GVSports Monthly Magazine

Softball and Baseball Eager to Play at Home | Women’s Tennis Improves to 27-0

April 2011

JERRY BALTES HEAD COACH

LAUREN BURESH NATIONAL CHAMPION IN THE SHOT PUT

MONICA KINNEY NATIONAL CHAMPION IN THE MILE & 5,000 M

2011 NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

SATURDAY

April 16

Noon at Lubbers Stadium

Tickets are just $3 at the gate

IN THIS ISSUE 3

WOMEN’S TENNIS Lakers improve their perfect record to 27-0.

5

BASEBALL P Joe Jablonski becomes the career leader for wins.

4 IN THE SPOTLIGHT with Olivia Kohler

6 NEWS IN BRIEF 6 What are the odds? and Answer 7 Question with Doug Witte

11

LACROSSE The countdown begins for the new program.

11 The Green Zone PROFILES 13 PLAYER Brad Howard & Kayleigh Bertram

NATIONAL CHAMPS

12

SOFTBALL GVSU looks forward to playing their first home games.

pg. 8

women’s track & field Jerry Baltes takes the program to another title in 2010-11.

Kelsey Deacon staff writer

FREE MONTHLY MAGAZINE

Volume 2 Number 9

EDITOR IN CHIEF Tim Nott

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Doug Witte

MANAGING EDITOR Doug Lipinski

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Charlie Read

PRINTER Jenison Printing STAFF WRITERS DJ Foster Kelsey Deacon

•1

15 16 CALENDAR

Featured events for April

16 SANDRA’S SNAPSHOT

CONTRIBUTORS Janine Freeman Adam Ingraham Sandra Jennings Sharon Kowalczyk Kyle Schwerin GV Sports Marketing GVSU Sports Information

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 magazine are also distributed in Allendale by the Advance Newspaper.

GV Sports Monthly Magazine GVSU, 192 Fieldhouse

GVSU will be host to the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf National Championships on May 11-14.

Photo courtesy The Meadows

Women’s Tennis Improves to

by Tim Nott editor in chief 27-0 on the Season

T

was the first in school history. Grand Valley State then faced a challenging 2011 spring season. The Lakers defeated four regional teams in February and embarked on a March schedule that was highlighted with a 4-3 win over Division I foe Presbyterian and a 6-3 win over regionally-ranked Rockhurst.

“We were obviously pleased with our GLIAC regular season and tournament titles,” said head coach John Black. “We accomplished our fall goals, but we now must concentrate on “We accomplished our fall goals, but we now must concentrate on our our preparation for the NCAA Midwest Repreparation for the NCAA Midwest gionals,” said Black.

Regionals ” -John Black GVSU boasts a solid lineup from top GVSU claimed the 2010 to bottom that allows Black to play GLIAC regular season and tourna- several combinations. Junior Tara ment titles in impressive fashion. The Hayes has played No. 1 singles for the Lakers’ GLIAC crown was their first most part, recording a 9-12 record, since 1980 and the tournament title while freshman Niki Shipman holds a he 14th-ranked Grand Valley State women’s tennis team entered the 2010-11 season with high hopes after a 2009-10 campaign that saw them advance to the round of 16 for the first time in school history.

However, few would have imagined the Lakers entering the month of April in 2011 with a perfect 27-0 record.

Grand Valley State is ranked first in the latest ITA Midwest Regional rankings and are in position to host a firstround section May 6-7.

15-3 record at No. 2 singles. Senior Chelsea Johnston is 17-1 at No. 3 singles, followed by a tandem at No. 4 and No. 5 singles. Freshman Lexi Rice is 9-0 at No. 4 and 6-1 at No. 5, while senior Darylann Trout is 11-1 at No. 4 and 10-0 at five. Four Lakers have combined to post a 21-1 mark at No. 6 singles, including Allison Fecko (61), Anne Marie Morin (6-0), Katelyn Schaffer (5-0) and Jackie Shipman (40).

The No. 1 doubles tandem of Chelsea Johnston and Darylann Trout are ranked second regionally and 12th nationally. Johnston and Trout are 268 overall and 21-6 in dual-meet action at No. 1 doubles. Alyssa Lucas and Katelyn Schaffer are ranked ninth regionally and hold a 24-5 overall mark (21-4 No. 2 dual). Freshmen Lexi Rice and Niki Shipman are 21-2 overall and 17-1 at No. 3 singles in dual-meet play.

GVSU is 148-34 overall in

•3

singles action and 84-17 in doubles play.

The Grand Valley State men’s tennis team heads into April with a 109 overall mark, including a 4-1 GLIAC record. GVSU started the year 2-8, but regrouped to win eight straight matches. The Lakers will spend the month of April on road with four GLIAC matches and then a trip to the GLIAC Tournament Arpil 15-17.

Junior Marc Roesslein is 8-13 at No. 1 singles, while senior Philipp Claus is 18-9 at No. 2 singles. Freshman Andrew Darrell has compiled a mark of 16-9 at No. 3 singles, while junior Benny Delgado-Rochas is 10-5 at No. 4 singles. Freshman Bryan Hodges is 15-7 between No. 4 and 5 singles, while junior Josh Kazdan is 14-12 between No. 5 and 6 singles.

Freshman Troy Keating is 7-3 at No. 6 singles.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

5

things to know about being a student-athlete in the off-season THE SCHEDULE

Our off-season workouts begin about a week or two after we return from Christmas break. A strength coach is present at all workouts and coaches are at all practices once the spring season starts. We do mostly weightlifting, jump training, and sprinting and only two hours of volleyball per week up until spring break. After we return from spring break our spring season starts and we get back to two-hour team practices like in the fall, and play in one-day tournaments on the weekends.

HITTING THE WEIGHTS

with

Olivia Kohler

Volleyball Student-Athlete

We have workouts everyday! As I mentioned above, we are in the weight room a lot more before spring break than after and that usually consists of being in there three days per week leaving the other two days for sprinting and jumping workouts.

Everything we do is as a team.

•4

TIME TO GET INVOLVED Definitely! I coach at Michigan Volleyball Club and work in the athletic offices during the off-season. Also, our team as a whole takes the extra time we now have to go to a school and read to young children.

INTERACTING WITH COACHES I have a great relationship with my coaches, so I visit them a lot. It is very important to keep communication with coaches open, especially during the off-season. This is the time when things are changing and new roles are being assigned, so interaction with the coaching staff is a must.

RECRUITING My teammates and myself often go to lunch with recruits and then have a conversation with them afterwards to answer any questions they may have.

When a recruit is on an official visit, they will stay at my apartment with my roommates and me so we can get to know them better.

by Tim Nott editor in chief

April Becomes a Key Month for the Baseball Team’s Success

F

all sports in the midwest generally have decent weather for most of their season, while winter sports compete inside and never have to worry about if they can practice or play. Midwest spring sports practice inside for a couple of months before heading south to warm weather for a week of competition.

Following that week of warm weather those same teams try to dodge rain drops and snow flakes for another couple of weeks until the month of April. The nationallyranked Grand Valley State baseball team has 50 games on the schedule for the 2011 season, 24 of which will come in the month of April. Head coach Steve Lyon, GVSU’s all-time winningest baseball coach, knows the month of April is when his baseball team must play championship caliber baseball in order to keep the thoughts of postseason play alive.

have 50 percent of our entire season in one month and we are on pins and needles every day that you even have a chance of rain. However, we know that going in and you just have to deal with the fact that spring baseball in the midwest will be played in inclement weather,” added Lyon.

The Lakers, who enter the month of April 15-2 overall and 4-0 in GLIAC action, hold a national ranking of No. 4 in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll. GVSU opened the league portion of its schedule with a fourgame sweep at Lake Erie College and will stay on the road with four games at Ashland the first weekend of April.

Grand Valley State will play its home opener on Tuesday, April 5 at 2 p.m. versus Hillsdale College. The Lakers will then play the West Michigan Whitecaps in an exhibition game Wednesday, April 6 at Fifth Third Ballpark beginning at “We have such a short period of time in which we 6:00 p.m. GVSU will can actually play games it is hard to get into that then host Saginaw groove that you need to be in when it comes to Valley State in a fourbaseball” -Steve Lyon game series Saturday “We have such a short period (April 9) and Sunday (April 10) at the of time in which we can actually play Laker Baseball Field. Saturday’s games it is hard to get into that twinbill will begin at 1 p.m., while groove that you like to be in when it Sunday’s two-game set will begin at comes to baseball,” said Lyon. “We 12 noon.

Cody Grice leads the team with a .377 batting average in 2011.

Senior P Joe Jablonski became the school leader for career wins in March.

Grand Valley State will play eight games in six days on the road beginning April 12 with a twinbill at Hillsdale. The following day GVSU will be at Northwood for a doubleheader, followed by a four-game series at Tiffin on April 16 and 17. The Lakers will return home for a fourgame series versus Findlay Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23.

GVSU will close out the home portion of its schedule the first week of May. The Lakers will host Northwood Wednesday, May 4 at 2 p.m., followed by the final regular season series of the year versus Ohio Dominican Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8.

Grand Valley State has been impressive on its home turf under Lyon, recording a record of 174-42-1 in his 12 years at the helm. GVSU was 20-1-1 on its home turf in 2003, followed by a 15-2 record in 2004, a 10-3 mark in 2005, 19-2 in 2006, 143 in 2007 and 13-4 in 2008.

“We have been a really good team at home during my tenure and we hope to continue that trend in this season,” said Lyon. “We feel that our team is set up to have success on our field and we always have great support from our fans and students.”

•5

Early season highlights: Grand Valley State entered the 2011 season with the fourth-best winning percentage in DII baseball the last 10 years (411-1491/.733)...Grand Valley State is one of two teams (GVSU/Tampa) that have appeared in the NCAA DII postseason tournament the last nine years...The Lakers’ pitching staff has a team earned run average of 2.55, allowing just 38 earned runs in 134.0 innings. In addition, GVSU’s pitchers have 110 strikeouts and just 44 walks...Opponents are hitting just .226 in 499 at bats...GVSU batters have walked 73 times and struckout 82 times...In addition, the Lakers have been hit by a pitch 32 times in 17 games...Senior RHP Joe Jablonski became the Lakers’ all-time leader in pitching wins with 22 (22-6). Jablonski improved his record to 3-0 on the year as he yielded just three hits and one run in six innings of work in game one at Lake Erie College...Junior RHP Kyle Schepel is 3-0 with a 0.75 ERA in 24.0 innings...Schepel has 23 strikeouts and opponents are hitting just .146...Offensively, the Lakers are hitting .306 and averaging 9.46 runs per game...GVSU has 24 doubles, 11 home runs and seven triples.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Twitter Want instant access to all the headlines from gvsulakers.com? Follow us on twitter @gvsulakers or www.twitter.com/gvsulakers

a trIPLe PLaY

Wenglinski Nominated for National Award Jenna Wenglinski has helped the Lakers claim back-to-back national championships in 2009 and 2010 and now is nominated for DII athlete of the year for soccer. A press conference will be held on June 27, 2011 in New York to announce and present the Division II Athlete of the Year.

Baseball and Softball TV Games The first-ever televised baseball and softball games will be played this spring. Comcast will air games on April 16 and 22 on channel 900 or 901. On April 16, the softball team will face Wayne State twice at 1:00 and 3:00 pm on TV. On April 22, the baseball team will take on Findlay at 1:00 pm in a conference doubleheader (Second game scheduled for 4:00 pm). The games will also be webcast on gvsulakers.com.

The Lakers turned an improbable 6-4-1-6-2-6-5 triple play during a 5-3 win against Mansfield on Mar. 8.

The odds of turning a triple play in any given inning ...

10,000 to 1

InsIde the Park home run Paul Young hit a game-tying inside the park home run to force extra innings against West Chester on Mar. 8. The Lakers went on to win the game 3-2.

The odds of hitting an inside the park home run ...

.006%

Spring Game to be Webcast The Spring Football Game will be webcast on gvsulakers.com in the media center. The game begins at noon on Apr. 16.

Stelfox and Taylor Named All-Americans Alex Stelfox and Briauna Taylor were named to the State Farm Coaches' Division II AllAmerica Team on Tuesday (Mar. 22), in a release sent out by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). Both girls earned honorable mention selection and were 2 of just 40 players in all of Division II that garnered All-American status from the State Farm Coaches’ vote.

GVSU Lakers YouTube Channel If you want to watch video on your mobile phone, you can find the same videos available on gvsulakers.com in the media center on our YouTube channel. You can find it at youtube.com/gvsulakers.

•6

QuestIon & ansWer

Doug Witte Ath letic Web and Graphic Designer -QTell us about your background and how you ended up at Grand Valley State?

-AI went to college at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids and earned a degree in Sports Management. In order to graduate, an internship was required so I was looking for a school to get some experience. The athletic director at Cornerstone at the time, Bob Fortosis, knew Tim Selgo and helped me with a good reference to give me a start in athletics. So I started my internship in the summer of 2002. I ended up continuing to work in the sports information department for the fall as a student worker. I also worked with the football team as a video assistant. I did that for about two years and eventually became a graduate assistant in sports

information doing some design work. I completed my masters at GVSU in 2007 and then I was fortunate enough to have a full-time position created for me. I started in 2002 as an unpaid intern and I think I was hired in 2007 when they realized they couldn’t get rid of me.

-QAs the Web and Graphic Designer, what are your main responsibilities?

-AMy main responsibility is to update and grow the athletics website, which also includes social media.

Another part of the design aspect is to create print materials like schedule cards, brochures, posters, and postcards. I also work with the sports information department in putting together media guides and handling photo requests. I handle most licensing issues and logo requests for the athletic logos.

Another part of my job is to be the athletic department photographer.

-QWhat are some of the ways GVSU Athletics uses social media and why?

-AWe have been using social media quite a bit more in the past year. We started with Twitter and Facebook a couple years ago and recently started a YouTube channel as well. We have all of our news headlines published to Twitter. We use facebook to try to communicate highlights or special promotions that are happening. We started a YouTube channel to give fans another way to access some of the videos that we put on our athletics website.

The biggest challenge here at Grand Valley is de-

•7

ciding what to put on facebook. Since our studentathletes and coaches accomplish so much, it’s hard to choose what to highlight sometimes.

-QWhat do you enjoy most about your job?

-AI love sports. Everyone here puts in a lot of extra hours during the school year. I’m not sure anyone would do it if they didn’t love the representing the university and being a part of the athletic department. The job is a challege too, so it never gets boring because there’s always something more that can be done. It’s also beneficial to work with some great people, that always makes the job seem a little more fun.

-QWhat have been some of the highlights during your time at GVSU? -AI worked with the football team in 2002 and 2003 when they won the first two national championships. That was a highlight because of the championships, but also because I got to see first-hand how much time and effort coaches, players, and support staff put in to create a winning program.

In the sports information office, we’ve won a few national awards for our media guides. Tim Nott and DJ Foster do most of the writing and layout and I usually handle the design and photos. Even though it’s not our main goal to win publications contests, it’s still always fun to be recognized.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

T

during the fall season in dominating fashion.

Many of the student-athletes used their experience from the fall season to earn another national title. One of those student-athletes was junior Monica Kinney. Kinney lead the “I am so proud and happy for our student- way for GVSU as she athletes and assistant coaches who have earned three All-American honors, two individworked so hard over the course of the year and prior years, they deserve these ual titles and notched 21.5 points. Kinney earned a championships. ” -Jerry Baltes national title in the mile The Lakers return for the final run (4:44.41) and 5,000-meter run day of competition and did just what (16:28.02). The junior also ran the ancoach asked for. GVSU earned an indi- chor spot in the distance medley relay vidual title in the mile and shot put, to along with Julia Nowak, Kayla Vallar give the Lakers a boost to the national and Madie Rodts to claim a third place title. “I knew we were in a great spot for finish (11:47.40). In the mile and 5,000, the rest of the meet as we started off with Kinney was up against the returning 18 points in the mile and then earned the champion in both races, but found a way top-two spots in the shot put,” Baltes to upset the #1 seeds.

Baltes was proud of the junior said. “From there we just needed to focus on competing well and finishing out the for her determination and hard work throughout the year and at the national meet as positively as possible.”

GVSU did just that and earned meet. “Monica did a great job for the Baltes his second national title this year, team, especially going into the meet as as the women’s cross country team we asked her to do a huge thing for the claimed the national championship title team in competing in three events,” Baltes said. “We asked her to anchor the DMR and simply score as many points as possible. We knew winning her individual events would be hard since the defending champions were back from last season. So asking Monica to run in the DMR race would have potentially taken away from her chances to win an individual title in the mile and that was a huge sacrifice she was willing to make for the team. Her performance was simply outstanding.”

The Lakers also earned points from Eileen Creutz (4th-4:59.38) and Rebecca Winchester (6th-5:01.74) in the mile, to record a total of 18 points.

GVSU earned points from junior Chanelle Chaldwell as well as she crossed the finish line second in the 800meter run (2:11.30) to earn All-American status.

In the field events, Grand Valley Monica Kinney won two individual titles at the 2011 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field State recorded a total of 41 points and of National Championships.

he Grand Valley State women’s track and field team earned the #1 national ranking the entire 201011 indoor season and at the national meet, they proved why they were the #1 team in division II. GVSU claimed the program’s first NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field title as they recorded an impressive team score of 83 points at the national meet. Grand Valley State notched 32 points over second place Lincoln (Mo.) and won three individual titles, along with 16 All-American honors. The Lakers brought 18 student-athletes to the national meet and 13 of those studentathletes recorded points, which was the most by any team.

GVSU started the meet strong as they qualified three student-athletes in the mile and one in the 800-meter run.

The Lakers earned 12 points in the weight throw, 11 in the pole vault and six points in the distance medley relay, to give them a first place finish of 29 points after day one. Head coach Jerry Baltes was proud with his team’s performance on the first day and knew it would put them in a great position to claim the title on day two.

“We had a great day one at the championships and knew if we could get off to a good start with the mile finals and shot put at the beginning of day two, it would set us up well for the rest of the meet,” commented Baltes.

•8

those points, 30 were recorded in the throwing events. “Our throws crew did an outstanding job at the championships,” stated Baltes. “Every athlete that competed at the meet scored for the team and that is a huge tribute to coach Cory Young. He prepared them physically and mentally to be ready to compete at a very high level.”

Coach Young earned his first individual title as a coach, as junior Lauren Buresh claimed the top-spot in the shot put. Buresh notched a throw of 52’10.25”, while teammate Sam Lockhart followed in second (51’6.5”). Young could not be more pleased of his studentathletes and the success they had at the meet.

“I am extremely proud of our athletes as they have worked very hard the whole year,” said Young. “We have a 2011 Indoor All-Americans *National Champion

Liz Murphy Weight Throw

Sam Lockhart Weight Throw • Shot Put

Jamie Smith Weight Throw

Lauren Buresh Shot Put*

Jocelyn Kuksa Pole Vault

Kristen Hixson Pole Vault

Julia Nowak DMR

Kayla Vallar DMR

Madie Rodts DMR

Monica Kinney DMR • Mile* • 5,000-meter*

Eileen Creutz Mile

Rebecca Winchester Mile

Chanelle Caldwell 800-meter

great group of student-athletes that dedicate themselves to training and being great competitors. I have been at GVSU for five years now and this was the first time that every thrower that competed earned an All-American spot.”

During the shot put competition, Buresh and Lockhart broke the school record twice, while Buresh earned the title on her last throw.

“I told Lauren that she needed to set the tone for the meet in the first flight and she came out and threw a personal record,” Young explained. “Sam continued the trend in the second flight and when these two are both throwing extremely well, it tends to intimidate the other girls in the field. Lauren ended up on top, but you have two girls that thrive on seeing each other do well and I am very fortunate to have coached the two best female shot putters in the country.”

Lockhart recorded a total of 13 points at the national meet as she also competed in the weight throw. She finished fourth (63’0”), while Liz Murphy was the top-finisher for the Lakers in third (63’1.25”) and Jamie Smith eighth (59’9.75”). In the pole vault, GVSU claimed 11 points and were lead by junior Jocelyn Kuksa. Kuksa placed third,

followed by GLIAC Freshman Field Athlete of the Year, Kristen Hixson in fourth. Kuksa and Hixson both recorded a vault of 12’10.75” to earn All-America honors.

Grand Valley State will now deal with the high expectations as they will compete for the program’s third national title during the outdoor season. Baltes is happy with the success of the program this year, but will continue to coach his team the same way he did before. “I am so proud and happy for our student-athletes and assistant coaches who have worked so hard over the course of the year and prior years, they deserve these championships,” commented Baltes.

“This team needs to simply keep doing what we have been doing, work hard everyday, stay focused and prepare mentally and physically to get the job done when the opportunity presents itself.”

Even though Baltes has guided the Lakers to their first national championships this year, success is nothing new to this program. During Baltes’ 12 year tenure, the women’s cross country team has won 10 straight Midwest Regional and GLIAC titles, while the indoor women’s team has claimed 12 consecutive GLIAC titles and 11 straight outdoor

Head coach Jerry Baltes won his second National Championship in 2010-11.

GLIAC championships. And the success doesn’t stop there, as the men’s cross country team finished third at the national race in 2010 and has notched nine straight Midwest Regional and GLIAC titles. The men’s indoor track and field team has claimed 11 GLIAC titles in 12years, while the outdoor team has claimed six since 1999.

With the success of the women’s and men’s program, Baltes does not let his student-athletes center the attention on the streaks or the number of titles won. “We try not focus on the streaks or

•9

the titles, but simply to stay focused on the process. For us coaches that means starting with recruiting the right studentathletes to the program and then helping them every step of the way in reaching their fullest potential as a student and a GVSU athlete,” said Baltes. “If we do a great job everyday of helping our student-athletes move forward, the results will take care of themselves at the end of the day and/or season.”

Baltes has been honored for his achievements with numerous awards, but credits his success at Grand Valley State to the university, coaches, alumni and the work ethic of the student-athletes.

“GVSU is the total package that attracts great student-athletes along with the Laker Turf Building and the committed adminstration that cares for all of our sports and student-athletes,” Baltes commented. “My coaching staff has the ability to get talented student-athletes to buy into our system of working hard and focusing on simply getting better. We have had many great alumni over the years that have helped us progress to this point and we have been blessed with many selfless student-athletes who have sacrificed over the years to help build our program into what it is today.”

season

FIRST DRAW LOGO OPTIONS

by Doug Witte executive editor

T

The Countdown Begins for GVSU Lacrosse

Ohio). After annoucing the incoming class, Groveston said, "We were able to bring in some outstanding players and it says a lot about the mental makeup of our young ladies knowing that the 2010-2011 year will be dedicated to nothing but practice."

Preparing for the first varsity lacrosse game ever to “The team has been practicing very be played on GVSU’s hard all winter and we can’t wait to campus is no simple get on our home field next spring task. The team has spent the entire 2010to compete in front of our fellow 11 academic year pracLakers. ” -Alicia Groveston ticing to be ready for GVSU hired head coach Ali- the first season of intercollegiate cia Groveston and assistant Erika competition in the spring of 2012. No Walker in 2010 with the mission of one can question the commitment of fielding a team for the newest varisty the coaching staff and the girls on the sport. On Aug. 18, 2010, Groveston roster as they grind through a full seaannounced the first signing class for son of practice in an effort to be comthe upstart program. The class con- pletely prepared for competition on sisted of 20 student-athletes (19 from the field.

"We're very excited to host the State of Michigan and one from

2011

he countdown has begun and it is officially just under one year from the first draw for GVSU women's lacrosse in Allendale, Mich. Grand Valley State Laker Athletics announced the addition of women's lacrosse as the school's 20th varsity sport on Sept. 15, 2009.

page

1 of 1

The lacrosse team is now less than one year from its inaugural home game.

To see the countdown, visit gvsulakers.com and click on lacrosse.

Lindenwood in just under a year," Groveston said. "The team has been practicing very hard all winter and we can't wait to get on our home field next spring to compete in front of our fellow Lakers."

While the Lakers will be breaking in their uniforms for the first home game, they will also be break-

ing in a new field. GVSU will be adding a new multi-pupose facility next to the current soccer field that will serve as a home location for both outdoor track & field and lacrosse.

The Lakers will face Lindenwood University in the first home varsity lacrosse game on March 16, 2012.

scale.

On a

Small classes. Big thinkers. Raise your hand if you prefer personal attention. At Grand Valley, we keep class sizes small to provide students with individual instruction from the highly qualified faculty who teach all of our classes. It’s just one of the reasons U.S. News & World Report has named us one of the “Best in the Midwest” three years in a row. gvsu.edu/GRAND | (616) 331-2025

• 11

by DJ Foster staff writer

Lakers Hope to Take Advantage of Their Home Field in April

A

fter opening the 2011 season with 11 games in Florida in early March and playing a tournament and a few doubleheaders in Ohio near the end of the month, the Grand Valley State softball team returns back to Michigan in April. But the Lakers will be able to enjoy an extended stay in the state, as GVSU is not scheduled to play another game outside of Michigan for the rest of the year.

Generally, most teams play their best in front of home fans on the field it practices on every day and after not dealing with a bus ride and a stay in a hotel the night before. Grand Valley State is no different, as the Lakers went 11-1, 11-1, and 15-3 at home in 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively. It is true that GVSU was just 7-7 in home games last season, but this year’s team looks to be built differently and hopes to revert to the trend of the previous three years.

The GLIAC’s top hitting team last season with a .317 batting average, Grand Valley State picked up right where it left off with an 8-3 start at the NTC Spring Games in Clermont, Fla. In the only guaranteed game action in March due to the normal Michigan weather just three months into the new year, GVSU hit .348 in 11 games, hitting 10 homers and 22 doubles. Playing a quality schedule that featured five games against teams ranked in the NFCA Preseason Top-25, the Lakers continued to get better as the week went along, winning six

the Lakers were able to easily take care of Notre Dame College (Ohio) by a 10-0 score and also squeak out victories over Malone (7-5), Urbana (7-5), and Notre Dame College (Ohio) (6-5) to capture the tournament title for the second straight year. Both Martin (pitcher) and Cleary (third base) were named to the all-tournament team and they were joined by freshman Tonya Calkins (first base) and sophomore Nellie Kosola (outfield), who smashed a two-run walk-off homer in the 7-5 win over Urbana.

Martin was named the tournament’s most valuable player, which was already the second early season award she had received. After a terrific opening week to the season, she was honored as the GLIAC Player of the Week, marking the second straight season she was named as the league’s top player in the first week of the year.

Her performances against Olivet and at the Blue Knight Invitational were even more impressive than her opening week’s statistics. Martin hit an astonishing .636 with five homers and 16 RBI, pushing her season totals after just 17 contests to video-game like numbers: a .579 batting average, 24 runs, 33 hits, seven doubles, 11 homers, and 34 RBI, all of which lead the entire GLIAC. Her slugging percentage of 1.316 means she is averaging a single every time she comes up to the plate.

For Martin to pick up those 34 runs batted in (the next highest total in the league is 15), somebody GVSU leads the conference in has to be scoring those runs. batting average, runs scored, That task falls on Kosola and sophomore second baseman base hits, and home runs.

Kayleigh Bertram, the two of their last seven contests. players batting in front of Martin at the Grand Valley State even outdid beginning of the season. Both players itself the following week, as the Lakers have scored 20 runs apiece, while sophdominated Olivet in a non-league twin- omore left fielder Jackie Teutsch isn’t far bill before winning all four contests at behind with 14 runs scored. the Blue Knight Invitational in Urbana, In the early part of the year, Ohio. Against Olivet, GVSU scored the GVSU has been far more than just Marmost runs in a doubleheader since Mar. tin. Teutsch (.438 batting average), soph28, 1999 when that Laker squad pushed omore Emily Jones (.429), and Bertram 37 runs across the plate in a double- (.404) have all started at least 15 games header at St. Mary’s. and sit above the very impressive .400 The 2011 team fell four runs shy mark. Jones hit the ball very well down of that performance, but Grand Valley in Florida and has tallied three homers State still scored 33 runs on 34 hits in and 14 RBI, both of which are better perwins of 17-5 and 16-2 against the sonal figures than last season. Cleary hit Comets. GVSU smashed six home runs a homer in four straight games from Mar. in the doubleheader, two apiece from 17-19 and is second on the squad with 15 sophomore slugger Katie Martin and runs batted in. Couple those with freshman third baseman Miranda Cleary. Bertram’s two blasts and the Lakers have At the Blue Knight Invitational, four strong home run threats.

Katie Martin is one of four GVSU players to start more than 15 games with a batting average over .400

Jones, Kosola, and Martin all have totaled at least one double, triple, and homer this season, as Kosola’s three triples are the most in the GLIAC. Add in junior infielder/outfielder Maggie Kerrigan (.324 average), junior catcher Carli Raisutis (one error in 64 chances, three runners caught stealing), freshman Tonya Calkins (16 starts at first base, eight RBI) and newcomers Briauna (.462 in six games) and Brittany Taylor (four runs in six contests) and this team has the making of potentially a very good team.

Usually offenses tend to struggle at some point during the season and that is when head coach Doug Woods will turn to his pitching staff to win games.

Martin (4-1, 1.77 ERA), sophomore Hannah Santora (5-1, 2.33 ERA, 34 strikeouts), and junior Andrea Nicholson (5-1, 2.36 ERA, nearly 4-to-1 strikeoutto-walk ratio) look very capable of keeping opponents off of the scoreboard.

Grand Valley State is scheduled to play 13 league doubleheaders in April, with eight of those being played in Allendale. That includes a stretch of six straight twinbills from April 9-20 against Lake Superior State (twice), Tiffin, Wayne State, Findlay, and Hillsdale.

The Lakers’ original 2011 home opener against Saint Joseph’s (Ind.) on Mar. 22 was cancelled due to inclement weather, leaving GVSU’s new home opener to be a four-game set against Northwood in consecutive twinbills on April 2nd and 3rd.

• 12

Offensively Outstanding As of Mar. 21, Grand Valley State was far and away the top hitting team in the GLIAC, as the Lakers began the year with a 14-3 record. Here is a look at some of their impressive stats: • League-best .373 batting average (next highest is Findlay at .318) • GLIAC-high 131 runs (Findlay is second, again, with 92 runs scored) • 23 home runs (more than twice as many as second-place Saginaw Valley State’s 10 roundtrippers) • Conference-high 185 base hits • Sophomore Katie Martin leads the league in batting average, hits, runs, RBI, doubles, homers, total bases, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage • Martin’s 11 home runs are the most in the conference, while Lake Erie’s Brittany Sostre is second with five.

GVSU freshman Miranda Cleary is third on the list with four homers • Four games of 10 or more runs in season’s opening two weeks (only seven games of 10+ runs last season) • 33 runs scored in doubleheader at Olivet on Mar. 17 are the most runs GVSU has scored in a doubleheader since March 28, 1999 • To show that the team is more than just offense, the Laker pitching staff has tossed four shutouts and ranks fourth in the league with a 2.40 ERA

PLAYER PROFILES I loved the campus and the Why did you choose Great criminal justice procoaching staff. I also loved to become a Laker? gram and a great football how being a student came beprogram. fore being an athlete.

Spring, that’s when Do you prefer spring Fall, because it is football softball starts season. or fall?

Joe Crede, MLB

KAYLEIGH

BERTRAM year

SOPHOMORE

Do you have any pregame rituals?

I go out an hour and a half before the game to get a feel for the field and stretch.

In graduate school. I plan on going into physical therapy.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself down south using my degree to work in corrections.

sport

SOFTBALL

Steak and salad

The Replacements The Remedy

by Jason Mraz Chicago White Sox

Friday

Song

Solo Duo

by Kid Cudi

• 13

HOWARD year

JUNIOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Food Movie

Sports Team

B R A D

major

FAVORITE...

HEALTH PROFESSIONS

LOCKPORT, IL

Paul Pierce, NBA

I do one-hop drills with a teammate to make sure I stay on the ball when I’m fielding.

major

hometown

Who is your favorite pro from a different sport?

Chicken

GVSU Lakers

hometown

SOUTH BEND, IN sport

FOOTBALL

L I R P A Thoughts on the NFL lockout?

Jovonne Augustus

Travis Shooks

Dan Glynn

Sue Conner

Football/Basketball Grand Rapids, Mich.

Men’s Golf Grand Rapids, Mich.

Equipment Manager - FB Grand Rapids, Mich.

Game and Event Operations Livonia, Mich.

I feel bad for my good friend Cam Bradfield, who is trying to get signed by a team.

Finish the sentence April ...

Should be the time we’re getting better on the field and getting ready for the Spring Game

Who is your favorite MLB team?

Yankees

Describe an April Fool’s joke that has been played on you

When the school paper had a fake story about someone in school having a perfect bracket.

What do you want to see at the Spring Football Game on Apr. 16?

I want to come out better than last year, with a better approach.

It stinks because I am about It’s a mess. I think the season will be lost unless it to graduate and would like to work for an NFL team. goes to court.

Is a great month to play golf and get outside.

Detroit Tigers

‘Bout time you got here, time for spring ball.

will bring more wins and good weather to the lakers

Chicago White Sox

The Phillies

A buddy put plastic wrap on the toilet My uncle put saran wrap over seat. I didn’t notice and you can figure the toilet so when I went to the bathroom, out what happened next.

I had little bit of a mess.

The team looking good

A team that’s hungry to win another national championship. and ready to play some football in the fall.

• 15

It’s a bunch of people who make a lot of money, arguing about making more money.

Nothing that has worked!

Sunshine and competitive football

APRIL CALENDAR APRIL BaseBall vs. sVsU Double Header at 1:00/4:00 pm 9

at the GVSU Baseball Field

APRIL 16

FOOTBall sPRING GaMe The football team will scrimmage at noon at Lubbers Stadium.

sOFTBall vs. WaYNe sTaTe Double Header at 1:00/3:00 pm at the GVSU Softball Field

TV: Comcast 900/901 Watch Online:

Watch Online:

APRIL sOFTBall vs. HIllsDale Double Header at 3:30/5:30 pm 20

at the GVSU Softball Field

APRIL 22

TeNNIs vs. COe The men’s and women’s tennis teams will host Coe at the GVSU Tennis Courts.

APRIL 22

BaseBall vs. FINDlaY Double Header at 1:00/4:00 pm at the GVSU Baseball Field

TV: Comcast 900/901 Watch Online:

Composite Home schedule Date

sport/Opponent

4/2 4/2 4/3 4/3 4/5 4/5 4/9 4/9 4/9 4/9 4/10 4/10 4/10 4/10 4/15 4/15 4/16 4/16 4/16 4/17 4/17 4/20 4/20 4/22 4/22 4/22 4/22 4/23 4/23

Softball vs. Northwood Softball vs. Northwood Softball vs. Northwood Softball vs. Northwood Baseball vs. Hillsdale Baseball vs. Hillsdale Baseball vs. SVSU Baseball vs. SVSU Softball vs. LSSU Softball vs. LSSU Baseball vs. SVSU Baseball vs. SVSU Softball vs. LSSU Softball vs. LSSU Softball vs. Tiffin Softball vs. Tiffin Football Spring Game Softball vs. Wayne State Softball vs. Wayne State Softball vs. Findlay Softball vs. Findlay Softball vs. Hillsdale Softball vs. Hillsdale Baseball vs. Findlay Baseball vs. Findlay Men’s Tennis vs. Coe Women’s Tennis vs. Coe Baseball vs. Findlay Baseball vs. Findlay

For tickets call (616) 331-3200

SANDRA’S SNAPSHOT

“Cold Warmth” Sandra Jennings is an Administrative Assistant in the athletic department.

• 16

Time 1 pm 3 pm 12 pm 2 pm 2 pm 5 pm 1 pm 4 pm 2 pm 4 pm 12 pm 3 pm 12 pm 2 pm 3:30 pm 5:30 pm 12 pm 1 pm 3 pm 12 pm 2 pm 3:30 pm 5:30 pm 1 pm 4 pm TBA TBA 12 pm 3 pm

2011 GVSU

LAKER FOOTBALL

SEASON TICKETS GO ON SALE MAY 2