Issue 17, December 2, 2019 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

Moving on up GV Celebrates new wave of graduates G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N

Grand Rapids receives grant to address PFAS SEE WATER| A2

Senior Jayden Hodgson brings experience, leadership off the bench for GVSU basketball SEE FEATURE | A20

Graduates see page 6 M O N D A Y, D E C E M B E R 2 , 2 0 1 9 // VO L . 5 4 N O. 1 7

@ GV L A N T H O R N

LANTHORN.COM

A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS GV COORDINATES COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM

Grand Valley State University is partnering with non-profit computer science organization Code.org to lead a K-12 computer science curriculum coordination.

Through the partnership with Code. org, GVSU will be able to coordinate annual professional development for up to 1,000 teachers in that discipline. The partnership will also allow GVSU to continue carrying out the MiSTEM Network mission for increased STEM education.

For this partnership, GVSU will be working with West Shore Educational Service District, the organization that initially created the program in 2016 and partnered with Code.org to bring the program to the next level.

According to Code.org, the non-profit provides the leading curriculum for K-12 computer science in the largest school districts in the United States, and the curriculum is widely used in Michigan schools.

LITERACY PROJECT PROVIDES GRANTS TO ESTABLISH CLASSROOM LIBRARIES

Eighteen Grand Valley State University education graduates received a $500 grant from the GVSU College of Education Michigan Literacy Program (MLP). This program helps teachers who have been teaching for less than three years in underserved areas to establish classroom libraries.

The $500 grant will be used to purchase $1,000 worth of books in a buy one, get one book sale. The program’s founder Megan Freudigmann said that the grant helps new teachers set up libraries quicker.

“We recognize the importance of the availability of quality, children’s literature in each classroom, yet it often takes new teachers several years of personal spending to develop a functional classroom library,” Freudigmann said.

The grant included teachers from the West Michigan area as well as Detroit and Flint.

WATER

Grand Rapids receives grant to address PFAS

BY OLIVIA FELLOWS OFELLOWS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Rapids has recently been taking measures to improve wastewater quality in the city and address contamination issues.

Last week, the Grand Rapids City Commission voted to accept a $500,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to continue work on addressing polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in wastewater.

The grant supports funding for a PFAS research project being conducted by the Grand Rapids Environmental Services Department and Fraunhofer USA Center for Coatings and Diamond Technologies in partnership with Michigan State University. The city is partnering with Michigan State University-Fraunhofer due to their recent development of a method that uses diamond technology to break down the hazardous carbon fluorine bonds in the PFAS compounds and convert them into carbon dioxide, fluoride and water. It will cover the costs of testing wastewater samples from MSU-Fraunhofer, which is roughly $1,400 each month.

Nicole Pasch, acting assistant environmental services manager for Grand Rapids, said the project is a long-term one and showcases the city’s commitment to protecting its citizens from potentially harmful contaminants.

QUALITY WATER: The $500,000 grant from EGLE will allow the city to tackle PFAS. Research partnered with MSU-Fraunhofer will search for solutions to PFAS in the area. GVL | ALEXIS VELAZQUEZ

“We know that addressing PFAS is a longterm process, and the project is an important step in helping us combat PFAS,” Pasch said.

“Our department will continue to be proactive with this important environmental issue, and we are grateful for the support of EGLE.” PFAS are a large class of man-made, organic chemicals that have been produced for decades and used throughout the industrial, food and textile industries, including water-resistant products and non-stick coating on cookware.

PFAS are resistant to heat, water and oil and are

harmful to the environment and living organisms because they don’t naturally break down over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans. Environmental Protection Agency studies indicate that they can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals, thus signifying a potential risk to humans.

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POLICE

GVPD hires first new detective in 10 years SARAH EDGECOMB NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

GV FOSTER PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS AFTER FOSTER CARE

Grand Valley State University’s foster program, Fostering Laker Success, has worked since 2017 to help students adjust to college life after experiencing foster care. Students receive help with basic needs, finances, jobs, education, health and identity.

Students receive a mentor and meet monthly for activities and workshops.

Homeless students are also welcome to join the program.

“For me, to see a student who was afraid to talk to a professor now being able to talk independently with the professor, or see a student who was hungry and without stable housing now eating regularly and living on campus, that’s how we know the program is working,” said Jessica Campbell, program director and coach.

More information on the program and how to become a mentor can be found on GVSU’s website.

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

PASSING THE TORCH: Detective Angela Morrison became the first new detective since Wiliam DeWitt’s 11-year service. COURTESY | GVSU

Following the recent retirement of Detective William DeWitt, Grand Valley Police Department has hired its first new detective in 10 years. Angela Morrison, who previously worked as an officer at Grand Valley State University, took over the position in November.

Before coming to GVPD, Morrison served as a detective at the Holland Police Department. She said that when the opportunity for a detective position opened up, she knew it was one she wanted to pursue.

“I really knew I liked that type of work, investigative work,” Morrison said.

“I knew it was something I wanted to get back into.”

Although Morrison’s time as detective at GVPD only spans a few weeks, she said she has been working to get to know the GVSU community to better serve them.

“It’s been a lot of realizing Grand

Valley’s unique... in that it has its own community,” Morrison said. “So (I’ve been) getting familiar with everybody and meeting new people. Looking forward, I’m excited to work in a community where everybody is so willing to work together and collaborate.”

Morrison touched on her outlook on the position as the first woman to hold it, saying that her experiences may open up a new avenue in investigating incidents on campus.

“I think that’s an opportunity just to interact in new ways with the student population and to bring my own perspective and my own experience to the table,” Morrison said. “I think that each individual brings their own unique gifts and talents, and I think depending on what they’ve been exposed to, what they engaged in, what opportunities have been presented to them, (how they work) can look totally different.”

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DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

CONTENTS WATER

| A2

EDITORIAL

| A4

STATE

| A5

GRADUATION

| A6-14

RESEARCH

| A15

BASKETBALL

| A16

SOCCER

| A17

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

| A18

FEATURE

| A20

VOL. 54

NO. 17

Lan thorn EDITORIAL STAFF

Layout Editor VIVIANA RUBIO

Editor-in-Chief NICK MORAN Associate Editor BRIANNE KERR

Layout Designer KHOI TRAN PROMOTIONS

Associate Editor AMY MCNEEL News Editor SARAH EDGECOMB

Promotions Manager HOLLIE PICKELMAN ADVERTISING STAFF

Sports Editor KELLEN VOSS Laker Life Editor YSABELA GOLDEN

Advertising Manager JESSE BECKER BUSINESS STAFF

A&E Editor MARY RACETTE Image Editor BENJAMIN HUNT

Business Manager RACHEL RUTGERS Asst. Business Manager NEHEMIAH HUDGINS-LOPEZ

A3 | NEWS TECH

GV Cybersecurity grows to fill professional demand

BY AUDREY WHITAKER AWHITAKER@LANTHORN.COM

As online attacks and scams increase and become more and more advanced, so does legislation and education to prevent them.

The State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act, first introduced to the senate by Michigan Senator Gary Peters and Ohio Senator Rob Portman in July 2019, was passed by the senate on Nov. 21. The bill aims to strengthen cybersecurity between state and local governments.

Andrew Kalafut, program chair of Grand Valley State University’s Cybersecurity BS program and program director for the Cybersecurity MS program, said that both the undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity programs became available for the first time during the fall 2019 semester.

“Cybersecurity, of course, is keeping everything, our computer systems, all of our information systems, all of our data secure,” Kalafut said. “It is absolutely a fast-growing field.”

Kalafut said that interest has grown in cybersecurity from many different industries looking to protect themselves from online attacks, and that this has created a rapidly growing and changing job market.

“There is an incredible shortage right now of cybersecurity talent,” Kalafut said. “A lot of jobs available, and the demand in the labor market for people to fill these jobs is only expected to grow over the next several years.”

Kalafut said that the variety of jobs range from security companies, cybersecurity posi-

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published weekly by Grand Valley State University students 31 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.

nization’s best interest to invest in cybersecurity, often for legal reasons. Such is the case for GVSU, as educational records are one such document protected by federal law.

“There are legal regulations that require certain data to be protected. There is a law that states who we can disclose your educational records to, and under what circumstances,” Kalafut said.

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Grand Rapids human rights score increases 16 points On Nov. 19, Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington announced that the city had received a score of 92 out of 100 on the 2019 Human Rights Commission Municipal Equality Index (MEI) scorecard. The score raised 16 points from the 2018 MEI score of 76.

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tions within larger companies and even the FBI. Kalafut said that staying up to date with these changes is important to the cybersecurity program as well as the university as a whole.

“The number one goal is making sure that our faculty stay up to date, so all of our cybersecurity faculty do active research and keep up with the emerging trends, Kalafut said. “It’s the type of thing where, as new attacks are discovered as new ways to defend are discovered, as new risks are discovered, we have to change the content of our courses.”

Kalafut said that it’s in a company or orga-

LAKER EFFECT

BY KYLIE ELWELL KELWELL@LANTHORN.COM At the Lanthorn, we strive to bring you the most accurate news possible. If we make a mistake, we want to make it right. If you find any errors in fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com.

MEETING DEMANDS: The new cybersecurity program at GVSU aims to respond to the demand for cybersecurity experts, as well as keeping up with evolving industry trends. COURTESY | GVSU

EQUALITY: Grand Rapids’ human rights score was recently boosted. GVL | MEGHAN LANDGREN

The MEI is a nationwide evaluation of municipal law sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Equality Federation Institute. It examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies and services are of LGBTQ individuals who live and work there. Cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and the city leadership’s public position on LGBTQ individuals.

“The city recently passed a Human Rights Ordinance which likely contributed to the change in the score,” said Second Ward Commissioner Ruth Kelly. “We have a Community Relations Commission that worked on this for many months. That is a body appointed by the City Commission to address discriminatory practices and help educate the community on resources to learn about discrimination and to encourage diversity and inclusion in the city.”

The MEI rates municipalities across the United States, and Grand Rapids was among 506 cities rated on 49 different cri-

teria from each state in this year’s MEI. Some of the service improvements the city implemented that helped boost its MEI score were adding an LGBTQ police and executive-level liaison, strengthening non-discrimination policies and implementing inclusive employment policies that include the newly formed LGBTQI+ Employee Resource Group and non-discrimination policies in city employment.

“A group has formed among city staff called Prisms, that works to educate and advocate for those in the LGBTQIA community,” Kelly said. “They’ve put on Lunch and Learn sessions for city staff to attend and advocated for amenities in city buildings such as gender-free restrooms.”

Many of these changes came about by intentionally participating in the national network called GARE: Government Alliance for Racial Equity. All of the efforts made by city staff and individuals of the city has caused the first MEI score of 68 in 2014 to raise every year since then.

A4 | OPINION EDITORIAL

Now what?

G

raduates, this is it. You’ve done it.

You’ve put in the time, the money and the hard work, with grit and talent to prove it. But while your heart is probably a little heavy and proud, your head is more than likely buzzing with one question: What now?

Maybe you’re looking for a temporary job or searching for a long-term career; you may dive into the world or take some time off, or maybe you’re deciding what town or state to call home. It’s a lot to take in, we get it.

But guess what? You’re already doing it.

When you graduate from Grand Valley State University, your goal as a student is to make an outstanding Laker Effect, which the university website describes as “a force for positive change” made on GVSU’s students, faculty and the broader community.

While that sounds pretty scary, you’ve been working toward that goal since you stepped foot on campus. Think of every friend you’ve had an impact on, each bit of research or project that took you beyond the classroom or simply the preparation you now have to make waves in the “real world.”

When you look at what the future holds for you and how you’re supposed to tackle it, it’s important to remember that you’ve been making strides toward success since your first year at GVSU. This time in your life is stressful. It’s supposed to be. But it’s also supposed to be exciting! You have come to GVSU and conquered it. Now, it’s time to conquer something else. While the looming “what now” question never seems to dwindle, it’s important to step back and realize all you’ve done.

That diploma in your hand represents a lot more than your collection of credits. It’s a representation of your collective experiences at GVSU. While graduation may seem like the unwrapping of a series of complex questions and places to fill in the blanks, you can walk the stage knowing that you’ve already made strides and you’ll continue to do so.

Your graduation serves as a reminder that you’ve made it this far, and that the scary question of “what’s next?” has a simple answer: “I’ve already made my Laker Effect, and I’ll always continue to make waves.”

GVL OPINION POLICY The goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s opinion page is to act as a forum for public discussion, comment and criticism in the Grand Valley State University community. Student and columnist opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity.

The Lanthorn strives to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. With this in mind, the Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but neither will it discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by—nor do they necessarily represent those of—the university or its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty

or staff.

Letters to the editor should include the author’s full name, relevant title and a headshot, along with a valid email address and phone number for confirming the identity of the author. Letters should be approximately 500-650 words in length, and they are not edited by the Lanthorn staff except to fix technical errors or to clarify.

Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits.

To make a submission, email editorial@lanthorn.com or drop your submission off in person at:

0051 KIRKHOF CENTER GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ALLENDALE, MI 49401 616-826-8276

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

By Athena Jasman

12/2/19

editorial@lanthorn.com

Rewind the Decade: Best male albums of the 2010s

BY RYAN REICHARD JUNIOR ENGLISH EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

The 2010s shaped up to be a better decade than anyone expected. Yes, this is positivity and yes, having optimism is a somewhat overdone cliché in this decade.

However, this decade saw

mental health being discussed on a public platform and sung about in the car on the way to 9-5 jobs; self-care became not only a cultural phenomenon, but a staple in music. LGBTQ issues finally got a seat at the marriage table, and rallies and marches were held for various groups of people. As the time flew by and the decade passed in an instant, the sounds cultivated from and formed some of the best works music has had to offer in some time. Some sounds make you laugh, others make you cry and some both at the same time. This is a collection of not only nostalgia, but a place to stay, a place to be safe and a place to call home. Here are the best male

albums of the decade.

1) “Dying Star” – Ruston Kelly Ruston Kelly’s work over the last decade has played out on every one of his releases, from dealing with his own mental health struggles and self-doubt on his debut EP “Halloween,” to overcoming addiction amid a crumbling relationship on the masterful “Dying Star.” Throughout the album, Kelly comes to terms with his addiction, acknowledging his faults both as a man and as a partner to his wife and fellow musician Kacey Musgraves across the genre-bending 14 tracks.

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Say no to “detox” fad diets this holiday season

BY DYLAN GROSSER SENIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Thanksgiving was not even over before my newsfeed was bombarded by “detox” articles, with how-to guides on “cleansing” your body or “melting” fat following the holiday season.

These types of articles always appear to be on our side — selling us “nutritionist and dietician recom-

mended” products to burn holiday weight. Yet they are absolutely not on our side, but rather they capitalize on our most insecure impulses by selling us unregulated and unhealthy products/diets that they wouldn’t even use themselves.

Make no mistake, we have an obesity problem in this country, but these “detox” or “cleanse” weight-loss products are rarely seen being advertised by those with a BMI even remotely close to 30, nor do they offer any other form of medically relevant weight-loss information. In the past, Kim Kardashian and Cardi B have been scrutinized for pushing “Flat Tummy Tea” online to their largely young, impressionable fanbases, and rightfully so. Neither one of them qualify anywhere near the demographic a doctor would suggest extreme weight-loss methods (not that

I believe they actually use the products they’re selling).

Celebrities and influencers that push these gross, ineffective fad diets should feel a sense of shame and responsibility, as they are helping to shape our culture which chastises people (mostly young women) for not being picturesquely slim and flawless.

In reality, when you eat a lot after Thanksgiving, you gain a little weight — and there is nothing medically or scientifically wrong with that.

I especially despise the way the word “detox” has been co-opted by the weight-loss community, as it implies you are getting rid of some form of toxicity or poison in your body by going through with these sham diets.

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DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A5 | NEWS

STATE

Michigan introduces new initiatives while celebrating Adoption Month

BY MACKENZIE KELLER NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that November will be celebrated as Adoption Month in Michigan.

While more adoptions may not occur during November, courts across the state, along with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), are hosting adoption events in hopes of placing more children in their forever families.

So far in 2019, 2,038 children have been adopted. However, more than 13,000 children are still in the foster care system.

The goal is for most of those remaining children to be united with their families.

The MDHHS has announced two new initiatives to make adoption a faster and easier process for children in the foster care system. The first initiative aims to remove many barriers in the adoption process, focusing on barriers that arise after a prospective family has already been found.

“So it’s not a matter of there not being a family for the child, but a matter of the process taking too long,” said MDHHS spokesperson Bob Wheaton. “Barriers can include concerns about the child’s behavior or even something as simple as incomplete documents.”

The initiative, which began earlier in November, assigns more than 20 child welfare workers from the MDHHS to work on finalizing the adoption process.

These employees, called permanency resource monitors, are the ones responsible for the removal of barriers in adoption cases that have been on hold for more than six months.

The second initiative, which will be

FINDING FAMILIES: The MDHHS has adopted two initiatives to increase adoptions during Adoption Month, including removing barriers that challenge potential adopters and partnering with Wendy’s Wonderful Kids. The partnership will begin in 2020. COURTESY | WUNDER VISUALS GETTY IMAGES

introduced midway through 2020, will connect the MDHHS with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids. The program pays recruiters to find loving homes for children in foster care.

Though the partnership has not started yet, the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program is in the process of finding permanent homes for more than 125,000 children in the United States.

During Adoption Month there are public events such as Adoption Day, which is a series of ceremonies where adoptions are

finalized. Media coverage and social media draws attention to the need for adoptive homes. The MDHHS hopes that bringing more attention to adoption efforts will help more children find forever homes.

“We hope this will cause families to consider adoption,” Wheaton said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that adoptions will happen in November, but hopefully there will be more adoptions in the coming months as a result of the awareness created by Adoption Month.”

For more information about adoption in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/adoption.

AWARENESS: Gov. Whitmer’s announcement of Adoption Month drew attention to more than 13,000 children in foster care in Michigan. The MDHHS’ initiatives aim to put more children in homes and make the adoption process smoother for parents. COURTESY | AMERICANADOPTIONS.COM

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A7 | GRADUATION

GRADUATION ADS Noah Bacchus

Chelsea Best

Congratulations, Noah!

We are so proud of your hard work and dedication.

“I’ve always believed that if you put in the work,the results will come” Michael Jordan

Congratulations Chelsea!

We are extremely proud of you and your accomplishments as a Laker. You have been prepared for a successful future...go get it!

Love,

Love, Nana, Mom, Matt and Jordyn

Chelsea Best

Dad, Mom & Cade

Marianna Elise Cassar Marianna Elise Cassar, Your dedication, perseverance and passion has made you the remarkable woman you are today.

Follow your heart and you will find your dream job.

Love you, Mom & Dad

Nicholas Gbur Ashley Borowicz Ashley, CONGRATULATIONS! We are so proud of you! You have worked hard and your efforts have paid off! As you celebrate your graduation and accomplishments, we look forward to the next chapter in your life. We know you will do great things! Enjoy this moment, you deserve it!

We love you!

Mom & Dad

Nicholas, Words fail to say how proud we are of you, but Mom would know the right quote.

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A8 | GRADUATION

Adam Gregoire Adam, Congratulations on this momentous day. All of the hard work you have put in has paid off. We are so proud of you!

-Office of the President Staff

Jessica Guerra Congratulations Jessica!

We are so very proud of you!!

May God bless you and guide you as you follow your dreams.

Love, Mom, Dad and Steven

Lauren Ditmar Congratulations from your entire family!

Hard work pays off!

Love, Mom, Dad, Cory & Abby

Trevor Hartmann Trevor, Words

cannot

express

how

Christopher Guard

proud all of us are of you!

Congratulations on graduating and Happy Trails into your bright new future!

Love you!

Mom, Big Mike(Dad), Kyle, Josh, Edgar, G&G

We are so proud of you & your acceptance into the next phase of your education. PA School ... here he comes! Who knew that in 4th grade you already knew what your path would be? We look forward to seeing you progress through your Graduate program & fulfill your dream of being a PA. We Love YOU, Mom & Dad

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A9 | GRADUATION Nick Kapusta Congratulations, Nick!

I am so proud of the man you’ve become! Your future is bright!

Love, Mom

Zachary Edward Lazanja

Matthias Geiger Hoff

Congratulations! We are so proud

Since the day you were born you have shown us the strength of

of the man you have become!

your character. Your dad and I are so proud of you and your ded-

Always remember, your life is

ication to the path that lead to your graduation from GVSU. We

YOUR story, so write a great one!

are, and always will be so proud of you and love you with all our hearts. Congratulations on reaching a tremendous milestone in

Love,

your life! Herzlichen Glückwunsch!

Mom, Mike, Austin and Grandma

Mommas & Dad

Matias Martinez Congratulations, you did it!

We are so proud of you. All of your hard work has paid off.

Love, Mom, Dad, and the whole family.

William Jacob McFarland Congratulations Jake!

We are so proud of your accomplishments and know you

Brian Mortz You on your graduation!

May all your hard “thinnking” bring you fortune and happiness.

Wish we you success where ever your journey takes you.

will be successful in whatever you do. You’ve worked hard, now it’s your time to fly.

Mom & Dad

Love Always, Dad & Stacy Love, Sarah, Kate, & Andrew “The Council of Elders”

A10 | GRADUATION

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

Alana McKinnie ...And so the adventure begins...

I am proud of what you do and who you are - Congratulations!

Love, Mom

Vinh Nguyen To our son Vinh, we are very proud of your success GVSU graduate!!! May God continue leading your life journey.

Love always, Mom, Dad & your siblings

Randy Heui Thien Nguyen Congratulations, Randy!

All your hard work and dedication has paid off. We are happy for your graduation today. Your life is the journey and you have sailed your boat from our rock garden to the top of the Matterhorn and beyond.

Your success today is just the beginning of your journey. We hope you have the right path so you can succeed. Keep moving forward, follow your dreams. We are so proud of you!

Love, Mom, Dad, Kelly and Moonlight

Courtney Parulski Hollie Pickelman Congratulations, Hollie!

We love you and we are so proud of you for all your hard work and dedication. You are an amazing young woman! Remember to always be Bold, be Courageous , be your Best. Keep God #1 and all the rest will fall into place.

Love you forever, Dad, Mom, Marc and Alyssa

Congratulations Court!

You’ve worked very hard for this day! We are so proud of you!

We love you and pray for your continued success!

Love, Mom & Dad

z

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A11 | GRADUATION Cecelia Roehm

Madison Sharnowski

Congratulations Cece!

Congratulations Madison!

We are extremely proud of the

You have finished your “job” for the

ambitious

last 4 years. We are so PROUD of

young

lady

you’ve

you!!!

become! Keep following your dreams and aspirations.

WE ALL LOVE YOU!!!!

Mom, Dad, Amber and Aubrey

Love, Papa, Grammy, Dad, Mom and Gabi

Michaela Jo Schopbach Congratulations Michaela!

We are so proud of you! Your hard work and determination will take you far. Don’t give up on your dream!

Love, Mom, Dad, Emma, and Cate

Christopher Seib Way to go Chris!

We are so proud to see how you’ve grown into the person you are today.

Never stop chasing your dreams.

We love you, Mom, Dad, Kathryn, Jenna, EmmaRae

Payton Spirling Gabriel Souza Congratulation’s Gabriel!!

A winner always runs after his goals !! We are very proud of you with this achievement. Let it be more one of a victorious career.

D&N

The day we have been looking forward to 5-1/5 years has finally arrived! Payton is a first-generation college student. After five and a half years, lots of hard work and sacrifice, Payton has done it! Payton’s time at GVSU has been one of the best experiences a young person can have. Between playing club softball, sorority life, being a transition leader, and all of the intramural sports Payton was involved in, she has truly had a full college experience. Congratulations Payton! So proud of you!

Love, Dad and Mom.

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN

A12 | GRADUATION

@GVLNEWS

Katherine Webster Congratulations, Katie!

We are so proud of your accomplishments at GVSU and can’t wait to see where grad school and your future career take you.

Love, your family

Hunter Streling We have watched you grow from a happy, smiling little boy, to a happy, smiling, intelligent young man. We are so incredibly proud of you and all of your accomplishments!

In the words of Dr. Seuss, Kid, you’ll move mountains!

Congratulations!

Nicholas Wheeker Congratulations Nicholas!

We are so proud of you and your achievements and accomplishments.

May your future hold nothing but the

Love ya!

Dad, Grumpa, Grama, Stacey & Kayla

best!

Love, Mom & Colin and Dad & Julie

Frances Wrighthouse The wind will be at your back, you will fly like bird.

You will do things I never did, but I can live all those adventures by watching you.

Granny

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

Sarah Edgecomb Sarah embodies hard work, positivity and professionalism wherever she goes, which is why it’s been an honor to work with her at the Lanthorn. Sarah’s command of the News section this year has not only showcased her prowess as a journalist, but as an inspiring leader. She has taken every task in her way and excelled with grace and attention to detail. Beyond that, Sarah is easy to get along with, considerate and has made a profound impact on those around her, making her departure so bittersweet. Sarah, we hope your future is filled with success and visits back to the Lanthorn office. Stay introverted, but cool.

-Nick & the Lanthorn Team

A13 | GRADUATION

Hollie Pickelman A newspaper is only as good as the support it gets from its business staff, and Hollie gets plenty of credit for the Lanthorn’s incredible exposure. She’s made the newspaper fun, inviting and engaging, which is no easy task.

Hollie is versatile and full of surprises in terms of what she’s capable of doing, and all while being incredibly approachable and kind. You’ve become a friend to many of us in the office and we are excited to see you grow into your new position. We will be cheering for you throughout your journey! Hollie, you’ve already shown off how talented you are, so never stop shining.

-Nick & Rachel

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A14 | GRADUATION

Congratulations “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

– Malcolm X

Class of 2019

A15 | LAKER LIFE

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLAKERLIFE

LAKER LIFE BRIEFS “KEEP CALM AND STUDY ON” WITH THE SASC Final exams are just around the corner, as most of us are unfortunately aware.

As the semester winds up, the stress of the season can have a profound negative impact on students with essays, research projects and final exams on their plates.

It’s important to have strategies for approaching these end of the year endeavors without exhausting yourself physically and mentally. That’s why the Student Academic Success Center is hosting their “Keep Calm and Study On” event, a workshop that teaches students effective skills to help them prepare for final exams.

The event takes place Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center room 1104 . Those with questions about the event can contact SASC graduate assistant Arianna Fikse at fiksear@ gvsu.edu.

COLLEGE OF NURSING WORKS WITH GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM The Grand Rapids Public Museum is hosting the traveling Bodies Revealed exhibition, a scientific exploration of the human body featuring real specimens — hundreds of organs and almost a dozen full bodies — preserved using the revolutionary “polymer preservation” process, which permanently preserves human tissue using liquid silicone rubber.

On Thursday, Dec. 5 GVSU’s Kirkhof College of Nursing will be teaming up with the museum to combine presentations from graduate nursing students with the exhibition. The presentations will last from 6-8 p.m. and feature explanations of how disease affects the structure of the human body. To purchase museum tickets or find more information, visit the museum website at www.grpm.org/bodies.

RESEARCH

Student project explores phone dependency

BY AUTUMN BABAS LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

Cell phone usage is consuming an increasing amount of college students’ lives, and a group of students at Grand Valley State University is diving in to take a deeper look at the issue. Their “Act of Creativity” project examines statistics on cell phone usage and explores the impacts.

The “Act of Creativity” project began in a LIB 310 Creativity class where students had to look into issues on a college campus. Junior Ahren Sentert and his teammates Ryan Skoog, Evan Rogalla and Izak Ducharme decided to investigate cell phone usage and how it affects our generation daily.

“We saw a lot of people on their phones and into their social media during class and not paying attention to professors,” Sentert said. “We saw the problem of how our generation is so drawn into their phones and kids nowadays are getting iPhones way younger than ever before — it is lowering their creativity.”

Not only does high cell phone usage effect paying attention in class, but it also impacts how well an individual can talk and interact with others face-to-face.

“People now are more focused on the interactions through social media and how many likes they get,” Sentert said.

“They are less focused on their future and their careers, which is scary.”

SCREEN TIME: Skoog, Rogella, Ducharme and Sentert found that the vast majority of their student sample believe their phones interrupts them when they’re doing school work. GVL | MARC GREEN

For their project, the students conducted a simple random sample of 100 students at GVSU and surveyed them on how often they use their cell phones and how that usage affects them. For example, they found that 94 percent of students surveyed believed their phone constantly interrupts their schoolwork. The group also asked the sample of students if they felt stressed if their phone wasn’t in the room with them — 39 percent reported they did.

Along with the physical aspect of the phone being there, they also looked into the psychological: does your phone’s social media notifications and alerts stress you out?

The results were split almost right down the middle. The group also learned that having your phone on you while receiving notifications can play tricks on the mind. 96 percent of students confirmed they check their pocket thinking they feel a vibration and there being no alert or notification.

ATHLETICS

Cleats, community and competition: GVSU’s Women’s Rugby Club

FACULTY EVALUATIONS CLOSE SOON If you’re a student and you’ve checked your school email at all over the last week, you’ve probably noticed the flood of messages from LIFT (Laker Impressions of Faculty Teaching) concerning instructor evaluations.

Though the 5-10 minute process can feel like an unnecessary pain the more classes you have, student responses truly are important to faculty and administration. Grand Valley State University strives to use student comments to illustrate evidence about teaching effectiveness, but they can only do that if they have enough responses to make a statistically accurate argument.

The task force for Universal Student Evaluation of Teaching Implementation strongly recommends that 70 percent of enrolled students have to participate for faculty evaluations to be a truly accurate representation of classroom effectiveness. In 2017, Grand Valley as a whole had a 66 percent response rate. Those interested in helping them reach their goal this year can follow the LIFT email links until Sunday, Dec. 8.

BY YSABELA GOLDEN LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

PIGGIE BACK: Players Lex Tsakiris and Alexa Andary stand together. COURTESY | KENZIE CAIN

For most clubs at Grand Valley State University, an event where everyone gets a bruise, members tackle students from another school and someone ends up with cleat marks on their face would probably be cause for concern. But for the Women’s Rugby Club, it’s just another match — a match they would probably win, given their incredible track record this season.

This year, the team not only made it to the National Tournament, but to the Elite Eight before finally taking their first loss against Winona State University, the 2017 National Champions.

“I think that our team learned a lot from playing in Nationals this year,” said junior Lex Tsakiris. “Competing with extremely good teams was a learning opportunity for us. We were able to challenge ourselves and change the pace of the game. I believe that our team will make it farther next year because the tournament was an eye-opening experience. We were able to see our strengths and weaknesses and improve on different

aspects of our game.”

This year’s long list of victories came with no little difficulty, as the team had to learn and grow over the course of the season to maintain their winning streak.

“At our first game of the season we only had 17 women,” said sophomore Kenzie Cain. “To start with such low numbers and be able to build to a roster of 25 was something I only hoped we would do. As the season progressed we gained more momentum, winning games and powering forward. When we beat our rival, Bowling Green State University, we realized there wasn’t much we couldn’t accomplish. Going into the sweet 16 undefeated and playing UW-Oshkosh — who kept us out of playoffs last year — we were ready to play. Advancing to the Elite Eight was more than myself and my teammates could have hoped for.”

The familial atmosphere developed by the team played a large part in their success, both on and off the field.

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A16 | SPORTS QUICK HITS JUNIOR LINEBACKER TYLER BRADFIELD EARNS COSIDA ALLDISTRICT HONORS

Grand Valley State junior linebacker Tyler Bradfield has been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team for his efforts both on the field and in the classroom during the 2019 campaign. Bradfield also earned CoSIDA All-American second team honors as a sophomore last season.

To be eligible for the academic all-district team, a student athlete must be a starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher on a scale of 4.00 and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing. Bradfield will now move on to the CoSIDA Academic All-America national ballot.

Bradfield, who was a 2019 Second-Team All-GLIAC honoree, ranked second on the team in total tackles with 81 (25 solo/56 assisted) stops. He recorded 10.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 QB sacks, three pass breakups, three QB hurries and two forced fumbles during his junior campaign. In addition, Bradfield notched 10 or more tackles three times, including a season-high 12 tackles at Ferris State.

EIGHT LAKERS EARN USTFCCCA ALLAMERICA HONORS

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has announced the 2019 NCAA Division II All-American honorees. Jessica Gockley, Natalie Graber, Hanna Groeber, Alli Ludge and Klaudia O’Malley represent GVSU on the women’s side, while sophomores Tanner Chada, Noah Steffen and Ben Zaremba earned accolades for the men.

Ludge (12th; 20:34.1) earned her third All-American honor while Groeber (14th; 20:38.2) and Gockley (18th; 20:41.4) were named to the All-American team for the second and first time, respectively. Freshmen O’Malley (21st; 20:50.7) and Graber (28th; 20:54.8) earned their first USTFCCCA AllAmerican honors in their debut season. The Laker women scored 87 points for second place at the NCAA National Championships on Saturday, Nov. 23.

Chada (24th; 30:20.8) claimed his second All-American accolade while Steffen (27th; 30:28.7) and Zaremba (34th; 30:38.6) were named All-Americans for the first time. GVSU tallied 177 points, good for fourth place in the National Championships.

VARSITY SCHEDULE MEN’S BASKETBALL:

MEN’S BASKETBALL

GVSU Men’s Basketball earns sixth win of season over Indiana Tech

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

While the Grand Valley State men’s basketball team looked like it had some post-turkey lethargy all game long, they were able to earn a win after a few clutch plays in the fourth quarter to beat the Indiana Tech Warriors, 62-59.

The win brings the Lakers to 6-1 this season.

The Lakers lost the rebounding battle to the Warriors, 43-40, including seven offensive rebounds corralled by Indiana Tech in the first 12 minutes of the ball game.

While head coach Ric Wesley was complementary of the size of the Warriors, he was clearly upset with his team for not boxing out and giving Indiana Tech too many opportunities for second chance points.

“We didn’t have the focus and energy that I had hoped, and their big guys gave us problems and made it tough to score — they’re one of the bigger teams we’ve played,” Wesley said.

“We got to rebound way better than we did. We relied too much on Christian (Negron) and Jake (Van Tubbergen) to get them, but we need more guys to stick in their and get in the fight.”

Relying on Van Tubbergen worked out well for the Lakers, as he had a couple clutch shots and free throws down the stretch to solidify the win for GVSU. The junior racked up 21 points and 14 rebounds to earn his fourth double-double in the Lakers’ seven games.

“Like coach was saying, they are a big, strong team,” Van Tubbergen said. “I tried to get in there and grab as many balls as I

BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA!: GVSU Junior Christian Negron rises above a few Indiana Tech defenders and dunks the ball home in a win against the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. COURTESY | GVSULAKER.COM

could coming off the rim to give our team the best chance to win.”

The Laker offense looked stagnant at times, partially thanks to starting point guard Jeremiah Ferguson being out to nurse a nagging foot injury.

With the senior leader out, fellow senior in transfer Jayden Hodgson took the brunt of that work, as he and junior John Slater combined to help run the Laker offense.

Hodgson rarely got a water break in the win, as the Australian athlete played all 40

minutes of the game. He was second in scoring, putting up 16 points to go along with four assists, including 12 of those points coming in the second half off key midrange buckets to take the lid off the hoop and end certain scoring droughts for the Lakers.

“It’s always going to be more stagnant (on offense) when your starting point guard is out for the first time all year,” Hodgson said.

LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

GVSU Women’s Basketball has Thanksgiving feast a day early, blows out Central State

BY SEAN CAUVET SCAUVET@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State women’s basketball improved to 6-0 on the season earlier this week, defeating Central State University 80-54 Wednesday, Nov. 27. Coach Mike Williams said he was pleased with his team’s performance in the blowout win.

“I thought our kids locked in the game plan

Thursday, Dec. 5, 8 p.m., Home vs Wisconsin Parkside (90’s night)

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Thursday, Dec. 5, 6 p.m., Home vs Wisconsin Parkside (90’s night)

SOCCER

Friday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m., University of Indianapolis @ Mankato, Minnesota.

Sunday, Dec. 8, TBD, NCAA Quarterfinals (if qualify)

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

PICK AND ROLL: Senior Maddie Dailey drives to the rim off a pick. COURTESY | GVSULAKER.COM

that we talked about,” Williams said. “We started to separate in the second quarter and did a great job limiting them getting in the paint.

Central State is tough to play at their place.

They’ve played a lot of good teams and we knew coming in that they were going to put up a fight and they did.”

When asked about the keys to the win, Williams cited not letting Central State get second-chance points and limiting them from getting points in the paint.

“We did a great job moving the basketball and not turning it over,” Williams said.

“We got some offensive rebounds as well, and that’s how we were able to separate by 28 or 30 points by halftime.”

Although they didn’t have the most impressive performances on the score sheet, Williams said Victoria Hedemark and Taryn Taugher both had good games. Hedemark notched 13 points, two steals and seven rebounds in 32 minutes — the most on the team. Taugher only scored seven points, but

totaled 10 rebounds, with three on offense, in just 24 minutes of action.

“Victoria and Taryn both did a great job on the glass,” Williams said. “They got down around the basket and had some strong takes to get us some easy looks down there.”

Although they took care of business on Wednesday, Williams still has some things he wants to clean up before they start conference action.

“Our kids are very responsive and are willing to change, it’s our job as coaches to identify what needs to be improved and change some of those things,” Williams said. “However, as a group I think our young kids off of the bench are growing every day, which is good because that’s going to allow us to be a deeper team down the stretch. We haven’t played an overly-taxing schedule, but it feels good to be 6-0 heading into Thanksgiving break.”

LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A17 | SPORTS

SOCCER

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES: Grand Valley State junior Sydney O’ Donnell celebrates with her teammates following a score at the GVSU Soccer Stadium in a game from 2018. COURTESY | GVSULAKERS.COM

From Commodore to Laker: Former SEC forward O’Donnell provides punch from GV backline

BY ELI ONG EONG@LANTHORN.COM

When it comes to soccer for Grand Valley State University defender Sydney O’Donnell, the sport has been a centerpiece in her life from a very young age.

“I started playing soccer when I was 3 years old,” O’Donnell said. “It was the first sport I ever picked up and I loved it from the very beginning.”

Not only did she love the game, but she quickly developed a talent for it as well.

Growing up on the east side of the state in Novi, Michigan, O’Donnell’s first experience playing organized soccer was on all-boys teams early on.

“I actually played on an all-boys for several years when I was a kid,” O’Donnell said. “I really enjoyed the competition and I think it helped me develop and prepare for soccer later on.”

Once O’Donnell got to high school, she began playing club soccer for the Michigan Hawks, one of the Midwest’s premier club soccer teams that plays on the Elite Club National League (ECNL) circuit. It was there that O’Donnell established herself as a prominent prospect and began to receive scholarship offers from around the country.

“I was able to travel the country with the Hawks and be scouted by various

programs around the country,” O’Donnell said. “Looking back on it, it was really intimidating but I loved playing in the program and having the opportunities it gave me.”

However, those opportunities didn’t directly lead to playing soccer at GVSU, or even playing her current position at left backer. Once upon a time, O’Donnell was on the front line, making plays for the Vanderbilt Commodores in the SEC as an up-and-coming forward.

“I initially chose Vanderbilt because I wanted to challenge myself at a top 20 academic school while also having the ability to play soccer at a high level,” O’Donnell said.

In her lone season as a Commodore, O’Donnell excelled, scoring 3 goals and assisting on another 10 in 19 games as a freshman. But O’Donnell soon came to the realization that the culture of this high-end academic university was not for her.

“Going in as a freshman, I spent a lot of time on the soccer piece and not on what I wanted to go to school for,” O’Donnell said. “I really wanted to go into nursing and being so far away from home, felt homesick, so I decided to make a call.”

From there, a change of scenery was in order for O’Donnell and she sought to find another university closer to home that matched her academic interests and

provided an excellent soccer team to play for. Enter Grand Valley State.

“I called Jeff, our head coach, because he knew me throughout my whole recruiting process while he was at Alma and I really looked up to him as a coach,” O’Donnell said. “Grand Valley also has one of the most competitive nursing programs in the state, so those two pieces were really important for me in coming home and playing at Grand Valley.”

O’Donnell made the leap from Vanderbilt to GVSU and caught on from the get-go. The sophomore defender started in 22 games during her sophomore season and first campaign with the Lakers, notching two goals and nine assists on 38 shots, 13 of which were on goal.

“I knew coming in that I would be competing for that outside back position because Ava was already out there playing the position I originally played at Vanderbilt,” O’Donnell said. “Jeff saw me as a good fit in that position and had confidence in me being able to contribute there despite me not having much experience as a back.”

“She’s a great weapon for us, she can take players on one versus one, she’s a great ball striker that can also deliver balls and thats something that’s shown up a lot lately out on the field,” GVSU Coach Jeff Hosler of O’Donnell after a

regular season match against Northwood on Oct. 25.

O’Donnell said that forward mentality has helped give her team that added edge when attacking the opposing net.

“I think it confuses the other team a lot because they’re not used to an outside back getting up,” O’Donnell said. “I can speak for myself because I was a forward, forwards don’t like to defend, so when you pull their forward all the way back to their own net, they lose that attacker on offense and get frustrated too.”

In year two as a Laker, O’Donnell has continued to improve on that approach as an offensive-minded left backer, having started 22 games while notching 15 points with four goals and seven assists going into this Friday’s matchup with University of Indianapolis for the NCAA Midwest regional championship. O’Donnell had 13 points total all of last season.

O’Donnell attributed that growth that she has experienced as a player to her coaches.

“I’ve had great coaching around me ever since I’ve been here,” O’Donnell said. “I think they have contributed significantly to the season that I’ve had and being able to buy into their coaching points and see the improvement in myself has been a big part of why I have been able to succeed this season.”

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A18 | SPORTS SPECIAL OLYMPICS

POSING WITH THE PAYMENT: A group of GVSU students stand alongside Special Olympic athletes following the first annual Rally with the Rapids game in 2018 with their $3,262.79 check. GVL | ARCHIVE

GV prepares for second annual Rally with the Rapids game

BY ZACK GOODROW ZGOODROW@LANTHORN.COM

Next Tuesday, Dec. 3, there is a very special event taking place in the Grand Valley State University fieldhouse. The second annual Rally with the Rapids basketball game will take place to raise money for the Special Olympics. The event will serve as a chance for the GVSU community to support athletes whom may not get the opportunities or recognition they deserve.

The event is completely student-run and is the second chance for GVSU students to host the game, with students in Professor Jon Coles’ sports facility and event management class taking the lead. Throughout this semester, Coles’ students have been working vigorously contacting businesses and putting the event together.

The Rally with the Rapids game gives his students an opportunity to gain real world experience in sports management and to host a sporting event. The students have used their skills in management, promotions, staffing, budgeting, and media relations.

Last year was the first year Coles assigned this project to his students and it was a huge success. The fieldhouse was filled with GVSU students supporting these athletes and the class raised $3,262.79 going towards Area 5 and 12 Special Olympics.

“Last year’s event was a home run,” Coles said. “It exceeded my expectations, the class provided an amazing experience for the Special Olympians which will always be our primary goal.”

This year however, Coles and his students want to improve the event even more. His class changed their blueprint for planning the event and Coles is confident his students can make it bigger and better.

The class wants a bigger crowd for these amazing athletes and have a goal to raise $5,000 this year. They also have more giveaways this year such as free Bigby coffee, Grand Rapids Drive tickets, and raffling off GVSU gear and apparel. Brian Gubbini is the sponsorship director this year for the event. He and his fellow classmates have been in contact with many local businesses to partner with the class for the game with

financial support for management and the Special Olympics.

“We’ve reached out to around 100 businesses in the local Allendale and GR area,” Gubbini said. “Our main sponsors are Oasis Hot Tubs, Grand Coney, Dominos, Campus West apartment complex, and Lake Michigan Nutrition.”

This year many of the same players will return to play again. A team from the GVSU area will compete against a team from the Ferris State area. Many of the people involved in the event love being able to support these athletes and is a big chance for the community to show support.

“The best part of the event is to actually see these athletes play and realize how much they love the game they are playing, to them it’s not about the score as much as it is about having the ability to play the game,” said promotions head Dyllon Hoover. “That’s something that a lot of people have never experienced and is incredible to watch live.”

While the students have been planning the event, they’ve received nothing but appreciation from donors, partners and the athletes themselves. The Special Olympics and this particular event alike

mean so much to the athletes and the community, and shows how much sports can bring people together.

“This event is a chance for the whole community to get involved and support our fellow Special Olympians,” Hoover said. “It provides us with an opportunity to rally around athletes who might not normally get the kind of praise a college athlete would, but they are just as deserving.”

“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” This is the Special Olympics oath and is the essence of Rally with the Rapids. This basketball game allows athletes to compete in the sport they love and these students have provided them a perfect opportunity for it. This event will be bigger and more special for everyone involved. Everyone in the community is encouraged to come to this spectacular event and support the players.

The GVSU students appreciate every business and sponsor that has helped make this event happen. On Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m., the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena will be filled with cheers, smiles and support for the community and Special Olympics.

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A19 | SPORTS

VOLLEYBALL

GLIAC Freshman of the Year Jaeli Primus reflects on 2019 GVSU Volleyball season

BY ROSEMARY BOOHER RBOOHER@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State Lakers finished out their volleyball season Wednesday, Nov. 20 during the first round of the GLIAC tournament. The Lakers had an overall record of 13-15 and a GLIAC record of 8-8. Although GVSU did not have one of their winningest seasons this year, Jaeli Primus, one of the freshmen on the team, was very successful.

Primus was named GLIAC Freshman of the Year, awarded ALL-GLIAC second team, and earlier in the season was named GLIAC South Player of the Week Nov. 4. She also ranked first in the entire conference for solo blocks and second in the conference for blocks assists. After finding out that she was in first for blocks, she said she felt determined to stay there.

“I felt hungry the whole season to get first and stay in first place, which means to always be hungry for a block and always wanting the kill,” Primus said.

Hard work and always wanting the kill are both factors that led Primus to have such a successful season in her first collegiate year.

She tallied a total of 255 kills (2.48 kills per set) with a .310 attack percentage, pushing her to rank third on her team in kills. She also had a total of 117 blocks (1.14 blocks per set), pushing her to be ranked first on her team in blocks.

“It feels really good, just because it felt

SUPER SPIKE: In preparation for a game in 2019 at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena, freshman Jaeli Primus pushes her momentum forward to spike a ball before a game. The first-year player led the GLIAC in blocks, and was named GLIAC Freshman of the Year for her efforts. COURTESY | GVSULAKERS.COM

like I’ve been putting in a lot of hard work throughout the whole season including preseason and practices,” Primus said.

“It feels good to know that it paid off and didn’t go unnoticed.”

Looking back at the season as a whole, Primus is happy with how it went even though it wasn’t perfect. Now, the Lakers are more ready than ever to start pushing forward towards the next season.

“I thought that it went pretty well, although the outcome wasn’t what we wanted,” Primus said. “I’m just excited to work even harder in the off season and it should be pretty good to come back with a pretty full team next season since we only lost two seniors this year.”

Primus already has her sights set on her next season, and is determined to give her all in preseason in hopes to keep herself ranked

first overall in blocks, not only on her team, but in the entire conference too. Her focus is on bettering herself as much as possible before hitting the court next year.

“My goal would be to lead the GLIAC in blocks again and I’ll prepare by working extra hard in practice and perfecting it by not going through the motions and by staying in the gym working on agility as well,” Primus said.

CROSS COUNTRY

Cross Country named most dominant team of the decade by NCAA

BY HOLLY BIHLMAN HBIHLMAN@LANTHORN.COM

WORDS OF WISDOM: GVSU cross country runners listen to advice from head coach Jerry Baltes. COURTESY | GVSU CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

Head coach Jerry Baltes is on his 21st year of coaching men’s and women’s cross country and indoor track and field at Grand Valley State University, and has trained over 200 athletes during his time here. After six NCAA National Championship titles for his women’s cross country team and one for the men in the past decade, the team has the honor of being named the most dominant team of the decade in cross country by the NCAA. “It says a lot about the tradition we’ve built and the student athletes over the years being in a good position to compete at a high level,” Baltes said. “Its certainly an honor and cool to be recognized for that.”

Baltes credits the student athletes he’s worked with in the past decade because of their dedication to the team over

themselves individually. With over 200 athletes to recruit and groom, it’s a tough job to be able to so consistently take a team to the national championships, and Baltes has successfully managed the task seven times in the past ten years alone.

The women’s team won the NCAA championship title in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018, with them men’s team also winning in 2018. This past season the women’s team took second place and the mens team fourth, making it another highly successful year for the cross country team.

Having won so many national championships in the past, Baltes knows exactly how to approach next season and where to start back up again with a bunch of new recruits. His plan is fairly straight-forward: starting with recruiting promising runners and students that are willing to put the time in for another championship title.

“I think the biggest thing is just recruiting the right student athletes,” Baltes said.

“They put the team ahead of themselves individually and are willing to work hard and put the time and effort in to get better.

That starts with working hard and doing things the right way time after time, and if we do that we’ll be in a position to win a few more down the road.”

As far as the athletes that Baltes has had the pleasure of training, he’s seen many students come and go, now most of them off in the world doing great things.

The memories all the teams have built together and the time spent as a family makes for a proud moment in every season, and it doesn’t always have to mean a national championship title.

LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

DECEMBER 2, 2019 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A20 | SPORTS FEATURE

Thunder from Down Under: Senior Jayden Hodgson brings experience, leadership off the bench for GVSU basketball

BY KELLEN VOSS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

The 2019-20 Grand Valley State basketball team looks a lot different than last year’s GLIAC champion squad, as the team features six freshmen and five transfer students.

Perhaps the most intriguing of those transfers is senior Jayden Hodgson, a Gosford, Australia, native who previously signed a developmental contract with the Sydney Kings on the Australian National Basketball League and played for the Australia U17 team, where he won a silver medal in the FIBA U17 World Championships in Dubai in 2014.

Hodgson fell in love with basketball in first grade at age 6, and idoled a few future NBA Hall-of-Famers who could score the ball at will.

“When I was getting serious was in 2010, when Kobe (Bryant) won his fifth ring back-to-back,” Hodgson said. “The more I started to learn about the players, Steve Nash was another guy I loved growing up. And these days, I love to watch guys like Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving and all those type of household names.”

Shortly after Hodgson came state side, he started playing basketball at the University of Bradley, where he appeared in 86 games and started in 29, the last which being in an opening round loss in the 2019 DI NCAA tournament to Michigan State.

In his time as a Brave, Hodgson averaged 19.8 minutes per game, 4.0 points per game and 1.4 assists per game while

shooting 37.3 percent from three and 75 percent from three. He made a lot of good memories on and off the court in his time in Illinois.

“I had an assistant coach back home who used to coach at St. Mary’s, and he had a friend who coached at Bradley,” Hodgson said. “I was in a grey area, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do with a young team. The academics there were really prestigious, the coaches were great, and the team really felt like a family.”

When the Australian decided it was time for a change in scenery and entered the transfer portal, he put Grand Valley State at the top of his list and fell in love with the school on his very first visit.

“I heard about them from a coach at Bradley, and they were my first interest,” Hodgson said. “I developed a great relationship with (GVSU assistant) coach Johnson, and when I first came on a visit, I loved the facilities, and the team they had coming back from winning the GLIAC title was what really drew me here.”

While he was sidelined for two games with a sprained ankle, Hodgson has been doing his best impression of Kobe Bryant in the four games he has appeared in for GVSU, averaging 8.3 points while shooting 50 percent from three, including posting a season-high 15 points in last Friday’s win against Cedarville.

Even though he is currently in the sixth man role as the first guy off the bench, GVSU head coach Ric Wesley views him as much more than a scorer, as he impacts the game in many ways whenever

he steps on the floor.

“His talent is his versatility, he does a little bit of everything,” Wesley said. “He gets some stats in every category, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he lead us in scoring or assists. What he does doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet, his calm presence and processing of the game is very good.”

That ability to stay calm was something Hodgson had to get used to here, since the student population at GVSU is more than five times as high as Bradley’s.

But through the first couple months, it appears that Hodgson has grown a soft spot for Allendale.

“School here is a lot bigger and took some getting used, but I’ve liked it,” Hodgson said. “The basketball here has been very good and the guys here have welcomed me with open arms.”

Wesley feels that Hodgson’s work ethic is infectious, and he offers a lot of fun stories with his experience from the other side of the world.

“He’s a great guy who’s upbeat and brings a lot of life to practice,” Wesley said.

“He’s from another part of the world, so he has some life experiences that make him a joy to be around. He’s a very easy guy to talk to.”

Hodgson has some lofty goals for the team this season, as he hopes that GVSU can repeat as GLIAC champions.

“The team goal is to win as many games as we can and make the NCAA tournament,” Hodgson said. “I hope to play as best as I can and do what I can to help the team.”

L AK E R E XCHAN G E Announcements

Announcements

Good luck with your finals, S a v e 1 5 % o n t r a v e l Lakers! Winter break is right throughout the midwest with Amtrak. Students age 13-25 around the corner! with a valid student ID are now eligible for 15% off. Visit AmtrakMichigan.com.

HUSTLE TO THE HOOP: GVSU basketball player Jayden Hodgson drives to the rim. COURTESY | JAYDENHODGSON35 ON TWITTER.COM

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Announcements

Study tips for final exams: 1. Organize your study space.

2. Draw and use flow charts and diagrams.

3. Practice on old exams.

4. Take regular breaks.

The Lanthorn staff is wishing you happy holidays!

E njoy your winter break, Lakers!

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