Grand Valley State Lakers
Encyclopedia
The Grand Valley State Lakers are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Grand Valley State University
, located in Allendale, Michigan
, United States
. The GVSU Lakers compete at the NCAA Division II level and are members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(GLIAC).
Grand Valley's varsity athletic teams have won seven national championships in four sports and have been national runners-up thirteen times in eight sports. GVSU has also won the prestigious National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
(NACDA) Directors' Cup
for NCAA Division II schools in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 after finishing second in 2002 and 2003. The cup is awarded to the top athletic programs based on overall team national finishes. Grand Valley is the first college east of the Mississippi River to win the Director's Cup for NCAA Division II.
The official mascot of Grand Valley State is Louie the Laker
and the official fight song is "GVSU Victory!"
. They won their first Division II national championship in 2002 and their second in 2003. The team added a third national championship in 2005, finishing the season 13-0 and tying the NCAA record for most wins over a four year period with 51. They earned their fourth title in 2006, defeating Northwest Missouri State University
. In the 2007 season, GVSU broke the Division II record for most consecutive wins with 40. The previous record of 34 was set by Hillsdale College and had stood since 1957. On December 8, 2007, the streak was broken by their post season rival Northwest Missouri State University
with a 34-16 loss.
In 1977 the men's basketball team reached the Final Four of the NAIA
Division I Tournament
.
National Coach of the Year in 2005 and after the National Championship season was voted both the BCAM and the Molten/WDIIB National Coach of the Year. She was also honored by being selected as the USA Women's Basketball Trials Court Coach. In both the 04-05 and 05-06 campaigns the Lakers were led on the court by their two time All-American Nikki Reams.
In 2010, the Lakers set out to defend their National Title. They finished the regular season with a 15-1-2 record, and an overall record of 22-1-2, successfully claiming their second title in as many years. In doing so, they set a school and NCAA Division II record for most shutouts in a season (22), outscored opponents a staggering 93-5, and scored a tournament record 17 goals in the postseason.
in the Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association
(CCLA). In 2007 The Lakers finished 3rd losing to eventual conference champions, University of Dayton. In 2008 after a coaching change and structuring the program to run like a varsity program (although competing at a club level) the GVSU Men's Lacrosse team won the CCLA conference title and earned their first bid to play in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) national championship tournament featuring teams from throughout the US and Canada. The Lakers went into the championship tournament ranked 2nd in America and with a 18-0 record in MCLA play. After a first round bye the Lakers defeated Southwestern University
, and were slotted to play a re-match against The University of St. Thomas
(who the Lakers defeated earlier in the season by 1 in overtime) In Texas Stadium
(Former Home of the Dallas Cowboys
), the Lakers went on to win the game earning a spot to play in the MCLA Div. 2 National Championship game. The Lakers season ended with the first league loss of the season coming in the National Championship to Westminster University
resulting in a 20-1 season, scoring over 300 goals. The 2009 Laker Lacrosse team finished with a 10-4 record, with losses coming to the 1-4 nationally ranked teams. The Lakers ended their season in the CCLA Division 2 semi-final losing to National Runner's up University of Dayton
. Due to powers beyond their control, the Lakers also were slightly edged from being invited to the National Championship tournament despite having its only 4 losses to the nations top 4 teams. The 2010 Laker Lacrosse team finished with a record of 15-4, going undefeated in CCLA play, winning the CCLA North Championship, and taking second place in the CCLA tournament. The Lakers were invited to participate for their 2nd time in the MCLA National Championship tournament. The Lakers were ousted early from the tournament by cross town rivals Davenport Panthers who were finally able to get the best of the Lakers in their third meeting of the season. In 2011 The Lakers jumped out to impressive early season victories and earned a top national ranking for a three month period. The Lakers finished the regular season undefeated, won the CCLA conference tournament, and earned a number one seed to the MCLA National Championship tournament. Unfortunately the 2011 undefeated streak and season ended in a quadruple overtime loss in the National Semifinal in Denver, CO at the hands of eventual National Champions, Davenport Panthers by a 16-15 score. The 2011 season featured a 19-1 record, 5 MCLA All-Americans, 6 CCLA All-Conference players, and over 400 goals scored throughout the year (higher than any NCAA/MCLA program, at any division). Since 2008 the Lakers feature a 64-11 record, have had 13 players receive All-American mentions, have yet to finish outside the national top-ten rankings, and have not lost a home contest since 2009.
in 2006-2007, which has produced the ACHA
DII champion in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2011. Beginning in 2006-2007, GVSU added ACHA
Division III team which competes in the Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference
(MCHC). Grand Valley previously was a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Hockey Association
and was the GLIHA Tournament Champions in 2003 and placed second in 2005. The Lakers were invited to the ACHA DII National Championships in 2006/2007 for the first time in team history. They finished with a 1-1-1 record, good enough for #10 in the nation. They returned in 2008 to finish #3 in the nation. They reached the tournament again in 2011 and won it all, defeating Michigan State 6-1 in the final game. Beginning in 2007, GVSU hosted an elite ACHA DII tournament featuring 10 of the top teams in the nation. The hockey team is not affiliated with the athletic department, but still maintains the third-highest average attendance of all GVSU sports (behind Football and Basketball).
In 2009, Grand Valley won the American College Rowing Association National Championship for the second year in a row, winning the Women’s Team Points Championship and Men’s Team placing third.
nationals the past five years. The 2006 NCWA national championships, which were held March 3–4, 2006 at the Deltaplex, were hosted by GVSU. GVSU won the team championship with 188 points. The Lakers also won the NCWA team championship in 2001, 2002, 2007, and 2008.
. As of 2007, they have won 5 straight conference championships in the Great Lakes Division. In 2005 they won the national championship by defeating Michigan State University at Williams College. In 2006, they were national runners-up, losing to Michigan State University 6-4 at Miami (OH) University.
Since 2008, GVC has enjoyed much success at the National competition from both it's Coed and All-Girl Squads:
The music was composed by GVSU (then GVSC) band director William Root. The lyrics were written by GVSC band members Maris Tracy and Kathleen Ure. The lyrics by Tracy and Ure were selected as the winning submission on October 25, 1978 after a contest sponsored by the Office of Student Life and the Student Senate.
GVSU Victory has undergone minor changes since it was officially introduced in 1978. Two versions of the song currently exist, although there is no difference in the lyrics, and only minor variations in the music.
The song has been sung, incorrectly, with the word "on" replacing the word "at" in the last line of the first stanza. Additionally, some people chant "Let's Go Blue Fight!" between the two stanzas. However, this prevents the singer from correctly beginning the second without truncating "We want a" from the first line.
Although "GO LAKERS!" has been part of the song since its inception, in actuality, it is almost always absent.
As the Lakers we have pride.
Our teams will lead us on.
Blue and white, we're at your side.
We want a Grand Valley Victory!
As our foes will quickly see.
Raise your voices and cheer
For a vic-to-ry!
Fight! Fight! Fight!
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
, located in Allendale, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township, Michigan
Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 20,708...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The GVSU Lakers compete at the NCAA Division II level and are members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a competitive intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division II. The GLIAC was founded in June 1972. Member institutions are located in the midwestern United States in the States of Michigan and Ohio, with affiliate...
(GLIAC).
Grand Valley's varsity athletic teams have won seven national championships in four sports and have been national runners-up thirteen times in eight sports. GVSU has also won the prestigious National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics is a professional organization for college and university athletic directors in the United States. NACDA boasts a membership of more than 6,100 individuals and more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico...
(NACDA) Directors' Cup
NACDA Director's Cup
The NACDA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup is an award given annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to the colleges and universities with the most success in collegiate athletics...
for NCAA Division II schools in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 after finishing second in 2002 and 2003. The cup is awarded to the top athletic programs based on overall team national finishes. Grand Valley is the first college east of the Mississippi River to win the Director's Cup for NCAA Division II.
The official mascot of Grand Valley State is Louie the Laker
Louie the Laker
Louie the Laker is the mascot of Grand Valley State University, located in Allendale, Michigan. The costume of Louie consists of a large cartoonish face with an oversized jaw, a scowl, a blue and white striped shirt, blue pants, a blue captain's hat, and large black boots. He is seen at all...
and the official fight song is "GVSU Victory!"
Men's
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and divingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one... - TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Indoor and Outdoor Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
Women's
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross CountryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- LacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
(2012) - Soccer
- swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and divingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one... - SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Indoor and Outdoor Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Football
Grand Valley State went to their first national title game in 2001, losing to the University of North DakotaUniversity of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
. They won their first Division II national championship in 2002 and their second in 2003. The team added a third national championship in 2005, finishing the season 13-0 and tying the NCAA record for most wins over a four year period with 51. They earned their fourth title in 2006, defeating Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University is a state university in Maryville, Missouri. Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, it offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. The campus, based on the design for Forest Park at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, is the official Missouri State Arboretum....
. In the 2007 season, GVSU broke the Division II record for most consecutive wins with 40. The previous record of 34 was set by Hillsdale College and had stood since 1957. On December 8, 2007, the streak was broken by their post season rival Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University is a state university in Maryville, Missouri. Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, it offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. The campus, based on the design for Forest Park at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, is the official Missouri State Arboretum....
with a 34-16 loss.
Men's basketball
The GVSU men's 2005-2006 basketball team had their outstanding season cut short when they were upset early in the NCAA D2 Regional Playoffs. GV men were ranked number four in the nation in the final poll heading into the playoffs. The men ended their season with a 27-4 mark and second year coach Ric Wesley was named the BCAM College Coach of the Year for his efforts. Ric has led the Lakers to a 45-14 record over his initial two years and it is the best two year total of any basketball coach in their first two years at GV.In 1977 the men's basketball team reached the Final Four of the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
Division I Tournament
1977 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1977 NAIA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 40th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format .-Awards and honors:*Leading scorer:...
.
Women's basketball
The GVSU women's basketball team won their first NCAA Division II National Championship in the 2005-2006 season with a 58-52 win over American International College. The Lady Lakers finished with a school best 33-3 overall record, which included a win streak of 22 games, also a school record. The Lakers in the 04-05 season lost in the Elite Eight going 28-6 over-all. Coach Dawn Plitzuweit was voted the Russell Athletic/WBCAWomen's Basketball Coaches Association
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is an association of coaches of women's basketball teams at all levels.The organization was formed in 1981, with the goal of addressing the needs of women's basketball coaches.The mission of the WBCA is:...
National Coach of the Year in 2005 and after the National Championship season was voted both the BCAM and the Molten/WDIIB National Coach of the Year. She was also honored by being selected as the USA Women's Basketball Trials Court Coach. In both the 04-05 and 05-06 campaigns the Lakers were led on the court by their two time All-American Nikki Reams.
Women's soccer
The varsity women's soccer team ended the 2005 season with a GLIAC Championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. In 2006 the team was GLIAC co-champion and was ranked eighth in the nation at the end of the regular season. The Lakers returned to the NCAA Division II tournament and finished as national runner-up—the first women's soccer team from a four-year college in Michigan to be a national finalist. In 2009, the Lakers returned to the Division II Championship game, this time taking home their first championship with a 1-0 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills.In 2010, the Lakers set out to defend their National Title. They finished the regular season with a 15-1-2 record, and an overall record of 22-1-2, successfully claiming their second title in as many years. In doing so, they set a school and NCAA Division II record for most shutouts in a season (22), outscored opponents a staggering 93-5, and scored a tournament record 17 goals in the postseason.
Women's volleyball
The women's volleyball team won its first Division II National Championship in 2005 against host school University of Nebraska-Kearney in front of an NCAA D2 record crowd of 5,025 fans. The 2005 volleyball team is the first women's team to win a National Championship for the school. The Lakers ended their season with a 32-6 record. Coach Deanne Scanlon was voted the Tachikara/AVCA D2 National Coach of the Year for her efforts in guiding the Lakers. The Lakers have a 20-6 overall record for the NCAA D2 Playoffs and are currently in a streak of 13 straight years with winning seasons.Men's Lacrosse
The GVSU Men's Lacrosse team competes at the Division 2 of Men's Collegiate Lacrosse AssociationMen's Collegiate Lacrosse Association
The Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association is a national organization of non-NCAA, men's college lacrosse programs. The MCLA oversees game play and conducts national championships for over 200 teams in ten conferences throughout the United States and Canada...
in the Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association
Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association
The Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association is a lacrosse-only athletic conference affiliated with the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association...
(CCLA). In 2007 The Lakers finished 3rd losing to eventual conference champions, University of Dayton. In 2008 after a coaching change and structuring the program to run like a varsity program (although competing at a club level) the GVSU Men's Lacrosse team won the CCLA conference title and earned their first bid to play in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) national championship tournament featuring teams from throughout the US and Canada. The Lakers went into the championship tournament ranked 2nd in America and with a 18-0 record in MCLA play. After a first round bye the Lakers defeated Southwestern University
Southwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
, and were slotted to play a re-match against The University of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
(who the Lakers defeated earlier in the season by 1 in overtime) In Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
(Former Home of the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
), the Lakers went on to win the game earning a spot to play in the MCLA Div. 2 National Championship game. The Lakers season ended with the first league loss of the season coming in the National Championship to Westminster University
Westminster University
Westminster University may refer to:*University of Westminster, London, England* Westminster University , whose building is listed on the U.S. NRHP...
resulting in a 20-1 season, scoring over 300 goals. The 2009 Laker Lacrosse team finished with a 10-4 record, with losses coming to the 1-4 nationally ranked teams. The Lakers ended their season in the CCLA Division 2 semi-final losing to National Runner's up University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
. Due to powers beyond their control, the Lakers also were slightly edged from being invited to the National Championship tournament despite having its only 4 losses to the nations top 4 teams. The 2010 Laker Lacrosse team finished with a record of 15-4, going undefeated in CCLA play, winning the CCLA North Championship, and taking second place in the CCLA tournament. The Lakers were invited to participate for their 2nd time in the MCLA National Championship tournament. The Lakers were ousted early from the tournament by cross town rivals Davenport Panthers who were finally able to get the best of the Lakers in their third meeting of the season. In 2011 The Lakers jumped out to impressive early season victories and earned a top national ranking for a three month period. The Lakers finished the regular season undefeated, won the CCLA conference tournament, and earned a number one seed to the MCLA National Championship tournament. Unfortunately the 2011 undefeated streak and season ended in a quadruple overtime loss in the National Semifinal in Denver, CO at the hands of eventual National Champions, Davenport Panthers by a 16-15 score. The 2011 season featured a 19-1 record, 5 MCLA All-Americans, 6 CCLA All-Conference players, and over 400 goals scored throughout the year (higher than any NCAA/MCLA program, at any division). Since 2008 the Lakers feature a 64-11 record, have had 13 players receive All-American mentions, have yet to finish outside the national top-ten rankings, and have not lost a home contest since 2009.
Men's ice hockey
GVSU has had a hockey team since the mid 70s. Since the NCAA does not offer Division II ice hockey, GVSU participates in the American Collegiate Hockey Association and participates in the Great Midwest Hockey LeagueGreat Midwest Hockey League
The Great Midwest Hockey League is an ACHA Division II Club hockey League consisting of 8 teams in the Great Lakes region of the USA. The league is one of the top ACHA Division II leagues and the level of the GMHL teams is close to ACHA DI and NCAA Division III levels. Michigan State University is...
in 2006-2007, which has produced the ACHA
Acha
Acha is a HINDI word for OK.Acha is also an Ewokese word for OK. Ewokese is a language used in the Star Wars Ewok Adventures: Caravan Of Courage / The Battle For Endor* Acha, Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
DII champion in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2011. Beginning in 2006-2007, GVSU added ACHA
Acha
Acha is a HINDI word for OK.Acha is also an Ewokese word for OK. Ewokese is a language used in the Star Wars Ewok Adventures: Caravan Of Courage / The Battle For Endor* Acha, Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
Division III team which competes in the Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference
Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference
The Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference or MCHC is an ACHA Division III conference made up of smaller colleges, universities, and community colleges in the state of Michigan.-ACHA National Champions:...
(MCHC). Grand Valley previously was a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Hockey Association
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Hockey Association
The Tri-State Collegiate Hockey League is an ACHA Division II level ice hockey league. ACHA Division II level consists of players with previous Jr. B and C experience, along with high caliber high school experience...
and was the GLIHA Tournament Champions in 2003 and placed second in 2005. The Lakers were invited to the ACHA DII National Championships in 2006/2007 for the first time in team history. They finished with a 1-1-1 record, good enough for #10 in the nation. They returned in 2008 to finish #3 in the nation. They reached the tournament again in 2011 and won it all, defeating Michigan State 6-1 in the final game. Beginning in 2007, GVSU hosted an elite ACHA DII tournament featuring 10 of the top teams in the nation. The hockey team is not affiliated with the athletic department, but still maintains the third-highest average attendance of all GVSU sports (behind Football and Basketball).
Crew
The first varsity sport at Grand Valley, GVSU now supports a successful coed club crew. Each year, the team travels around the nation and world to compete against other top collegiate crew. Each spring, GVSU hosts the Lubbers Cup Regatta on the Grand River in Grand Rapids. The cup is named for the former GVSU president, Arend Lubbers. The team has been successful in the past and took fifth in the Dad Vails points trophy in 2006, and second to Purdue in 2008. The top men's and women's Varsity Eight were competitors at the prestigious Royal Henley Regatta in England in 2004 and 2008. In 2004 the men's and women's teams took bronze at the International Race of Eights in Zagreb, Croatia.In 2009, Grand Valley won the American College Rowing Association National Championship for the second year in a row, winning the Women’s Team Points Championship and Men’s Team placing third.
Wrestling
GVSU has a non-varsity wrestling team which has done well in National Collegiate Wrestling AssociationNational Collegiate Wrestling Association
The National Collegiate Wrestling Association is a post secondary athletic association built to help the promotion of collegiate wrestling...
nationals the past five years. The 2006 NCWA national championships, which were held March 3–4, 2006 at the Deltaplex, were hosted by GVSU. GVSU won the team championship with 188 points. The Lakers also won the NCWA team championship in 2001, 2002, 2007, and 2008.
Men's water polo
GVSU has a club water polo team which consistently competes for conference and national championships. They compete under the auspice of the Collegiate Water Polo AssociationCollegiate Water Polo Association
The Collegiate Water Polo Association is a conference of colleges and universities in the Eastern United States that compete in varsity water polo...
. As of 2007, they have won 5 straight conference championships in the Great Lakes Division. In 2005 they won the national championship by defeating Michigan State University at Williams College. In 2006, they were national runners-up, losing to Michigan State University 6-4 at Miami (OH) University.
Cheerleading
The Grand Valley State Cheerleading (GVC) program includes two teams : A Coed and All-Girl Squad, each consisting of approximately 20 athletes each, but may vary from year to year. Both squads cheer at all home football games, events throughout homecoming week, and other select events. They also split time between men's and women's basketball games, with the coed squad at men's games, and all-girl at women's games. They are first and foremost a sideline cheer program, but have also competed at the national level since 2005 at the NCA/NDA Collegiate National Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida.Since 2008, GVC has enjoyed much success at the National competition from both it's Coed and All-Girl Squads:
| Coed | All Girl | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | Place | Place |
| 2008 | 3rd | 5th |
| 2009 | 4th | 6th |
| 2010 | 4th | 6th |
| 2011 | 4th | 3rd |
Varsity Team National Championships (11)
- 2002: Football - NCAA Division II
- 2003: Football - NCAA Division II
- 2005: Football - NCAA Division II
- 2005: Women's Volleyball - NCAA Division II
- 2006: Women's Basketball - NCAA Division II
- 2006: Football - NCAA Division II
- 2009: Women's Soccer - NCAA Division II
- 2010: Women's Soccer - NCAA Division II
- 2010: Women's Cross Country - NCAA Division II
- 2011: Women's Indoor Track - NCAA Division II
- 2011: Women's Outdoor Track - NCAA Division II
Varsity Team National Runners-up (13)
- 1977: Wrestling - NAIA
- 1978: Wrestling - NAIA
- 2001: Football - NCAA Division II
- 2002: Softball - NCAA Division II
- 2004: Baseball - NCAA Division II
- 2005: Women's Cross Country - NCAA Division II
- 2005: Women's Golf - NCAA Division II
- 2006: Women's Soccer - NCAA Division II
- 2009: Women's Indoor Track - NCAA Division II
- 2009: Women's Golf - NCAA Division II
- 2009: Women's Cross Country - NCAA Division II
- 2009: Football - NCAA Division II
- 2010: Women's Indoor Track - NCAA Division II
Club Team National Championships (14)
- 2001: Wrestling - NCWA
- 2002: Wrestling - NCWA
- 2005: Men's Water Polo - CWPA-NCCC
- 2006: Wrestling - NCWA
- 2007: Wrestling - NWCA Duals-NCWA
- 2007: Wrestling - NCWA
- 2007: Dodgeball - NCDA
- 2008: Wrestling - NWCA Duals-NCWA
- 2008: Wrestling - NCWA
- 2008: Dodgeball - NCDA
- 2009: Wrestling - NWCA Duals-NCWA
- 2009: Dodgeball - NCDA
- 2009: Roller Hockey - NCRHA Division II
- 2010: Dodgeball - NCDA
- 2011: Ice Hockey - ACHA Division II
Club Team National Runners-up (6)
- 2004: Wrestling - NCWA
- 2005: Wrestling - NCWA
- 2006: Wrestling - NWCA Duals-NCWA
- 2006: Men's Water Polo - CWPA-NCCC
- 2008: Men's Lacrosse - MCLA Division II
- 2009: Wrestling - NCWA
Fight song
"GVSU Victory!" which is sometimes referred to as "Grand Valley Victory" is the fight song for the Grand Valley State University Lakers.The music was composed by GVSU (then GVSC) band director William Root. The lyrics were written by GVSC band members Maris Tracy and Kathleen Ure. The lyrics by Tracy and Ure were selected as the winning submission on October 25, 1978 after a contest sponsored by the Office of Student Life and the Student Senate.
GVSU Victory has undergone minor changes since it was officially introduced in 1978. Two versions of the song currently exist, although there is no difference in the lyrics, and only minor variations in the music.
The song has been sung, incorrectly, with the word "on" replacing the word "at" in the last line of the first stanza. Additionally, some people chant "Let's Go Blue Fight!" between the two stanzas. However, this prevents the singer from correctly beginning the second without truncating "We want a" from the first line.
Although "GO LAKERS!" has been part of the song since its inception, in actuality, it is almost always absent.
Lyrics
We want a Grand Valley Victory!As the Lakers we have pride.
Our teams will lead us on.
Blue and white, we're at your side.
We want a Grand Valley Victory!
As our foes will quickly see.
Raise your voices and cheer
For a vic-to-ry!
Fight! Fight! Fight!