gvsports monthly magazine

August - 2010

NEW DECADE. SAME DOMINANCE?

CROSS COUNTRY • FOOTBALL • SOCCER • VOLLEYBALL

2010 F

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Previe

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GVSPORTS Monthly Magazine • 1

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 2

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Tim Nott

MANAGING EDITOR

Doug Lipinski

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Doug Witte

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR

Courtney Goldschmeding

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Charlie Read

STAFF WRITERS

DJ Foster

Kelsey Deacon

CONTRIBUTORS

Janine Freeman

Andy Fry

Sandra Jennings

Kyle Schwerin

GV Sports Marketing

GVSU Sports Information

PRINTER

Jenison Printing

GV Sports Monthly Magazine is a

magazine that focuses on athletics at

Grand Valley State University. Copies of

the magazine are free to the community

and located on news stands in the greater

Grand Rapids area. Copies of the maga-

zine are also distributed in Allendale by

the Advance Newspaper.

GV Sports Monthly Magazine

GVSU, 192 Fieldhouse

IN THIS ISSUE

10 Football

POSITION BATTLES TO WATCH

The 2010 football season is just around the corner and first-

year head coach Matt Mitchell is set to make his mark on the

Grand Valley State football program ...(Pictured: Robert Carlisle)

6 Soccer

SOCCER BEGINS TITLE DEFENSE

Grand Valley State University women’s soccer team looks to

continue its success in the 2010 campaign after a stellar 2009

season. The Lakers won the programs first ever NCAA Divi-

sion II National Championship title and claimed ...(Pictured: Kristen Eible)

3 Volleyball

VOLLEYBALL LOOKS TO KEEP WINNING

Just how good has the Grand Valley State volleyball team

been recently? The 2009 Lakers had their lowest win total

since 1989 and GVSU still made the GLIAC Tournament ...(Pictured: Leslie Curtis

2 Cross Country

XC HOPES TO CONTINUE SUCCESS

The Grand Valley State’s men’s and women’s cross country

teams are looking forward to the 2010 season. After the

women finished second at the 2009 NCAA Division II Cham-

pionships and the men fifth ...(Pictured: Women’s Cross Country Team)


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The Grand Valley State’s men’s and women’s

cross country teams are looking forward to the

2010 season. After the women finished second at

the 2009 NCAA Division II Championships and

the men fifth, the Lakers have high hopes for the

upcoming season.

Head coach Jerry Baltes, who was named the

2009 Midwest Region Women’s Coach of the Year,

is looking to continue the team’s success in the fall

season. “We are excited for the upcoming season

and the quest to extend our GLIAC and Midwest

Regional Championship streak and to improve on

our national finishes,” Baltes commented.

The Laker women will lose three of their top

runners, but will also be returning a group of ath-

letes with three years of championship experience.

At the 2009 nationals, GVSU finished just eight

points behind national champion Adams State and

had five runners finish in the top 30. Senior Kather-

ine McCarthy led the Lakers with a 15th place fin-

ish (21:18), while graduated Eileen Creutz

followed in 16th (21:26.1), Lynsey Ardingo in 17th

(21:26.9), Amy Kolin in 26th (21:39.5), junior

Jessie Vickers in 38th (21:57.9) and junior Julia

Nowak 55th (22:19.7).

The women’s squad also captured its ninth

straight Midwest Regional title by a 50-point mar-

gin over Southern Indiana. Grand Valley State took

four of the top six spots and was led by senior

Megan Maceratini. She crossed the finish line third

with a time of 21:52.5, while McCarthy followed

right behind in fourth (21:59.3). The women also

claimed their ninth consecutive Great Lakes Inter-

collegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) title with

a team score of 20 points, outdistancing second

place Ferris State by 47 points. Maceratini and Mc-

Carthy once again led the way with a second and

third place finish respectively. Sophomore Kaleigh

Carlson was honored with GLIAC Freshman of the

Year for her 12th place finish (22:22).

On the men’s side, the Lakers are returning five

of their six top runners, all of which will be juniors

in the fall. Junior Tyler Emmorey was the top fin-

isher for GVSU at the national meet. He placed

14th with a time of 31:45.8 and was also named the

Midwest Region Men’s Athlete of the Year for his

first place finish at the Midwest Regional Cham-

pionships. He helped the Lakers capture their

eighth straight Midwest Regional title. GVSU

dominated with 38 points, while conference rival

Saginaw Valley State finished second with 88. The

Lakers placed five runners in the top 20, with jun-

iors Nathan Knisely finishing fourth (32:31.2), fol-

lowed by Anthony Witt in seventh (32:41.1), Jeff

Nordquist 20th (33:45.8) and Ryan Toth in 21st

(33:46.1).

At the GLIAC Championships, the Lakers

claimed their eighth consecutive conference crown.

Emmorey led the way once again for the Lakers

with a first place finish (24:38.6), while sophomore

Stephen Fuelling placed fourth (24:54.9) and was

named GLIAC Freshman of the Year. Witt fol-

lowed in fifth (24:57.5), Nordquist in ninth

(25:13.7), Toth in 10th (25:17.6) and Knisely in

13th (25:24.5).

Both teams will have prepared squads for the

2010 season and Baltes knows his student -athletes

are prepared and determined to reach their goals.

“We feel we have a great balance of returning ex-

perience and leadership to go along with some

newcomers that can hopefully step in and help add

depth to our squad,” Baltes said. “Our focus will

be on having each person prepared to the best of

their ability to put them in the best position to help

the team reach our goal of winning an NCAA

Championship.”

Cross Country Hopes to Continue Success in 2010

Kelsey DeaconStaff Writer


Just how good has the Grand Valley State

volleyball team been recently? The 2009 Lakers

had their lowest win total since 1989 and GVSU

still made the GLIAC Tournament, advanced to the

NCAA Division II Tournament for the 10th straight

year, had three All-GLIAC performers (plus one

honorable mention All-America), and head coach

Deanne Scanlon earned her 400th career victory.

In what might be considered a good year

for most programs - considering the aforemen-

tioned accolades and highlights - Grand Valley

State is looking to build on last year’s positives,

begin another streak of 20-win seasons (the Lakers

had won at least 24 matches in each of the last 11

years), and advance to the postseason for the 11th

straight season and 12th time in school history.

Grand Valley State fell in the opening

round of the Midwest Regional Tournament last

November to conference rival, Saginaw Valley

State. The loss marked the first time in program

history the Lakers had lost their first postseason

match (out of 11 years), which is an accomplish-

ment in itself. Considering only 64 teams advance

to postseason play, the fact that the Lakers earned

an NCAA Tournament berth even during a so-

called “off-year” speaks volumes about where the

program stands at the current moment.

The task at hand is to get GVSU back to the

prestigious level in which conference titles and

Elite Eight appearances are commonstance. Scan-

lon returns four starters and 10 letterwinners to the

2009 team that went 16-13 overall and posted an

11-5 record in GLIAC play, finishing second in the

conference’s North Division. The graduating senior

class featured a 2009 All-GLIAC Second Team

honoree (Whitney Tremain), a two-time All-

GLIAC Honorable Mention selection (Katey

Crichton), and a strong defender who finished her

career fifth in school history in digs per game and

ninth in total digs (Meredith Young).

Along with solid role player Kaity Gorm-

ley, the 2009 senior class finished their careers with

an outstanding 109-25 record. While it will be no

small feat to continue the program’s success, this

year’s senior class is led by one of the top players

in recent history in senior middle blocker Rebeccah

Rapin. For the first time in her Laker career, Rapin

will be the unquestioned number one offensive op-

tion, as she had been previously lined up next to

hitting machines like Tremain, Danielle Alexander,

and Erica Vandekopple during her first three years.

Rapin’s career resume is already filled with

accomplishments and awards, while her name can

be spotted several times in the school record book.

In a stellar freshman season in which she was

tabbed as both the GLIAC and Great Lakers Re-

gion Freshman of the Year, Rapin’s 136 block as-

sists and .350 hitting percentage were fifth and

ninth best, respectively, in a single season in Laker

history. She followed that up by being named All-

Midwest Region and First Team All-GLIAC in

both 2008 and 2009. The national recognition con-

tinued in 2009 when Rapin earned AVCA Honor-

able Mention All-America laurels. She currently

ranks seventh in GVSU history with 323 block as-

sists (just 60 shy of tying Alexander’s program

record), ninth in hitting percentage (.307), and

ninth in total blocks (385), with a decent shot at

passing Wendy Lesch’s school record 515 blocks.

Scanlon will continue to stack the front line

next to 6’1” Rapin, as she can employ 6’2” Krysta

Kornack (79 total blocks, ninth in the league),

5’11” Eno Umoh (96 block assists, third in the

GLIAC), and 6’0” Nicole Whiddon (63 total

blocks) as a very imposing foursome at the net.

This group helped Grand Valley State lead the

GLIAC in blocks per set (2.57) in 2009.

GVSU will also have some familiarity at

the setter position, as both senior Meghan Scanlon

and sophomore Olivia Kohler return, as the duo

split setting duties last season. Scanlon led the Lak-

ers in assists (580) and service aces (34) and was

third in digs (202) in 2009, while Kohler was sec-

ond in assists (416), fourth in aces (16), and sixth

in digs (132) during her true freshman campaign.

The senior class of Rapin, Kornack, Scan-

lon, and outside hitter Leslie Curtis will look to

begin another long home-court winning streak, as

GVSU’s school-record 37-match home win streak

(12th longest in Division II history) that started in

2006 was snapped last season. Since 2000, Grand

Valley State is an outstanding 138-15 at home.

In the opening weekend of the season

(Sept. 3-5), Grand Valley State will have quite an

opportunity to gauge the team’s potential, as the

Lakers travel to Tampa for a six-team tournament

dubbed the ‘Tampa Classic’. GVSU will open the

2010 campaign against the three-time defending

national champions, Concordia-St. Paul, on Friday

afternoon before facing perennial powers Central

Missouri and Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.

The Saturday nightcap with the Lopers will

be a rematch of the biggest match in Laker volley-

ball history, as GVSU defeated Nebraska-Kearney

by a 3-1 score in 2005 for the program’s first-ever

national championship.

Grand Valley State concludes the weekend

with a match on Sunday against 2006 national

champion and host of the tournament, Tampa.

GVSU Volleyball Looks to Keep Winning Ways in 2010

DJ FosterStaff Writer


Where Are They Now?How you remember her:

Dawn Plitzuweit coached at Grand Valley State from 2002-03 to 06-07. In her five

years she won 20 or more games and advanced

into postseason play four times. The 2005-06

team won a school record 33 games in one sea-

son. That team would also go on to claim the

school’s first national championship in basket-

ball. Her overall record in five seasons was 117-

39 (.750). She currently has a higher win

percentage than any other coach in GVSU

women’s basketball history that coached for

more than one season, just surpassing Joan

Boand who has a .733 percentage.

What she’s doing now:

Plitzuweit was hired as the Associate

Head Coach for the University of Michigan’s

women’s basketball program in April, 2007

when Kevin Borseth took over the reigns in Ann

Arbor. In their first season the Wolverines fin-

ished with a 19-14 record and finished in the

quarterfinals of the Women’s NIT. This past sea-

son Plitzuweit helped direct the team to a 21-14 record after winning seven of their last nine

games to push the program to the semifinals of the WNIT.

Matt Thornton Named MLB All-Star

Former Grand Valley State baseball player and current

Chicago White Sox reliever Matt Thornton was selected

to represent the American League in the 2010 Major

League All-Star game. This was Thornton's first-ever ap-

pearance in the mid-summer classic, which took place on

Tuesday, July 13 in Anaheim, California at Angel Sta-

dium.

Allendale Boulevard Days

Come out to enjoy some end of

Summer fun and savings during the

3rd Annual Allendale Boulevard

Days on August 20 & 21, with 3

miles of fun, community garage

sale, tent sales, live entertainment,

arts & crafts show, and much more.

GVSU Athletics will be at Allen-

dale True Value with free give-

aways.

2010 Hall of Fame Inductees

Tim Selgo, Director of Athletics at Grand Valley State,

announced that six individuals will be inducted into the

Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2010. New members will

include: Curt Anes (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood),

football (1999-2002); Ed Crisman (Grand Rapids,

Mich.), basketball (1966-69); Chara Fehsenfeld (Grand

Blanc, Mich.), volleyball (1999-2002); Jennifer Mackson

(Pinconning, Mich.), softball (2001-04); Dewey New-

some (Grand Rapids, Mich.) swimming & diving coach

(1984-2007); and Melissa Sneller (Zeeland, Mich.),

women's golf (2001-05).

Marketing and Promotions Earns Awards

The winners were presented their awards during

NACMA's 19th Annual Convention, June 22-25 in Ana-

heim, Calif. The awards ceremony occurred Wednesday,

June 23. Grand Valley State University's athletic market-

ing office earned awards in eight of the sixteen cate-

gories. GVSU won three gold awards, one silver award

and four bronze awards. Since 2006, GVSU's athletic

marketing office has taken home 27 NACMA awards. (7

gold, 12 silver, 8 bronze).

Nationally Televised Home Opener

The NCAA and CBS College Sports Network announced

a six-game football television package for the 2010 sea-

son and Grand Valley State's season-opener versus West

Texas A&M will open the 2010 television schedule.

Kickoff versus the Buffaloes is set for Thursday, Sept. 2

at 8 p.m. in Lubbers Stadium. The 2010 football season

is the fifth since Division II and CBS College Sports Net-

work established a partnership to provide Division II

schools live national television exposure for their football

and basketball programs. For more information visit GV-

SULakers.com.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Main Logo - Full Color Colors Used

Main Logo - Black Background Version

Secondary Logo - Full Color Font - Orbit, 15 Black-Bold

The GVSU Mobile Ticket Tour is a

traveling ticket office that gives you a

chance to buy season and single game tickets

for the 2010 football season. You can also be one

of the first to purchase the brand new All-Sports Pass.

Some of the tour stops will include a chance to meet the foot-

ball coaching staff, including head coach Matt Mitchell. There will also be giveaways and much

more at every tour location. Just watch for the van and then join in the fun. For more

information, check out ...

gvsulakers.com/tickettour10.html


Sept. 2

vs. West Texas A&M8:00 PM

Lubbers Stadium

Sept. 3

vs. Winona State4:00 PM

GVSU Soccer Field

Sept. 11

vs. Michigan Tech4:00 PM

GVSU Fieldhouse Arena

tickets (616) 331-3200

2010 HOME OPENERS


Grand Valley State University women’s soccer

team looks to continue its success in the 2010 cam-

paign after a stellar 2009 season. The Lakers won

the programs first-ever NCAA Division II National

Championship and claimed its fifth Great Lakes In-

tercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) crown.

GVSU posted an impressive 22-0-4 final record,

which included undefeated marks in the regular

season (17-0-1) and in GLIAC play (13-0-1).

Grand Valley State looks to capture its sixth

GLIAC title and defend its national championship

in its 2010 campaign.

GVSU will face a significant loss this year with

losing the most successful class in the program’s

history. Last year’s senior class posted a record of

84-4-6 (.926) during their four-year career. The

2010 senior class looks to improve on that mark.

The Lakers will be returning five seniors this

year, along with their championship experience

and leadership roles. Grand Valley State will also

be returning seven starters and adding eight new-

comers to the 2010 roster.

From the forward position, leading scorer Ash-

ley Botts and senior Jaleen Dingledine will be back

in action for the Lakers. Botts, the sophomore from

Beloit, Wis., led GVSU with 15 goals and 35

points. Botts recorded the lone goal in the champi-

onship match over Cal. St. Dominguez Hills. Din-

gledine recorded 11 goals and five assists on the

year, tied for second on the team. The senior also

knocked in five game-winning goals and recorded

the equalizer in the semifinal match, sending the

game into overtime.

The Laker midfield will be returning two

starters, senior Kristen Eible and junior Erin Mruz.

Eible started all of GVSU’s 26 games last year and

scored the game-winning goal in the 3-2 overtime

win against Saint Rose in the semifinal match.

Mruz played in 1,565 minutes and led GVSU with

14 assists. The junior recorded three games with

two assists and notched an assist in 11 matches last

season.

GVSU’s defense will return the NCAA Tourna-

ment’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player, senior

Jenna Wenglinski and the GLIAC Defensive

Player of the Year, junior Megan Brown. Wenglin-

ski and Brown were a part of a backline that only

allowed 12 goals on the year and recorded 16

shutouts. Sophomore goalkeeper Chelsea Parise

will return as the last line of defense for the Lakers.

The native from Warren, Mich., notched 13

shutouts and 64 saves last year, including a goal-

against average of 0.47.

Grand Valley State will start its 2010 season at

home Sept. 3-5. The Lakers will play two noncon-

ference matches when they face Winona State, fol-

lowed by Minnesota State-Mankato. GVSU has

only played Winona State once, resulting in a tie

back in 1997. This will be the first match-up be-

tween the Lakers and the Mavericks of Minnesota

State-Mankato.

GVSU will then open up conference action on

Sept. 8 when they travel to Big Rapids, Mich., to

take on GLIAC rival Ferris State. The Lakers de-

feated the Bulldogs twice last year and currently

hold an 11-3 advantage in all-time play.

GVSU will then be on the road for four more

conference games before hosting its first home

conference matches. First the Lakers will face new

conference member Lake Erie on Friday, Sept. 24

at 4:00 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 26, GVSU will take

on the Eagles of Ashland at 12:00 p.m.

The Lakers will end the month of September on

the road. GVSU will travel to Fort Wayne, Ind., on

the 28th to play Indianapolis in a non-conference

match.

Kelsey DeaconStaff Writer

Laker Soccer Begins National Title Defense

Greg Brown (left) from Learfield Sports and

Randy Spetman (right) from Florida State

present GVSU Athletic Director Tim Selgo

(middle) with the Learfield Sports Directors’

Cup at the 2010 NACDA Convention.Photo courtesy of NACDA


The Lakers have advanced to Florence, Al-

abama for the national championship game in six

of the last nine years, but last year’s 30-23 loss was

the first time the Lakers have lost the title game

since 2001. Prior to 2009, GVSU had won each of

the four title games in which they appeared (2002,

2003, 2005, 2006).

The Lakers capped off the last decade with

a 112-13 overall record and the 2010 senior class

is 36-4 during their careers, including a 30-1 mark

in regular season play and a 28-1 record in GLIAC

play. The Laker seniors have won a conference

championship and reached the NCAA regional title

game each year during their careers.

Offense

The Lakers are returning 23 lettermen on

the offensive side of the ball, including seven

starters. In addition, GVSU returns 20 of 21 play-

ers listed on the two-deep as an offensive lineman

or tight end. However, GVSU will have to find re-

placements for several key offensive skill position

players, including three-time Harlon Hill nominee

Brad Iciek and one of the most productive offen-

sive players in Laker football history in Blake

Smolen.

Quarterback

Senior Marquel Neasman, who had been

backing up Iciek the last three seasons, is compet-

ing with Eastern Michigan transfer Kyle McMahon

for the starting quarterback position. Neasman

completed 15-for-19 passes for 145 yards as a re-

serve a year ago. McMahon started six games at

Eastern Michigan last season, completing 56-of-

106 passes for 634 yards and four touchdowns.

Redshirt freshmen Heath Parling, Taylor

Copacia and Isiah Grimes are competing for play-

ing time and add quality depth to that position.

Running Back

The Lakers lost three of their top four

ground gainers from last season, but have a stable

of talented replacements waiting in the wings. Sen-

ior Justin Sherrod enters the season as GVSU’s ca-

reer leader in yards per carry, averaging 7.6 yards

everytime he carries the ball. Sherrod gained 685

yards on 82 carries last year, an 8.4 yards per carry

average, and had five touchdowns on the ground,

tied for second on the team.

Pushing Sherrod for playing time this sea-

son is sophomore transfer Norman Shuford

(Akron), and redshirt freshman Hersey Jackson

from Allendale High School. Jackson put up stag-

gering numbers in high school, rushing for 4,147

yards and 60 touchdowns during his prep career.

Redshirt freshmen Michael Ratay and Billy

Seiler, along with true freshmen Chris Robinson

and Kirk Spencer, will all be competing for carries

in the Laker backfield.

Wide Receivers

The Lakers have to replace do-it-all re-

ceiver Blake Smolen who concluded his career as

the all-time all-purpose yards leader at Grand Val-

ley State. However, senior Ryan Bass, who was

second on the team in receiving last year with 36

catches for 605 yards and eight touchdowns, re-

turns and is ready for a breakout year. Bass led the

team in receiving four times and had two 100-yard

receiving games, both in the postseason. Bass had

a big national championship game, catching eight

passes for 111 yards and a touchdown against

Northwest Missouri State.

Also returning for GVSU is junior Greg

Gay, who had 20 catches for 310 yards and three

touchdowns last season. Gay made his presence

known in the playoffs last year, notching his two

highest receiving totals of the season with 68 yards

and a touchdown on two catches against Hillsdale

and 70 yards and a touchdown on three catches

against Minnesota-Duluth.

Senior Cameron Bradford returns after sit-

ting out the 2009 season. Bradford made his pres-

ence felt as an all around receiver, while fellow

senior Carlos Clark also returns after totaling six

catches for 59 yards and a touchdown last year to

go with 57 rushing yards.

Also returning are sophomores Israel

Woolfork (eight catches, 128 yards last year) and

Chris Crawford, who is moving to the offensive

side of the ball after playing defensive back last

season.

Sophomore David Fox sat out last season

with a lingering injury, while junior Jovonne Au-

gustus joins the Laker receiving corps after two

years at the College of the Canyons Junior College

Augustus will provide the Lakers with a big target

(6-5, 230), as will Eastern Kentucky transfer

Charles Johnson (6-3, 205).

Tight Ends

Juniors Tony Carreri and Andrew Lorman

both return after starting every game for the Lakers

last season. Carreri had two catches for 50 yards in

two games before sustaining a season-ending in-

jury, but Lorman stepped in with 22 catches for

268 yards and two touchdowns en route to being

named honorable mention All-GLIAC.

Redshirt freshmen Tyler Moran, Ryan

Ploetz, and Ed Vushaj all return to provide depth.

Offensive Line

The experienced offensive line will be a

focal point for the Laker offense this season as

they break in a new quarterback. Four returning

starters lead the way, including Daktronics Sec-

ond-Team All-American Cameron Bradfield.

Joining him from last year’s starting offensive

line are senior John Godush, junior James Hardy,

and sophomore Matt Armstrong, who was an

honorable mention All-GLIAC performer as a

redshirt freshman.

Kyle SchwerinContributing Writer

Ryan Bass’ touchdown catch against Carson Newman in

the NCAA semifinal was featured on ESPN’s Top Plays

last season.

FOOTBALL POSITION PREVIEWS


Sophomore Tim Lelito is set to replace

GVSU All-American Nick McDonald at left

tackle. Fellow sophomore Darris Sawtelle is look-

ing to battle for playing time along the offensive

front.

Senior Joey Teague, junior Ian Evans, and

sophomores Andrew Biedenbender and Max Lar-

son are all experienced linemen competing for

playing time. Alex Ahee, Mark Morrison, Eric

LaBuhn and Dominic Cundari also return for the

Lakers and will provide quality depth on the line.

Defense

The Lakers return 16 letterwinners on de-

fense as well as seven starters, including two pre-

season All-Americans.

Defensive Line

Daktronics and D2Football.com First-

Team All-American Danny Richard anchors the

defensive line after racking up 60 tackles, 19.5

tackles for loss (-79) and 13 sacks (-62) last season.

Richard is only 4.5 sacks behind Dan Skuta as the

career leader at GVSU, as he enters the season with

30 career sacks.

Senior Nick Lawrence, a GLIAC Second-

Team honoree, will patrol opposite Richard along

the defensive line. Lawrence recorded 48 tackles,

13 tackles for loss (-69) and 7.5 sacks (-54) last

year. Sophomores Brandon Allen and Ryan Pettis,

along with redshirt freshmen Lucas Kozuch and

Denzel Rodgers will battle for playing time.

Senior Steve Gawronski and sophomore

Ricky Thomas are set to take over the middle of

the defensive front. Redshirt freshmen Hunter

Charneski and Kenny McDaniel will push for play-

ing time in the middle.

Linebackers

The Lakers return all three starters at line-

backer, including preseason All-American Justin

Victor. Victor led the team with 111 tackles last

season, including 13.5 for loss (-55) and 6.5 sacks

(-37).

Junior Brad Howard returns in the middle

after recording 82 tackles and seven for loss (-23).

Junior Zach Breen, who is a two-year starter as the

nickel backer, notched 63 tackles last season en

route to being named Second-Team All-GLIAC.

Redshirt freshman Luther Ware was on his

way to making a significant impact a year ago be-

fore a season-ending injury cut short his campaign.

Sophomores Mike Cuddeback and Chad O’Shell,

along with redshirt freshmen Zach Galloway, Jor-

dan Kaufman and Daniel Wanshon will provide

quality depth.

Defensive Backs

Senior Robert Carlisle returns after being

granted a medical redshirt. Carlisle was on his way

to having a tremendous senior year before a sea-

son-ending injury in the third game ended his 2009

season. A pair of freshmen, Reggie Williams and

Michael Hatcher, will battle for the corner opposite

Carlisle. Junior Dominique Darden and redshirt

freshman Suave Lavallis will push for playing

time.

Senior Matt Bakker, a Second-Team All-

GLIAC performer last season, returns after collect-

ing 56 tackles and an interception last season.

Sophomore Jarrod Cox and redshirt freshman Erik

Thompson return to compete for a safety position

while sophomores Vince Beachem and Myron

Puryear provide depth in the defensive secondary.

Special Teams

Sophomore Jay Jandasek looks to capture

both placekicking and punting duties this year after

going 1-for-1 on field goals last year and averaging

40.6 yards per punt in reserve duty.

Also in the mix will be redshirt freshman

Ryan Stokes and true freshman punter Chris Pi-

cano.

Football Position Previews (continued)

As the new Offensive

Coordinator tell us

about your philosophy

and how the offense

will look in 2010-11.

If you look solely at

what we are doing from

a scheme standpoint,

we will not change a

whole lot on paper. I

think the changes will

come from how we ad-

minister our offense

from a tempo stand-

point and also our mul-

tiplicity when it comes

to formations and dif-

ferent sets. We will try to put pressure on defenses with both

the pace with which we play and how we spread people out.

We’ll use the entire field both laterally and vertically. We

want to be go, go, go. The way I look at it we can always

slow down, so lets start by being up-tempo. Plus, the offense

will change a little bit with a new quarterback.

You have a big hole to fill at quarterback with three-year

starter Brad Iciek having graduated. What are some chal-

lenges that you expect to face with a new quarterback this

season?

The biggest and most significant challenge is that we will

have to replace his game experience. After three years as our

starter, Brad had seen most every situation that a game could

present and he knew what we wanted to do offensively in

those situations. All of our quarterbacks are blessed with

physical talent. However, you get better at playing quarter-

back by experiencing game situations. The more experience

you have, the better you can manage game situations and per-

form at a high level in those situations. That will be the chal-

lenge for whoever is our starter in game one. Manage the

game, understand what we want to do offensively in every

situation, and then perform at a level that allows us to score

points.

What excites you about the quarterbacks that are com-

peting for the starting position?

All of our quarterbacks are passionate about the position and

constantly want to learn more about playing quarterback in

our offense. They are willing to work to get better and have

done a great job thus far preparing for the season. I’m excited

because each one has his own strengths and it will be fun to

mold our offense around whoever our coaching staff decides

is the starter.

What’s your favorite part about coaching football at the

collegiate level?

Hands down my favorite part is winning games. However, I

really enjoy being around our guys every day. I think it keeps

me young at heart. I especially love being around our players

that have great energy and passion to play football for GVSU.

Very seldom in life do you get to experience being a part of

a group that is working together to achieve a common goal.

I am lucky that I get to work in that type of environment

every day at GVSU.

You were the head coach at Division III Wartburg (Iowa)

College before coming to GVSU. What was the greatest

lesson you learned while being a head coach?

There are two:

1. Surround yourself with people that you trust and are fully

committed to make your program successful.

2. When you are the head coach, not a lot of people are com-

ing to you with solutions. How you deal with that determines

the success you have as a head coach.

What was your first impression of Grand Valley State as

a university when you were hired two years ago?

I knew the school was good academically, so I was amazed

at how much the entire university embraced our football pro-

gram and athletics in general. Very few universities are com-

mitted to providing the resources necessary to have national

championship athletics along with highly ranked academics.

Describe your favorite memory or proudest moment from

your job?

The way I felt after the Carson-Newman game last year. That

was an amazing experience to share with our team and my

family. I can remember our team meeting the Monday after

getting beat by Hillsdale in the regular season and it wasn’t

fun. Going from that low point to making it to Alabama was

something I’ll never forget.

What has been the best advice that anyone has ever given

you?

My college head coach used to tell me these two things:

It’s easier to be a great Xs and Os coach if you are a great re-

cruiter. Hard work doesn’t always guarantee success. The

lack of it guarantees failure.

Outside of football, what are some of your favorite activ-

ities?

I like to golf. I get out to the Meadows as much as I can dur-

ing May, June, and July. My wife Heidi is fun to hang out

with and we spend a lot of time boating during the summer.

We also travel when we can. Other than that, all my friends

are on our coaching staff. So even if we are doing something

socially, a lot of time we are still working in some capacity.


Q&A With Offensive Coordinator Eric Koehler


Laker Word Search

Crossword answers available on page 14

The GridDeanne Scanlon

Head Volleyball CoachJenison, Mich.

Jerry BaltesHead Cross Country

and Track & Field CoachConklin, Mich.

John BlackHead Tennis Coach

Dorr, Mich.

David DiIanniHead Soccer CoachHudsonville, Mich.

I know the season isabout to start because ...

I haven’t been to the grocery store or donelaundry for a month.

It’s very, very hot all day,every day.

My free time suddenlydisappears.

The campus becomesfilled with studentsreturning to school.

What do you do to pre-pare yourself for the newseason?

I make lists. I also try totake a weekend off before it all begins.

Run a few days a weekto make me think I canstill run with the team.

I try to get in to top phys-ical shape so that I cankeep up with my teams.

I am very analytical. I gothrough lineups and

scenarios all the time.

Prediction on how yourteam will do this year?

We have great leader-ship and talent. Should

be a great year!

We will get to the start-ing line on time with ouruniform on every meet.

If we reach our potentialwe can challenge the top

teams in the country.

I predict that we will workhard to try to fulfill thepotential that we have.

I’m addicted to ...The Amazing Race ... it’s

on my “bucket list”.Gatorade Oreo cookies Competing

What’s your favorite partabout August?

Not coaching an outdoorsport.

Going to preseasoncamp.

Having some free time tospend with my wife.

Welcoming the team forpreseason to begin a

new journey!


Crossword Puzzle Answers

SANDRA’S SNAPSHOT

Sandra Jennings took this photo on her vacation to Jamacia in June. The summer is a time to relax

and recharge to get ready for the school year to begin. Jennings is an adminstrative assistant in the

GVSU athletic department.

2010 HOME VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

2010 HOME SOCCER SCHEDULE

DATE OPPONENT TIME

Sept. 3 WINONA STATE (Championship Celebration) 4:00 PM

Sept. 5 MINNESOTA STATE-MANKATO 12:00 PM

Sept. 24 LAKE ERIE 4:00 PM

Sept. 26 ASHLAND 12:00 PM

Oct. 3 OHIO DOMINICAN 1:00 PM

Oct. 8 NORTHWOOD (Throwback game) 4:00 PM

Oct. 10 SAGINAW VALLEY STATE 12:00 PM

Oct. 15 NORTHERN MICHIGAN 4:00 PM

Oct. 17 MICHIGAN TECH 12:00 PM

Oct. 30 FERRIS STATE 12:00 PM

DATE OPPONENT TIME

Sept. 11 MICHIGAN TECH 4:00 PM

Sept. 12 NORTHERN MICHIGAN 2:00 PM

Sept. 15 FERRIS STATE 7:00 PM

Oct. 8 LAKE ERIE 7:00 PM

Oct. 10 ASHLAND 2:00 PM

Oct. 26 SAGINAW VALLEY STATE 7:00 PM

Oct. 30 OHIO DOMINICAN 4:00 PM

Nov. 5 NORTHWOOD 7:00 PM

Nov. 7 LAKE SUPERIOR STATE 2:00 PM

Relax


PLAYER PROFILES

Kristen Eible Name Kyle McMahonSenior Year Senior (Transferred from Eastern Michigan)

Secondary Education Major Criminal Justice

DeWitt, Mich. Hometown Rochester Hills, Mich.

Soccer Sport Football

Center-Midfield Position Quarterback

Why did you chooseto become a Laker?

Who has had thebiggest impact on

your sports career?

Where do you seeyourself in five years?

Hidden Talent?

Do you have any superstitions?

What has been yourgreatest accomplish-ment in sports so far?

I loved the campus and how welcoming the coaches and players were. It was a

huge honor to become a part of the already great tradition of GVSU Athletics.I wanted to be involved in the winning tradition.

If things go well, as I would like, in the NFL. If that doesn’t work out, I plan on

working for the government.

Coaching and teaching somewhere down south.

I don’t know? My teammates call me Chuck Norris. Don’t have one.

Everything on game day is a superstition from what I eat to what shoe I lace up

first. I also do two knee tuck jumps before each game.No, I am not superstitious.

WEST MICHIGAN CHEVY DEALERS (616) 669-6683

My dad. He has always been there to motivate me and support me through fail-

ure and success.

My dad. He got me involved and interested in every sport and has supported me

my whole life.

Being a part of the 2009 national championship team and bringing home the

program’s first-ever championship.Leading an academic-based high school to the playoffs in high school as an 8-1

football team.


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For all your printing needs...

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Recipe of the Month

Mom’s Mexican Casserole

Directions:

Step 1 - Brown meat,

drain, and add package of

seasoning

Step 2 - While cooking

meat preheat oven at 375

Step 3 - In casserole dish

put one layer or corn tor-

tillas on the

bottom, cover corn tortillas

with enchilada sauce, add a layer of meat,

beans, and sprinkle a layer of cheese.

Step 4 - Repeat Step 3 as many times as necessary to fill casserole

dish (or as desired)

Step 5 - Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:1 lb ground beef

1 package of Mexican seasoning

2 cans of red enchilada sauce

Corn tortillas

Mexican cheese

1 can of Beans (black or refried)

About the Recipe

This month’s recipe was provided by Sarah Read. Sarah is married to Charlie Read,

who is the Advertising Director for this magazine and also works in the athletic

marketing department at GVSU.

The Sports News Preseason Top 5 D2

football teams ...

1. Northwest Missouri State

2. Grand Valley State3. West Liberty

4. North Alabama

5. Minnesota-Duluth

Lindy’s Preaseason Top 5 D2 football

teams ...

1. Northwest Missouri State

2. Grand Valley State3. West Liberty

4. Minnesota-Duluth

5. California (Pa.)

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