Football picked to Finish First in gliac preseason poll
September 2011
August 2011
IN THIS ISSUE
Volume 3, Issue 3
8
Soccer Builds Defensive Tradition
14
Volleyball
Football
M & W Golf
Eno Umoh Blocks Her Way to the Top of the Records
GVSU Picked to Win GLIAC in Preseason Poll
2011 Season Preview
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•1
News in Brief 5 Things To Know ...
10
The Green Zone
11
Fall Promotions
13
Player Profiles
15
The Grid
16
Sandra’s Snapshot
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, Fieldhouse
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Tim Nott Doug Lipinski Doug Witte Courtney Zudweg DJ Foster Amanda Murphy Kyle Schwerin PRINTER Jenison Printing CONTRIBUTORS Jessica Beswick Janine Freeman Sandra Jennings Sharon Kowalczyk GVSU Sports Information
Dave DiIanni’s team looks to defend back-to-back championships.
7
Photo Finish
EDITOR IN CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR EXECUTIVE EDITOR ADVERTISING DIRECTOR STAFF WRITERS
Soccer
5
2
Over 1,000 people attended Fan Fest in the Kelly Family Sports Center on Aug. 25. Fan Fest is the annual kickoff event for the fall sports seasons. Photo courtesy Doug Witte
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Eno Umoh Looks to Block Her Way to the Top
G
rand Valley State head coach Deanne Scanlon recently lost the school’s all-time leader in blocks, Rebeccah Rapin, due to graduation. Rapin, an AVCA First Team All-American last year, is GVSU’s career leader in total blocks (525) and block assists (437). However, Scanlon is able to replace Rapin with someone who has the chance to pass her in the record books by the end of her career. And junior Eno Umoh almost never played volleyball at Grand Valley State. Umoh, a local product and an incredible athlete from Wyoming, Mich., initally came to GVSU to run track. She contacted Scanlon after she graduated from Wyoming Park and inquired about volleyball tryouts. Later that summer, Umoh attended a summer volleyball camp (rare for someone who has already graduated high school), where she caught the eyes of the Laker coaching staff. “After the summer camp, we brought Eno in for an individual tryout,” Scanlon explained. “We tossed her a few balls and one would hit the back wall, one would hit the bottom of the net, one would hit the 10-foot line. She was inconsistent, but she was nearly six foot tall and could grab
the (basketball) rim. It was a no-brainer decision.” In 2008, Umoh competed in track and used a redshirt year on the volleyball court. She left a tremendous first impression after her first-ever match in the team’s 2009 season opener. In a 3-1 win over Texas-Permian Basin, Umoh notched 10 block assists, the most by any Laker that season. She finished her rookie year with 96 block assists (most on the team) and 103 total rejections, placing third in the GLIAC with 1.17 blocks per set. Umoh picked up right where she left off in 2010, as she again led Grand Valley State in block assists (116), which was also the most in the entire conference. Her 135 total blocks placed her third in the league, just five behind teammate Rapin. Along with Rapin’s 140 blocks and Umoh’s 135 rejections, graduated senior Krysta Kornack added 83 blocks to help the Lakers become the top blocking team in all of Division II in 2010. Two more members of this year’s team - senior Nicole Whiddon (77 blocks) and sophomore Stacey Catalano (73) - also had strong blocking totals. A closer look at the stats, however, suggests Umoh’s name could end up all over
the Laker record books, if not at the very top. After two full seasons in Allendale, Umoh has 238 total blocks, just 32 short of Rapin’s initial two-year total of 270. It should be noted though that Rapin played in 14 more matches in her first two seasons than did Umoh. In fact, after two years, Umoh is actually averaging more blocks per set (1.18 to Rapin’s 1.00) and more blocks per match (3.97 to 3.65) than the best blocker in school history. This is not to say that Umoh’s future blocking totals and records are a guarantee. Rapin was able to play in more matches during her first two seasons than Umoh because of GVSU’s postseason success during Rapin’s early tenure. To further prove that nothing is for certain, simply doubling Umoh’s statistics and making them four-year totals would place her with 424 block assists (second all-time to Rapin) and 476 total blocks (fourth all-time in GVSU history). But just being in the discussion as one of the top blockers ever is still pretty good. “Her athleticism is just unbelievable and you can’t teach someone to touch 10-feet,” described Scanlon. “That, in itself, is imposing to other hitters. But she has also
by DJ Foster - staff writer
Eno Umoh (20) has developed into one of the best defensive players in the GLIAC.
learned more about the game and added more finesse to her repertoire. Eno knows what she’s doing out there and what she can do. She responds to what happens on the other side of the net and what the other team is doing.” Six of the top-10 blockers (by total blocks) in Grand Valley State history at some point played for Scanlon. Umoh almost never had the chance to play at GVSU and put her mark on the Laker program. Certainly nobody knows what the future will hold, but if Umoh keeps blocking shot after shot, she may be able to join Rapin among the list of elite blockers in Grand Valley State history.
MAJORS IN FINANCIAL FREEDOM PNC VIRTUAL WALLET® STUDENT is an online money management tool that can help make campus life at GVSU a little easier. It has a feature that lets you send e-mail notifications to anyone who owes you cash, so you can get paid back faster. And the option to set up Parent Alerts that tell Mom and Dad when you’re running low. It even has a PNC Virtual Wallet iPhone® app, so you can access your account from anywhere. Take control of your money at pncvirtualwallet.com/student, call 1-877-PNC-1000 or stop by the PNC branch at 5111 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale, MI 49401.
©2011 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC 10x7 University Banking 0511-02
•5
NEWS IN BRIEF
Volleyball Home Opener The Laker women’s volleyball team will open their season at home on September 16 against Lake Superior State. The match will be in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available online at gvsutickets.com and the GVSU ticket office the day of the game. New Video Content The exclusive site for all the latest on Grand Valley teams and events, gvsulakers.com is expanding its content with all new video material. Check out gvsulakers.com for great new videos and in-depth interviews with your favorite coaches and players. Listen Live to Laker Football You can listen and watch Laker football live from wherever you are all-season long. Laker football can be heard live on the radio on WMUS 107.9 FM or across the state on the Grand Valley Sports Network. Games will also be broadcast locally on 96.1 FM ESPN. Football games can be heard live on gvsulakers.com.
Louie’s Locker Room Launches Online Louie’s Locker Room is now the official team store for GVSU Athletics. You can purchase your authentic Laker gear online at home athletic events or anytime at louieslockerroom.com. Louie’s Locker Room carries official GVSU Athletic apparel including shirts, polos, shorts and more.
5
T HINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT coaching cross countr y and track & field WITH JERRY BALTES, HEAD CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIEL D COACH
GVSU Tickets Go Digital GVSU Athletics offers online ticket sales for the first time ever. GVSU fans, employees and students can now get their tickets online at gvsutickets.com. Tickets are also available at the athletic ticket office in the GVSU fieldhouse or the University Bookstore locations on the Allendale or DeVos campuses.
CoaChing Six teamS: Coaching six teams can seem overwhelming at times. With cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track there isn’t a lot of time off during the year. it takes a lot of time management to give as much time as possible to each team. our student-athletes are great and most of them are motivated enough to push themselves to get better, so we don’t need to micromanage them every second of the day. managing hundredS of Student athleteS: this goes along with the previous point of having student-athletes willing to push themselves. i also have great assistant coaches who i trust. that’s a huge asset when you’re dealing with so many different types of athletes each year. dealing With male and female Student athleteS: there are a lot of different personalities on our teams. that’s what makes it fun. if everyone was the same, it would get pretty boring. aChieving SuCCeSS: is about staying focused on the day to day process of working hard, making smart decisions, with a positive attitude over time and good things will happen. it’s not always easy or fun, but in the long run it always pays off. Continuing the SuCCeSS: repeat above.
•6
GVSU Football Picked First in GLIAC Preseason Poll
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rand Valley State University was tabbed by league head coaches as the favorite in the 2011 GLIAC preseason poll for both the North Division and overall. The Lakers were picked to finish first in the GLIAC's North Division with 85 points and 13 first-place votes. Michigan Tech was second with 67 points and one first-place vote, followed by Saginaw Valley State (44), Northern Michigan (43), Northwood (38), Ferris State (37) and Indianapolis (29). In the South Division, Wayne State was first with 80 points and 10 first-place votes, Ashland was second with 73 points and four first-place votes, Hillsdale was third with 66 points, Ohio Dominican was fourth with 38 points, Findlay and Lake Erie College were fifth with 36 points and Tiffin was seventh with 13 points.
The Lakers finished the 2010 campaign with a record of 11-2 overall and 9-1 in the GLIAC action. GVSU claimed its sixth straight league title and advanced to the NCAA DII Playoffs for the 10th straight year. The Lakers begin their 2011 conference schedule on Sept. 10 at Hillsdale. The Chargers were predicted to finish third in the South Division. The GVSU and Hillsdale have become recent rivals after the Chargers defeated GVSU in 2009. Last season, GVSU scored in the final minute of the game to topple Hillsdale in a 44-41 shootout. The second GLIAC game of the year sends GVSU to Indianapolis on Sept. 17. Despite being picked to finish last in the North Division, the Greyhounds show the strength of the conference. UIndy played GVSU to
the wire in 2010. The two teams were tied going into the final minute of the game, when Jovonne Augustus caught a TD pass with 30 seconds left to break the tie. GVSU returns to the friendly confines of Lubbers Stadium at the end of the month (Sept. 24) to face the Findlay Oilers. That game will also be Kids Free Day. Kids can receive a free ticket to the game with the purchase of a regularly priced adult ticket. For more information, visit www.kidsfreeday.com. If you can’t make it to the game to experience Lubbers Stadium on a Saturday night, you can visit www.gvsulakers.com to watch the videocast or listen online. Every away game can also be heard on the GVSU Football Radio Network. For more infomation, visit gvsulakers.com.
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via gvsulakers.com GLIAC Preseason Poll North Division School - (First-Place Votes) Division Points
1. Grand Valley State (13) 85 2. Michigan Tech (1) 67 3. Saginaw Valley State 44 4. Northern Michigan 43 5. Northwood 38 6. Ferris State 37 7. Indianapolis 29 South Division School - (First-Place Votes) Division Points
1. Wayne State (10) 80 2. Ashland (4) 73 3. Hillsdale 66 4. Ohio Dominican 38 T5. Findlay 36 T5. Lake Erie 36 7. Tiffin 13
Strong Defensive Play Becomes a Laker Soccer Tradition
by Amanda Murphy - staff writer
“No doubt — offense sells the tickets, but defense wins the championships.” – Dave Thorson
I
t’s a 1-0 game in favor of GVSU and the minutes are ticking off the clock to the final horn. The opponent is pressing down the field and looking for any chance to shoot. In times like this, even good teams can fold and make mistakes that could cause the game or force overtime. For the Laker soccer team though, this is their moment to shine. If you look at the field set up, take notice of the four players situated in the backfield. Those players and the goalkeeper are the last line of defense between victory or defeat. At Grand Valley State, the defense is the key to winning games and in the past two years, to winning championships. Grand Valley State’s defense doesn’t begin with the goalie; it starts with the forwards. “The defense starts from the forwards on our team,” said four-year starter Megan Brown. “It’s from every line that goes onto the field, not really just the backline. We work together as one system. Each year I have been here, we are one unit and it works for us.” Work it does. GVSU now owns two national titles and six straight NCAA tournament appearances to its credit much in part to solid defensive action. To the untrained eye, the Lakers’ school record 92 goals in 2010 won the program’s second consecutive national championship, but a look at the other side of the field shows a nearly incomprehensible statistic of just five goals against in 25 games. Maybe to demonstrate the true impact of the Laker defense one could turn to 2010 NSCAA Coach of the Year head coach David DiIanni
who has been at the helm of the GVSU soccer program since 2003. “Our team knows that I am a defensive-minded coach,” said DiIanni. “If you’re not a good defender first and foremost, you’re not going to do very well in this program. On the backline if you aren’t hungry to keep the ball out of the back of the net, we will find another player who is. If we have 10 players with a defensive mindset first, we have 10 players that the other team has to get past. Our system starts with the forwards being in a good position, making everything predictable and pushing balls in one way or the other. Then our midfields support the forwards pushing towards the net, but works with the defense to stop pressure in the back field.” The Lakers work on a 4-3-3 formation, which essential sets four players on the defense, but the outside backs do a lot of running and
covering because they do not use outside midfielders. The outside defenders have to be very athletic and disciplined, while the center back needs to know how to win balls and get tackles. The system is working as the GVSU defensive unit has only allowed a minuscule 22 goals and tallied 59 shutouts in 74 games in the past three years. The Lakers proved to have their best defensive performance since the program’s inception in 2010, setting an NCAA Division II record with 21 shutouts en route to its second national crown last season. What is even more remarkable is the fact that the Lakers did not allow a single goal in their five postseason contests, while tallying 17 of their own goals. GVSU seems to be impenetrable at home as well as the Lakers blanked every opponent that visited the GVSU Soccer Field in 2010. In fact the last team to score at the Lakers’ home field was rival Sag-
inaw Valley in the 2009 GLIAC Championship game. The best thing about the GVSU defense is that the rest of the GLIAC understands and recognizes its talent as five of the last six Defensive Player of the Year honorees have come in the form of a Laker player. Kate Duda first earned the honor in 2005 followed by Sue Christenson and Natalja Stanski in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Current senior Megan Brown grabbed the award in 2009 and most recently, former Laker Jenna Wenglinski, a two-time AllAmerican and NSCAA Player of the Year, garnered the honor. Despite the departure of the former winners to graduation, Brown alongside 2010 GLIAC Freshman of the Year Tayler Ward and All-GLIAC second team honoree Kayla Klosterman are ready for the trek back to another national title. “You can’t fill a spot like Jenna’s in a day. Transfer Autumn Ja-
Erin Mruz and the Laker midfielders are key to the defense in DiIanni’s system. •8
cobs, sophomore Kayla Kimble and junior Molly Streeter will be some of the players that fight for a chance to take that spot,” said DiIanni. “Kayla Klosterman is returning in the center back position. She’s very comfortable on the ball, good in the air and she is a great athlete. “We have a bunch of girls that filled in last year due to injuries including Tayler Ward who was one of the freshmen that stayed healthy and she reaped the benefits of other players injuries.” Behind Brown, Klosterman and Ward is NSCAA All-American junior goalkeeper Chelsea Parise, who was credited with 17 solo shutouts in 2010 bringing her career total to 30. Parise tallied a phenomenal 0.21 goals against average, which led Division II, making 76 saves playing a team-high 2,193 minutes. Last season, Parise was aided by a pair of sophomore keepers in Michelle Marcus and Abbey Miller as the pair kept the Lakers’ goals-against average at 0.161, good for third in the all-time NCAA Division II season record book. “Our keepers over the past three years have been tremendous
Defender Megan Brown was an All-GLIAC First-Team selection in 2009 and 2010.
ball handlers,” said Brown. “We are very confident if we get into a bind that Chelsea will be ready to get the ball back out of our zone. It was the same when Kristina [Nasturzio] was in net my freshman season.” Nasturzio was an All-America selection from 2006 to 2008. She backstopped 19 single-season shutouts in 2008 en route to the Lakers’ trip to the regional finals. In 2008, she mentored Parise, who took
a redshirt season, and it has paid dividends. “Chelsea has been fantastic in the net for us. Sometimes the save totals don’t show it, but she is a great keeper,” said DiIanni. “She is one of the main reasons we are very good defensively as well. Chelsea takes control of the field and has a great ability to read the ball.” The defense will have another chance to prove its worth as the quest
for the title begins with a pair of road games in Minnesota. The Lakers travel to Winona State (Sept. 2) and Minnesota State Mankato (Sept. 4) before GVSU fans have a chance to see the 2011 squad in Allendale for the home opener against Saginaw Valley State on Sept. 11.
Real-world research. Get ready to be inspired. Grand Valley’s foundation of academic and critical thinking skills provides undergraduate students the kinds of hands-on, professional research opportunities reserved only for graduate students at other schools. It’s a grand experience that challenges and motivates our students and sets Grand Valley apart. gvsu.edu/GRAND | 616.331.2025
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2011 GAME DAY PROMOTIONS FOOTBALL sept. 1 vs. Western oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . black oUt Game day sponsor Meadows Crossing First 2,500 GVSU students receive a black t-shirt courtesy of Meadows Crossing
sept. 24 vs. Findlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kids Free daY Game day sponsor PNC Bank First 1,000 fans receive bam-bam sticks courtesy of PNC Bank First 1,000 GVSU students receive a GV hat courtesy of Campus West
oct. 1 vs. tiffin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FaMilY daY Game day sponsor Lake Michigan Credit Union
SOCCER
First 1,000 fans receive a GVSU flag courtesy of Lake Michigan Credit Union
oct. 22 vs. Ferris state. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . laker blUe night
sept. 11 vs. saginaw Valley state. . . back to back celebration
Game day sponsor Louie’s Locker Room
sept. 16 vs. Michigan tech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YoUth night
First 1,500 GVSU students receive Laker blue t-shirts courtesy of GVSU
sept. 28 vs. Ferris state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . caMper reUnion night
Housing and Residence Life
oct. 21 vs. tiffin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . laker blUe night
oct. 29 vs. Michigan tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hoMecoMing Game day sponsor Chemical Bank
nov. 12 vs. saginaw Valley state . . . . . . . battle oF the ValleYs
VOLLEYBALL sept. 16 vs. lake superior state . . . . . . . . . . . hoMe opener bash
Game day sponsor Pure Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
sept. 25 vs. hillsdale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . caMper reUnion night
First 1,000 fans receive a GVSU blanket courtesy of Option 1 Credit Union
oct. 2 vs. Ferris state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . teaM night
First 1,000 GVSU students receive bam-bam sticks courtesy of Brian’s Books.
oct. 21 vs. Michigan tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . laker blUe night
• 11
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PLAYER PROFILES I fell in love with the campus, academics, and soccer program here. My family. Winning back to back National Championships (and going for another!)
ERIN
MRUZ
My father; he’s my biggest fan and I’m his biggest idol.
What has been your most memorable moment at GVSU so far?
St. Louis Cardinals.
Who’s going to win the World Series?
I don’t really have one. Starting my career as a physical therapist.
Favorite Pro Athlete? What will you be doing in 5 years?
hometown
Fruits and Veggies
Gurnee, IL
The Proposal “Last Friday Night” GVSU Lakers
Beating Carson-Newman, sending us to the National Championship game in 2009. Fall = Football. Tigers over D-backs.
DANNY
Dan Skuta.
RICHARD
Maybe still playing football, maybe married, maybe working a job I love, maybe living in my parent’s basement playing video games; preferably all four.
year
Food
My mom’s pot roast
hometown
Movie
Dumb and Dumber
West Bloomfield, MI
Song
“Kick it in the Sticks”
FAVORITE...
Clinical Exercise Science
Soccer
Who has had the biggest impact on your sports career?
Which do you prefer, fall or winter semester?
major
sport
Because I wanted to recieve a GRAND Valley education.
Fall, its not as cold.
year
Senior
Why did you choose to become a Laker?
Sports Team
• 13
Tigers and Lions
Graduate Student major
Biostatistics
sport
Football
Men’s and Women’s Golfers Hit the Links for the Fall Season
G
rand Valley State’s 2011 women’s golf team is looking forward to an exciting season. After placing sixth overall at the NCAA Division II National Championship held at The Meadows Golf Course in Allendale, Mich. last year, the team has high hopes for another successful outing this season. Senior Sarah Hoffman is stepping up to fill the shoes of graduated Laker Allie Tyler who finished 21st overall in 2011. Hoffman hopes to lead the team to the NCAA Division II National Championships for the 11th time since 2000 after posting the team’s top individual finish last year, a tie for 15th. Juniors Ashley Beard and Marni Weinstein look to improve this season after tallying scores of 320 (+32) and 326 (+38) at the championships. Sophomore Veronica Ryan posted a total of 316 (+28), scoring for the Lakers in the national championships, posting three sub-80 rounds. Ryan and classmate Cassady Kauble
by Jessica Beswick - contributor
T Senior Sarah Hoffman looks to lead the team back to the NCAA Championships in 2011-12.
look to make a continued impact after their rookie campaigns. Freshmen Molly Esordi from Grosse Ile, Mich. and Kelly Hartigan from Lake Orion, Mich. join the team for the 2011-2012 season The Lakers tee-off the season at the Michael Corbett Fall Classic on Sept. 18 in Clymer, N.Y. The team will later participate in the Laker Fall Classic at The Meadows Golf Course on Oct. 22 and 23 in Allendale, Mich.
he 2011 edition of the GVSU men’s golf team is also looking forward to beginning its season. After narrowly missing out on participating in nationals last fall, the Lakers are hoping to swing into this season at full blast. Upon finishing sixth place at the 2011 Midwest/South Central Regional Tournament in Georgetown, Ky., the team is hoping to head to the NCAA Division II National Championship this upcoming season for the first time since 2008 when the Lakers placed 14th. The 2011 GLIAC Freshman of the Year Chris Cunningham tied for 18th place during the Regional Tournament as he led GVSU over the 54 holes. Cunningham was the second Laker to ever be named the league’s top rookie and has high expectations for a great season this year. Senior Nick Gunthorpe was named to the All-GLIAC First Team and finished in the top-10 in four tournaments in the 2010-2011 campaign. Gun-
• 14
Nick Gunthorpe enters his senior season on the golf team.
thorpe has been a strength to the team and is hoping to improve on his junior year performance. The men’s golf team opens their season on Sept. 10 at the Al Watrous Invitational in Saginaw, Mich. They compete in their last fall tournament in Findlay, Ohio on Oct. 9 with their sights set on the National Championship in the spring.
st u g u A What are you most looking forward to about the upcoming school year?
I Know fall is on the way because...
Sacha Gill
Sandra Jennings
James Winkler
Greg Gay
Volleyball Muncie, Ind.
Administrative Assistant Grand Rapids, Mich.
Assistant Athletic Trainer Gaines, Mich.
Football Macomb, Mich.
I’m excited to take classes Seeing the students and A fresh start at a new school Playing football at Lubbers in the competition relating more to my with a new group of coaches from of the best D2 fans in journey! and athletes. the country. major. The trees are starting to turn colors.
I begin planning scenic trips everybody is gearing around the Midwest. up for football season.
Beets.
Too many bad meals to remember, they all get repressed.
I don’t like broccoli, onions, or tomatoes.
Sister Sister
I can’t stand reality TV.
What’s TV?
Jersey Shore
California.
I’ve been around the country many times, to Europe, Caribbean too... but honestly I’d like to ride a bike around Mackinac Island.
Been to alaska 9 or 10 times, so let’s try Hawaii.
Some where warm in the Carribean just to relax.
The worst food I’ve ever eaten is...
Peas.
TV show you won’t miss? If you could take a trip anywhere, where would it be?
It’s cool at night.
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SANDRA’S SNAPSHOT
“Summer Waters”
Sandra Jennings is an Administrative Assistant in the athletic department. She took this photo of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids.
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Fitness Room! Tanning Rooms! Activity Center! Basketball Court! Study Lounge and more....!