gvsports monthly magazine

December 2009/January 2010

Inside: Cross Country Finishes 2nd and 5th in the Nation

Marching Through the SeasonElizabeth Van Tiflin Leads a Young Laker Team into the Midseason Stretch

GVSPORTS Monthly Magazine • 1

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 4

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Tim Nott

MANAGING EDITOR

Doug Lipinski

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Doug Witte

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR

Courtney Goldschmeding

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Mallory Weber

CONTRIBUTORS

Kelsey Deacon

DJ Foster

Janine Freeman

Andy Fry

Sandra Jennings

Alexis Rangel

Charlie Read

GV Sports Marketing

GVSU Sports Information

PRINTER

Jenison Printing

GV Sports Monthly Magazine is a

magazine that focuses on athletics at

Grand Valley State University. Copies of

the magazine are free to the community.

and located on news stands in the greater

Grand Rapids area. Copies of the maga-

zine will also be distributed by the Ad-

vance Newspaper.

GV Sports Monthly Magazine

GVSU, 192 Fieldhouse

Allendale MI 49401

IN THIS ISSUE

10 Main Event

PUTTING YOUTH TO THE TEST

The 2008-09 Grand Valley State women’s basketball team

was quite young and rather inexperienced, as the Lakers

started one senior, two sophomores, and a pair of freshman

guards...

7 Basketball

LAKER BASKETBALL TEAMS SIGN FOUR

ON EARLY SIGNING DAY

An early look at some of the student-athletes that will be

wearing the Laker uniform on the court next season...

3 Cross Country

CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS FINISH SECOND

AND FIFTH IN THE NATION

The men’s and women’s cross country teams both competed

in the NCAA Division II National Championships on Nov.

21. The men’s team was able to finish fifth in the country,

while the women’s team ran into second place...

2 M. Basketball

DEFENSE WILL BE KEY IN ROUGH

MIDSEASON STRETCH

In Grand Valley State’s season opener against regional foe

Northern Kentucky on Nov. 15 at Fieldhouse Arena, the

Lakers defeated the Norse 57-54 in a tough defensive

battle...


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In Grand Valley State’s season opener

against regional foe Northern Kentucky on Nov.

15 at Fieldhouse Arena, the Lakers defeated the

Norse 57-54 in a tough defensive battle. It was a

grind-it-out type game between two of the top

teams in the region and may have been an early

foreshadowing of the kind of games the Lakers

will play for the rest of the season.

Last season, GVSU had the second-best

defense in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Ath-

letic Conference (GLIAC), as it allowed just 63.5

points per game. Only Findlay, the 2008-09 Divi-

sion II National Champions, allowed fewer at

59.8 points per game. It appears that the Lakers

will look to continue their recent defensive domi-

nance, rather than attempt to outscore teams.

In 2008-09, Grand Valley State allowed

the fewest rebounds per game of any team in the

league and held opponents to a ridiculous 39.5

field goal percentage, by far the best figure in the

GLIAC. Against Northern Kentucky on opening

night, the Lakers forced NKU into 42.0 percent

shooting and just 2-of-13 three-point attempts, in-

cluding 0-of-6 in the second half.

Ask any coach and he/she will tell you

that defense is important because even when

shots are not falling on offense, a team can al-

ways control how hard they play defensively.

GVSU will take that stingy defense into a

tough schedule in the months of December and

January. At the beginning of December, the Lak-

ers face GLIAC opponents Tiffin and Ashland in

home contests before heading on the road for a

pair of games at Findlay and Hillsdale.

Grand Valley State then hosts Olivet in a

non-conference game and heads to Lake Erie to

start the 2010 calendar year on Jan. 2 before

jumping back into the conference season with

only league games for the rest of the year.

For most teams in the GLIAC, they will

play a small group of home games (three or four)

followed by a similar number of road contests.

The Lakers will host Saginaw Valley State, Lake

Superior State, and Ferris State in a span of five

days from Jan. 7 to 11, which is certainly no easy

task to play three important conference match-

ups in less than 120 hours.

After that homestand, Grand Valley State

will board the bus for rematches at Ashland and

Tiffin (Jan. 14-16) and then face Northwood and

Wayne State for the first time this season.

Road victories were tough to come by

GVSU last season. In 2008-09, the Lakers were

5-8 on the road, albeit three of those losses were

on the home court of the undefeated Oilers from

Findlay.

For a team that does not have a senior on

its roster, the Lakers will turn to their junior

class, led by guard/forward Justin Ringler and

forward Toreau Brown. In the season-opening

victory over Northern Kentucky, Ringler poured

in 24 points and did not turn the ball over in 37

minutes of play. Brown notched 18 points and

nine rebounds, while the duo combined to shoot

16-of-17 from the free throw line, including a

perfect 6-of-6 in the game’s final 21 seconds to

preserve the three-point win.

GVSU will also turn towards a strong

sophomore class that features the other three

starters (with Ringler and Brown) in guards Wes

Trammell and Alvin Storrs and center Nick West.

When junior K’Len Morris returns from an off-

season injury, the Lakers will feature athleticism,

length, and varying amounts of strength and

speed. With the midseason schedule being as

stingy and grueling as it is, GV will need as many

healthy and productive bodies as it can find.

Defense will be Key in Rough Midseason Stretch for Men’s Basketball

DJ FosterContributing Writer


The men’s and women’s cross country

teams both competed in the NCAA Division II Na-

tional Championships on Nov. 21. The men’s team

was able to finish fifth in the country, while the

women’s team ran into second place.

On the women’s side, five Lakers finished

in the top-30. GVSU had strong performances

from its top three finishers as they took 11th, 12th,

and 13th. Katherine McCarthy (Marne,

Mich./Kenowa Hills) led the Lakers with a time of

21:18 which was good enough for 11th place. Just

behind McCarthy was Eileen Creutz (Saline,

Mich.) who took the 12th spot with a time of 21:26,

and Lynsey Ardingo (Pinckney, Mich.) followed

just one second behind to claim the 13th position.

Amy Kolin (Ypsilanti, Mich.) and Jessie Vickers

(Dexter, Mich.) also scored for the Lakers finishing

18th and 27th respectively.

“The women’s team has nothing to hang

their head about,” said head coach Jerry Baltes.

“They ran really tough this weekend and I am

proud of the season they put together.”

In the men’s race, Tyler Emmorey (Cedar

Springs, Mich.) earned all-america honors with his

11th place finish and time of 31:46. Ross Faasse

(Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern) was

also named an all-american with his time of 32:11

which was good enough for 19th place. The men’s

team was rounded out by a trio from Indiana; An-

thony Witt (Jasonville, Ind./Shakamak) who fin-

shed 39th, Ryan Toth (North Liberty, Ind./New

Prairie) who took 50th, and Paul Zielinski (Colum-

bus, Ind.) ended up 66th.

“The women lost to one team all year by a

mere eight points and the men only had six teams

that were better then us throughout the year,” Jerry

Baltes commented. “All in all, our student athletes

competed very well day in and day out all year. I

am very proud of their effort.”

Cross Country Teams Finish Second, Fifth in the Nation

Doug WitteContributing Writer

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The men’s and women’s cross country teams each finished first in the midwest regional races which allowed them to ad-

vance to the national championships.


Where Are They Now?

How you remember him:

Dave Siik was a member of the Grand Valley State Track and Field team from 2000-03. He was a

two year captain during his junior and senior years. He helped the Lakers claim four GLIAC championships

during his time as a middle distance runner.

While at GVSU, his 4x400 relay team set a school record with a time of 3:18.21 that was also an

NCAA qualifying time. Siik also earned success in the classroom as he recorded a cumulative GPA of

over 3.5 during his college career. His excellence on and off the field led to him being named the first-ever

GVSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Men’s Athlete of the Month.

What he’s doing now:

Siik now lives in Los Angeles, California and is a model/actor. He has appeared on three covers

(Feb. 06, Feb. 07, June 09) for Runner’s WorldMagazine. He has appeared in a few movies and TV shows

as an extra and currently holds a role as Fox on the show The Black Dawn. The show has received some

acclaim as one of the first programs to allow viewers to engage over multiple platforms (internet, TV, and

an eventual feature film).

WMUS–106.9 and GV Basketball

Listen all season long to get play by play action

of the men’s basketball games. Kent Fisher and

Steve Lloyd-Jones will be broadcasting live at

home and on the road.

Sign up for Laker Alerts

Looking for updates on all things Laker? Sign

up to receive Laker Alerts through your e-mail

on www.gvsulakers.com and stay current on

upcoming events, ticket information, and Laker

news.

AT&T Yellow Pages

Calling all Lakers! Watch for your 2010-2011

AT&T Yellow Pages phonebook to see the

Laker football team on the cover.

Basketball Game Day Programs

Next time you are at a Laker basketball game,

make sure to pick up a copy of the game day

program. The programs will feature five col-

lectible covers throughout the season. Remem-

ber, they are only available at GVSU basketball

games, so start now and collect them all.

Fan Appreciation Night

It’s the Year of the Fan and to show our appre-

ciation Laker Athletics will be hosting Fan Ap-

preciation Night on January 28th, 2010. It will

take place during the men’s and women’s bas-

ketball games inside the Fieldhouse Arena.

Cheer on both teams as they take on Michigan

Tech and enjoy a Year of the Fan pizza party.

Women tip off at 6pm and men at 8pm. For

ticket information contact (616) 331-3200.

Televised Basketball Games

Catch men’s and women’s basketball on TV on

January 7th as the Lakers take on Saginaw Val-

ley State. Games at 6pm and 8pm. The Lakers

will also air on January 28th when they com-

pete against Northern Michigan. Games at 6:00

pm and 8:00 pm. Fans can view the games on

Comcast channels 900/901 as well as at gvsu-

lakers.com.

NEWS IN BRIEF

A Fresh Look at ExcitementThe college basket-

ball regular season has

tipped off and the game is

like no other event with

team mascots, pep bands, cheerleaders and rabid

fans. Basketball games are more than just hoops,

they are about entertainment. Fans enjoy game day

music, in-game promotions and halftime entertain-

ment. Grand Valley State basketball games include

the madness of March and family fun activities.

GVSU basketball hosts many different theme games

every season and the 2009-10 line-up might be the

best yet. The upcoming events include; Allendale

Community Night, Kids Club Day, Golf Day and

Fan Appreciation Night.

The fun runs throughout the game. Grand

Valley is taking a new approach to the t-shirt toss.

At Laker basketball games there is a little western

two step where you can get in touch with your coun-

try side as well as grab a free t-shirt. The action be-

gins with the promotions staff donning cowboy hats

and Campus West “Go West” t-shirts to the sound

of your favorite country music. The sharp shooting

promotions staff pinpoints the loudest and craziest

fans in the stands for the flying prizes.

Kids can be a part of the fun all season long

and meet GVSU’s mascot, Louie the Laker. GVSU

Athletics has teamed up with Country Dairy for the

“Fresh Kid of the Game”

promotion. Each game

Louie picks one lucky kid

out of the crowd to be the

“Fresh Kid of the Game.” Louie carefully selects

each winner and presents them with a gift card for a

FREE gallon of Country Dairy milk. So be sure to

bring the whole family out to Laker basketball be-

cause your child could be Louie’s next pick.

As you gear up for the basketball season, be

sure to check out the action at Grand Valley State

University. You never know when you could lasso

a free t-shirt or have your child chosen by Louie as

the “Fresh Kid of the Game.” To be a part of the ex-

citement go to gvsulakers.com or call 331-3200 for

tickets today.

Courtney GoldschmedingMarketing and Promotions


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Additional discounts do not apply. Diploma frames not included.

What began in the late 90’s as a simpleagreement between Lake Michigan Credit Unionand Grand Valley State University has developedinto a historic partnership. The relationship startedwith the installation of LMCU’s first ATM on cam-pus, located in the commons area. That one ATMhas now grown to 5 ATMs across campus as wellas a new full service Allendale branch just west of48th Street on Lake Michigan Drive.

Lake Michigan Credit Union was one ofthe first sponsors to sign on in support of GVSUAthletics. Grand Valley Athletic Director TimSelgo spoke to this when he stated, “When I cameto GVSU in 1996 and we began looking for corpo-rate partners, Lake Michigan Credit Union was oneof the first to jump on board and support GVSUand Laker Athletics.”

Throughout the years as the community hasdeveloped and faced change, the partnership be-tween Lake Michigan Credit Union and Grand Val-ley State University has also seen change anddevelopment. They have created a winning rela-tionship over the years as both have experiencedamazing growth in West Michigan. Athletic Direc-tor Tim Selgo had the following to say about thegrowth experienced between LMCU and GVSU,“Over the last thirteen plus years, our relationshiphas grown and I couldn't begin to express howmuch we appreciate their support of our programs.As a loyal LMCU member, it's been fun to watchtheir growth as well over this time period. It has

mirrored the growth of Grand Valley and we havehad a lot of fun together as two institutions withsimilar missions and the same values.”

In the beginning, a lone ATM representedthe bond between the two parties, but in 2000LMCU made the decision to increase their com-mitment to include GVSU Athletics. Substantialimpact was felt in response to this decision and hasgrown each year into a multifacetedprogram that links LMCU with sportssuch as football, basketball and track.LMCU has also stretched their handof support into a new entity in recentyears. This new entity is Laker Na-tion, which is the official student fangroup on campus. These aspects havealso opened the door to many otheractivities on campus.

LMCU has continued to ex-pand their outreach to assist the Hous-ing Department, Student Life, HumanResources, and numerous campus or-ganizations with a variety of sponsor-ships as well as providing beneficialfinancial literacy programs on cam-pus for staff and students. VickieSmith, Manager of Business Devel-

opment and Community Involvement tells us that"Being a part of events like Move-In Week, Fam-ily Weekend, Kids Club Basketball games, as wellas several charitable events, has given us a won-derful presence on campus and allows us to feelthat we're truly a part of Laker Nation!"

Lake Michigan Credit Union and GrandValley State University have enjoyed a solid part-nership over the years and look to continue theirsuccess in years to come. Selgo summed this an-ticipation up with the statement, “I hope we remainpartners for many more years to come!"

Banking on a Strong Partnership

Courtney GoldschmedingMarketing and Promotions

This year, Lake Michigan Credit Union helped GVSU celebrate the one mil-

lionth fan to attend a football game.


2009-10 REMAINING BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Dec. 3 Tiffin (DH) 6:00 pm

Presented by Sport Clips

Dec. 5 Ashland (DH) 1:00 pm

Presented by AT&T Yellow Pages

Dec. 8 Lewis (W) 7:00 pmDec. 12 at Findlay 5:30 pm

Dec. 19 at Hillsdale 5:00 pm

Dec. 22 Olivet (M) 7:00 pmDec. 30 at Lake Erie 1:00 pm

Jan. 7 Saginaw Valley State (DH) 6:00 pm

Presented by University Bookstore

Jan. 9 Lake Superior State (DH) 1:00 pm

Presented by Celebration Cinema

Jan. 11 Ferris State (DH) 6:00 pm

Student Org. Night presented by Campus WestJan. 14 at Ashland 5:30 pm

Jan. 16 at Tiffin 1:00 pm

Jan. 21 at Northwood 6:00 pm

Jan. 23 at Wayne State 1:00 pm

Jan. 28 Michigan Tech (DH) 6:00 pm

Fan Appreciation Night presented by Meadows Crossing

Jan. 30 Northern Michigan (DH) 1:00 pm

Kids Club Day presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union

Feb. 4 Findlay (DH) 6:00 pm

Stomp Out Breast Cancer presented by 48 West

Feb. 6 Hillsdale (DH) 6:00 pm

Golf Day presented by National CityFeb. 11 at Northern Michigan 5:30 pm

Feb. 13 at Michigan Tech 1:00 pm

Feb. 18 at Lake Superior State 5:30 pm

Feb. 20 at Saginaw Valley State 5:00 pm

Feb. 25 Wayne State (DH) 6:00 pm

Presented by Max & Erma’s

Feb. 27 Northwood (DH) 6:00 pm

Presented by Rivertown Honda

TV Game (Comcast 900/901) (W) Women’s Basketball Game(M) Men’s Basketball Game

(DH) Double Header (Men’s and Women’s Game)

TV

TV

TV

TV

TV

4 TICKETS

4 HOT DOGS

4 SOFT DRINKSfor only $35

For Tickets Call (616) 331-3200

The Laker men’s and women’s basketball

teams were both able to sign four student-athletes

to join the program for the 2010-11 season after

they complete their high school careers.

The men’s basketball team signed Kyle

Vinales (Farmington, Mich.). Vinales is a 6’0”

combo guard from North Farmington High School

who averaged 25.3 points per game as a junior. En-

tering his senior season, he is already a three year

starter for the Raiders. In 2008-09 he was named

to the all-state honorable mention team, All-Oak-

land Activities Association First Team, and was

placed on the all-area first team as well.

"Kyle is an outstanding prospect that we

are excited about adding to our team. He does a lit-

tle of everything for his high school team,” said

GVSU head coach Ric Wesley. “His ability to

score as well as handle the ball will allow him to

play either guard position. Kyle has been fortunate

to play for a great coach in Tom Negosian which

should help ready him for the college game."

The women’s program brought in three

new student-athletes to bolster a young team that

will be getting stronger every year under the direc-

tion of head coach Janel Burgess.

Dani Crandall is a combo guard/forward

who has already earned three letters for Eaton

Rapids. She has earned First-Team All-Capital

Area Athletic Conference honors, BCAM All-State

Special Mention, and was her team’s most valuable

player for the last two seasons. She averaged 14.9

points and 9.9 rebounds per game last season lead-

ing the Greyhounds to a 15-6 record.

"Dani's ability to hit the three-point shot,

attack from anywhere on the court, and post up

down low will be something that will serve our

program well in the years to come," Burgess noted.

"She is driven to succeed and we look forward to

her contributing in a variety of ways on and off the

court."

Another important piece being added to the

team is Emily England, who will provide a pres-

ence in the post. England nearly averaged a dou-

ble-double at Goodrich High School with a 12

point and nine rebound per game average. She was

named to the All-Genesee Area Conference Red

First Team after the 2008-09 season and was a

BCAM All-State Special Mention as well.

"Emily is a great addition to our post play,

as she is a true low-post player with the ability to

step out and shoot from the high post as well," said

Burgess. "Emily is a true student of the game and

her basketball IQ is something that will be a great

compliment to the Laker program."

Burgess was also able to sign Tori

Klewicki-McNutt for next season. Klewicki-Mc-

Nutt has been a standout player for East Lansing

High School and will finish her senior year at De-

Witt. She was named all-conference and all-state

and was also selected to the Lansing State Journal

Dream Team in 2008-09 as a junior.

"Tori has a beautiful shot, as well as the

quickness needed to get to the basket," Burgess

said. "She is a competitor that is willing to give to

her team in any capacity. Tori is going to bring an-

other dimension to our guard play."

Laker Basketball Teams Sign Four on Early Signing Day

Doug WitteContributing Writer

Men’s BasketballName Pos. Ht.

Kyle Vinales G 6’0”

North Farmington High School

Women’s BasketballName Pos. Ht.

Dani Crandall G/F 5’9”

Eaton Rapids High School

Emily England C 6’2”

Goodrich High School

Tori Klewicki-McNutt G 5’8”

East Lansing High School


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The 2008-09 Grand Valley State women’s

basketball team was quite young and rather inex-

perienced. The Lakers started one senior, two soph-

omores, and a pair of freshman guards. Somehow,

the 2009-10 version of the team is younger than

last year’s squad, but GVSU may actually accom-

plish more than the 20 wins and NCAA Tourna-

ment berth than it did last season.

A quick glance at the Lakers’ 2009-10 sea-

son opener provides a glimpse into what fans can

expect this season from the youthful and talented

group. Although Grand Valley State fell in a 92-85

overtime thriller to visiting Drury on Nov. 16, five

players scored in double figures and nine of the 11

GVSU players that saw game action were either

freshmen or sophomores.

This season’s squad will be led by a pair of

juniors in Elizabeth Van Tiflin and Kara Crawford,

in addition to the Lakers’ stellar duo of sophomore

guards, Jasmine Padin and Emma Veach. However,

GVSU head coach Janel Burgess has quite a gifted

collection of freshmen that immediately paid divi-

dends in the season’s first two contests.

In the opening loss to Drury, the Lakers

pushed the game to overtime even with Veach, the

reigning GLIAC Freshman of the Year and team’s

leading returning scorer, playing just two minutes

due to injury. Padin, who set a career-high with

nine assists, found freshman forward Paige Smith

under the hoop and Smith connected on a layup to

tie the game at 77-77 with four seconds left. Drury

outscored GVSU in overtime, 15-8, but the Lakers

still did many good things, even in the loss.

Starting freshman center Alex Stelfox

scored 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while adding

five rebounds and blocking three shots. Padin led

all players with 19 points and totaled four steals to

go along with her nine assists. All in all, four

starters scored in double figures, as Van Tiflin

knocked down four three-pointers and tallied a

double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Making her first career start in place of Veach was

sophomore guard Kelly Kretz, who notched a ca-

reer-best 15 points and made three triples. In her

first collegiate game, Smith supplied 13 points, five

rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 29 very

productive minutes off the bench.

Just five days later against Kentucky Wes-

leyan (which the Lakers defeated in a close 57-50

contest last season), the Lakers were firing on all

cylinders by shooting 60.3 percent from the field

and winning a blowout, 81-36. A dozen GVSU

players recorded at least 10 minutes of game action

and two of the team’s leading scorers were a pair

of freshman twin sisters, Brittany and Briauna Tay-

lor. Brittany shot 8-of-10 from the floor, making

her first seven shots, and scored a game-high 17

points, to go with seven rebounds and three steals

in just 15 minutes. Briauna recorded 12 points, four

steals, and three rebounds in 18 minutes. Veach re-

turned to scored 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting,

while Stelfox notched 10 points and again blocked

three shots in the win.

To recap, four Grand Valley State freshmen

scored in double digits at least once in their first

two games and proved they belonged on the court

so early in their collegiate career. All six freshmen

played in one of the two home games before

GVSU went on the road for the first time at Saint

Joseph’s (Ind.) on Nov. 24 and at Ferris State on

Nov. 30.

The early playing time for the young Lak-

ers will be crucial, as Grand Valley State jumps

right into its conference schedule in December and

January. GVSU hosts league opponents, Tiffin and

Ashland, at the beginning of the month, followed

by a non-conference game with Lewis. After that

three-game homestand, the Lakers head on the

road for league battles with an improving Findlay

team and Hillsdale, the reigning GLIAC Tourna-

ment champions. Grand Valley State closes out the

month and 2009 calendar year with a road game at

Lake Erie on Dec. 30.

Following the holiday celebrations, GVSU

hits the ground running quickly with three impor-

tant league games in just five days. The Lakers will

host Saginaw Valley State, Lake Superior State and

West Michigan rival Ferris State from Jan. 7 to Jan.

11. Three days later, it will be off to Ohio for Grand

Valley State, as it will face Ashland and Tiffin over

the weekend to run the grueling total to five con-

ference games in just 10 days.

After traveling to Northwood and Wayne

State on the weekend of Jan. 21-23, the Lakers will

close out the month with a pair of tough home

games against Michigan Tech, the preseason #1

team in the country, and Northern Michigan on Jan.

28-30.

This year, Grand Valley State would like to

duplicate one streak it completed last season and

prevent another trend. After starting the 2008-09

season with a 3-2 record, the Lakers ran off a string

of 12 straight victories, the fifth-longest such streak

in program history. Those dozen wins included vic-

tories over three consecutive undefeated oppo-

DJ FosterContributing Writer

Head coach Janel Burgess leads the Lakers into the middle of the season with high expectations on her young squad.


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nents, including knocking off #6 Hillsdale, and

GVSU did not lose for almost two months.

Just a week later, however, the Lakers

started an unfortunate streak in which they alter-

nated wins and losses in their next 11 games. Ulti-

mately, the season was still a huge success, as

Grand Valley State won at least 20 games and ad-

vanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Tourna-

ment for the fourth time in five years. The Lakers

earned a spot in the GLIAC Final Four and set a

few team records, including free throw percentage

(.778) and three-pointers made (218).

To achieve that same success this year,

GVSU will look to Crawford, Van Tiflin, Padin,

and Veach to lead the group of youthful sopho-

mores and freshmen to postseason play. It seems

as if that quartet is a good place to start. Crawford

started all 30 games last year, averaging 9.3 points

and shooting better than 45 percent from the field,

while Van Tiflin was named to the All-GLIAC

North Division Defensive Team with 48 steals and

pulled down a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game.

The team’s starting point guard since day

one of last year, Padin broke team records for

three-pointers made (73) and attempted (208) in a

season, while dishing out 124 assists, which tied

for the 10th highest total in a single-season in

Laker history. Her sophomore backcourt mate,

Veach was named All-GLIAC North Division Sec-

ond Team at the end of last season after averaging

13.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Both play-

ers were named to the Preseason All-GLIAC North

Division Team, meaning two of the five players on

that squad play their home games at GVSU Field-

house Arena.

Burgess has brought in quite a group of tal-

ented players during her time as Laker head coach,

as she is in the midst of her third year at Grand Val-

ley State. The 36 wins during her first two seasons

are the most victories for a coach in their first two

years in program history. Eleven of the 14 players

on GVSU’s roster this year are freshmen or soph-

omores and with just one senior, the future looks

awful bright for the Laker program.

While Grand Valley State will play another

demanding season of the 22-game GLIAC sched-

ule, the Lakers know what to expect and hopefully

have learned how to handle the difficult year

ahead, which includes quite a tough stretch of 15

games in December and January. Burgess and her

team of 14 players look prepared, focused, and

ready to face the 2009-10 season and make it an-

other record-breaking year.

Putting Youth to the Test (continued)

Emma Veach (Grand Haven, Mich.) was the second lead-

ing scorer for the Lakers during her freshman year.


Q & A with GVSU Professor James Padilla What is your current job title at GVSU?

Describe what that involves.

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of

Movement Science teaching Sports Management

courses such as Current Topics in Sports Manage-

ment (PED 356) and Special Topics: Facility &

Event Management (PED 380-04) this semester.

Next semester we will add Special Topics: Sports

Law (PED 380-05). Considering that Sports Man-

agement is a new concentration under the Sports

Leadership Emphasis, I am also creating new

course offerings as the program continues to de-

velop and grow.

Prior to coming to GVSU where were you em-

ployed?

Directly prior to GVSU, I was an Assistant Profes-

sor at Ball State University in Muncie, IN. I have

been a full-time professor since 2005. Prior to be-

coming a professor, I was an executive in the sports

and entertainment insurance industry working for

various organizations in Indiana and Illinois.

You are considered an expert on athlete disabil-

ity insurance. What exactly does that mean?

Since 1995, I have helped professional and colle-

giate athletes place disability insurance policies on

themselves primarily protecting themselves against

career-ending injuries. The monetary benefit

amount (coverage amount) is paid directly to the

player in the event they suffer an injury or illness

which prevents them from continuing or pursuing

their career.

Have you worked with any well-known athletes

from the collegiate and professional levels?

I have worked with numerous NFL, NBA, MLB,

PGA, LPGA, NHL and MLS players as well as

some teams.

How is the Sports Leadership program at

GVSU developing?

In my opinion, the excitement is building. Be-

tween the Sports Management and Coaching con-

centrations, more and more students are

approaching us about the programs and discussing

future career opportunities. We are also on the cusp

of helping some of our students create a student or-

ganization, the GV Sports Leadership Club.

What are your short and long term goals for the

Sports Management program here at GVSU?

Short term is simply to continue to generate interest

both on and off campus with the goal to not only

increase enrollment in the Sports Management Pro-

gram, but increase positive exposure to the pro-

gram. In addition, no program can survive without

producing quality graduates. Therefore, quality ed-

ucation will always be at the forefront.

Long term, I would like our program to be the state

leader at a minimum and be recognized regionally.

The ultimate determinant being our quality, well-

prepared graduates.

Do you find professional or collegiate level ath-

letics to be more rewarding?

Money does different things to different people –

with that being said, I prefer collegiate level ath-

letics and the purity of amateurism.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

That’s easy – the interaction with the students. I

pursued this career because of an inner desire and

passion to help better prepare students in the Sports

Management field and there is nothing more satis-

fying in my opinion.

Describe your most memorable experience from

your years of working in athletics.

While meeting all of the various individuals I have

over the years makes for great stories, the most

memorable experience I have is from one of my

past NFL clients who suffered an injury during pre-

season training camp and it was actually high-

lighted during a segment of HBO’s Hard Knocks.

The injury was actually the third to his same knee

over a two year period and the show highlighted

how this player was beloved by his team including

the team owner despite not being a so-called su-

perstar. I knew from the outset this would be a dif-

ficult insurance claim to process due to a number

of issues. I could not have been happier helping

him collect the amount of money he did to help

him support his family and future endeavors out-

side of football. He was as nice of a person as any-

one could have ever met and deserved every bit of

help I could provide him.

What advice can you offer to others looking to

pursue a career in Sports Leadership?

• If you are really dedicated to doing what

it takes to have a career in sports, stay focused and

remain dedicated.

• Obtain as much experience as you possi-

bly can, whether it be at the youth, high school,

college or pro level.

• Do what you love.

Any other interesting story you would like to

share?

Interesting tidbits:

• While most people have a media-driven

perspective of Donald Fehr (ex-Executive Director

of the MLB Player’s Asscoaition), I admire him the

most of any key figure in the professional sports

world and would recommend everyone try to hear

him speak.

• I have met Jerry Reinsdorf (Chicago

White Sox/Bulls owner) and George Steinbrenner

(New York Yankees owner). Mr. Steinbrenner def-

initely fits his media description.

• One of my past bosses is in federal prison.

• As an intern in an athlete agent’s office, I

had to do the “grunt” work which included getting

lunch, coffee and buying a professional basketball

player his favorite brand and color of jock straps.


GVSU Recipe of the Month - Laker Mint Chocolate Pie

Laker Crosser

Directions:

1. Place 1/3 cup peppermint patties & 1 tablespoon milk in microwave-safebowl. Microwave 30 seconds on high. If necessary, microwave additional15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until patties are melted &mixture is smooth when stirred. Spread on bottom of crust. Refrigeratewhile preparing next step.

2. Place marshmallows, 2/3 cup peppermint patties & remaining 4 table-spoons milk in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly,until marshmallows are melted & mixture is well blended. Transfer to sepa-rate large bowl, cool completely.

3. Mix blue food coloring with whipped topping. Stir 2 cups whipped top-ping into cooled chocolate mixture; spread over chocolate in crust. Set asideabout 2 tablespoons peppermint patties; coarsely chop the remaining pat-ties. Stir chopped pieces into remaining blue whipped topping. Spread oversurface of pie.

4. Cover; freeze several hours or until firm. Garnish with remaining pepper-mint patties & additional blue whipped topping. Cover; freeze until ready toserve...

Ingredients:1 1/3 cups (8-0z pkg) YORK mini peppermint patties, divided5 tablespoons milk, divided1 packaged chocolate crumb crust (6 oz)1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (white)1 tub (8 oz) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed & dividedAdditional sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping (optional)Blue food coloring (for whipped topping)

About the Recipe

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

who currently works in the marketing department for GVSU Athletics. If you would

like to submit your own recipe, please email [email protected].

Crossword answers available on page 14


Sandra’s Snapshot

Crossword Puzzle Answers

National City Bank President Sean Welch presides over the coin toss at the beginning of the regular season finale versus WayneState on 11/07/09.

Did You Know?• Laker quarterback Brad Iciek became just the second player in

NCAA Division II history to be named a finalist for the Harlon

Hill Award three times. The Harlon Hill is the Division II version

of the Heisman Trophy.

• GVSU Student-Athletes took part in over 3,200 hours of volun-

tary community service in the 2008-09 academic year. This year,

entering December, the Lakers have accumulated around 1,000

hours.

• Grand Valley has been ranked the top “Up and Coming” institu-

tion in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. The designa-

tion is for those who are “worth watching because they are

making promising and innovative changes.”

• For the 14th year in a row, Grand Valley was named one of the

America’s Best College Buys by Institutional Research and Evalu-

ation, Inc.


PLAYER PROFILESNAME

YEAR

SPORT

HOMETOWN

MAJOR

AGE BEGAN SPORT

FAVORITE......

MOVIE

FOOD

SONG

PLACE TO VISIT

SPORTS TEAM

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO

BECOME A LAKER

WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST

IMPACT ON YOUR SPORTS

CAREER?

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR-

SELF IN 5 YEARS?

Chelsea Johnson

Junior

Tennis

Novi, Michigan

Marketing and Management

13 Years Old

Italian Job

Pasta

“Slide” Goo Goo Dolls

Anywhere Warm

Detroit Red Wings

Jacob McGuckin

Senior

Football

Allen Park, Michigan

Finance/Business Economics

8 Years Old

Taken

Crab Legs

Till I Collapse by Eminem

Higgins Lake

Detroit Lions

My parents because they’ve always supported me both emo-

tionally and financially.

I love the campus and the girls on the team are great!

Hopefully happy ☺

I chose to become a Laker because of the winning tradition,

the location, and the academics.

My parents have had the biggest impact on my sports career

because they've supported me through everything I've done.

In five years I see myself married, traveling a lot, and making

the most out of the opportunities that are presented to me

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The GridDoug LipinskiAssociate A.D.Allendale, Mich.

Rebeccah RapinVolleyball PlayerSaginaw, Mich.

P.T. GatesFootball Player

San Diego, Calif.

Lisa SweanySr. Associate A.D.

Grand Rapids, Mich.

Best Christmas presentever?

Favorite holiday food?

Mistletoe is ...

If I could be anywhere onNew Years Eve, I wouldbe ...

One word for your feelingson snow

Jamie Morris #23 Michigan jersey

Deviled eggs or Kielbasa

A good time!

With my family

Stop

Cell phone

Cheesy potatoes

For kissing

Chicago with my friends

Unpredictable

Diamond BMX bike

Greens

Kissing

Another country

“Cali”

A car

Homemade pecan pie

An odd holiday tradition

On a tropical beach

Nuisance

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