Mencotti named DIICCA Player of the Year, five other Lakers named All-Americans

The Grand Valley State women’s soccer team’s and nation’s leading scorer Gabriella Mencotti earned the Ron Lenz Player of the Year award for her efforts this season. Teammates Clare Carlson and Marti Corby were also named to the All-American First Team, while senior Jayma Martin earned a spot on the Second Team, and Shannon Quinn and Kendra Stauffer were named Third Team honorees.

Mencotti has jumped to the top of Division II players this season, leading the nation with 29 goals and 69 points. She is part of an offense that is the second-highest scoring offense in the nation. Corby has totaled 24 assists on the season, leading the nation, and forwards Martin and Stauffer have 19 and 16 goals respectively.

On the defensive side of the ball, Carlson and Quinn have helped the Lakers to the best statistical defense in the nation. GVSU leads the nation in goals-against-average (.28), shutouts (19) and goals allowed (6).

Brower earns DIICCA All-Midwest Region Second Team spot

Sophomore Staci Brower on the Grand Valley State women’s volleyball team was named to the DIICCA All-Midwest Region Second Team for her performance this season. She was one of 14 players to earn all-region recognition and one of two middle blockers.

Brower has already been named to the All-GLIAC First Team for the second time in her two-year collegiate career. She finished second in the GLIAC in solo blocks (34), third in blocks per set (1.10), fourth in total rejections (119) and seventh in block assists (85). Brower’s contribution was not limited to the defensive side of the ball.

Brower led all GVSU hitters with a .290 hitting percentage on the offensive side. She totaled 315 kills on the season, along with 49 digs and 10 service aces. Brower totaled 10 or more kills in 18 matches and also posted four or more blocks in 18 matches this season.

On both sides of the ball, Brower was one of three GLIAC players that recorded at least 300 kills and 100 total blocks this season. She was one of eight GLIAC players voted to the DIICCA First or Second Teams.

Cairnduff earns GLIAC North Division Player of the Week

During the Lakers’ trip to Puerto Rico for a two-game series over Thanksgiving weekend, senior Bailey Cairnduff of the Grand Valley State women’s basketball team was named the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week. The Lakers (4-1) won both games during the trip, one against the defending NCAA national champions, Lubbock Christian.

Cairnduff averaged 16 points per game, scoring a game and season-high 19 points against Indianapolis. In both games, she shot over 50 percent from the field. Through five games, Cairnduff is the leading scorer on the team, averaging 13.5 points per game. She also leads the team in 3-pointers with 10.