand Valley State basketball player Nick Waddell recently signed with Miramar, a professional team in Uruguay that competes in the Arcenso League.

Waddell played center for GVSU in the 2010-11 and the 2011-12 seasons. He averaged 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for the Lakers in the 2011-12 season.

The 6-foot-7 Chicago, Illinois native has played on a number of professional teams since his time with GVSU. Waddell played for the Lake Michigan Admirals in the Professional Basketball League and the Lansing Capitals in the Independent Basketball Association. He also spent time in Argentina playing for La Union in the Argentinean league.