GV Soccer defeats Parkside 6-0 for 12th shutout game 

The Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team traveled to Kenosha, WI to play the Parkside Rangers on Friday, Oct. 29, bringing home their fifteenth win of the season and third shutout in a row. The Lakers remain practically undefeated with an overall record of 15-0-1, heading into the GLIAC Conference Tournament in just two more games.

Junior forward Greta DeLoach scored for her ninth consecutive game in a row on Friday with the only goal of the first half at the 34-minute mark. The Lakers dominated the field with a total of 20 shots on goal and only two saves for the entirety of the game, compared to Parkside’s four shots and five saves.

Sophomore forward Kennedy Bearden scored two goals in a row at the start of the second half, followed by three more goals from freshman midfield Mackenzie Jones, freshman midfield Stephanie Sturgeon, and senior forward Caitie Baron. DeLoach’s second attempt at a goal was foiled by a save from Parkside’s goalie halfway through the second half, but she is still on goal away from leading the NCAA with 17 goals in the season so far.

GVSU will host the Northwood Timberwolves on Friday, Nov. 5 before their final matchup of the regular season at rival school Ferris State University on Sunday, Nov. 7 before they enter the GLIAC Tournament.

GV Football celebrates 50 years of the program with Laker Legends

The Grand Valley State University Athletics Department honored the program’s history with 100 Laker legends for the homecoming game including all of the head coaches and 29 GVSU Hall of Fame players.

Although the program began in 1971, the list starts with head coach Jim Harkema (1973-82) who accomplished an overall record of 69-29, accumulating three GLIAC Championship titles. Harkema also coached four players who would go on to play in the NFL including wide receiver Jeff Chadwick and offensive line Ron Essink who were also featured in the list of legends.

Tom Beck (1985-90) progressed the team to a 50-18 overall record and two league titles in 89′ and 90′. His winning percentage was .735 and still stands as the best winning percentage in Laker history. His team went undefeated 11-0 in the 1989 season, and he held the school record of a 22-game winning streak over three seasons.

Brian Kelly (1991-2003) spent 12 seasons with the Lakers before he moved on to coach Notre Dame and accomplished an overall record of 118-35-2 with five GLIAC titles and six NCAA appearances. Kelly graduated 60 All-Americans, holding the single-season record in 2002 with 11 All-American players. Kelly was also named GLIAC Coach of the Year and the American Football Coaches Association Division II National Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2003.

Chuck Martin (2004-09) was the most recent head coach of the program before current coach Matt Mitchell, and was a member of the coaching staff for two seasons with Kelly before he took on the role of head coach. He was a part of four DII National Championship wins in 02′, 03′, 05′, and 06′ with an overall record of 74-7 and a .914 winning percentage. Martin also holds the unbelievable record of 40 consecutive wins between 2005-2007 and was named the AFCA National Coach of the Year twice.