Issue 39, February 1st, 2018 - Grand Valley Lanthorn

GRAND VALLEY

A L L E N D A L E & G R A N D R A P I DS , M I C H I G A N ST U D E N T- R U N P U B L I C A T I O N S // P R I N T · O N L I N E · M O B I L E // L A N T H O R N . C O M

T H U R S D A Y, F E B R U A RY 1 , 2 0 1 8 // VO L . 52 N O. 3 9

NATIONAL NEWS

Michigan officials react to State of the Union speech

BY ARPAN LOBO NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

TEAM: From left, Noah Keefer, Maruf Hossain, Jim TenBrink, Brent Nowak, Jon Vinkso and John Doneth. GVSU’s aMDI worked with Encoris, a West Michigan company, on the SmartTrainer, a deviced aimed to make surgical training more efficient and effective for students. COURTESY | AMANDA PITTS, GVSU.EDU

GV students help design spinal surgery training device

BY JAMES KILBORN NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

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group of Grand Valley State University students recently worked with Encoris, a medical device manufacturer based in Holland, Michigan, to develop a spinal training device designed to lower costs of training and increase handson learning for students in the medical profession. GVSU’s applied Medical Device Institute (aMDI) worked in conjunction with Encoris CEO Jim TenBrink to create a system of cameras for the S2T Surgical SmartTrainer, reducing the need for cadavers and harmful X-rays during training.

Brent Nowak, the executive director of the aMDI, explained the potential market for the SmartTrainer and the opportunity it has to become an asset to medical

programs across the country.

“What they typically do is they’ll fly in tens or hundreds of doctors to a huge surgical suite where there’s maybe four or five surgical tables set up,” Nowak said. “They’ll have cadavers there, and they’ll demonstrate the surgery. As you might expect, it’s very costly to do that, so wouldn’t it be better if we used our device and we were able to mimic the X-rays that the surgeons have?

“They came up with an idea that they could use their model to train surgeons on these critical procedures. They conceived a human torso where there’s a shell around it and you have a spine inside that shell. They created a foam material that gives you a more textured feel, so you can generally base surgery on this spine and you can train surgeons on it.”

Nowak emphasized the engineering prowess his group displayed in developing an internal camera

system for the SmartTrainer.

“We were able to put four cameras inside the shell, which represents the torso, and they can move those cameras in the same fashion as the big C-arm on the outside during surgery,” he said. “What we did is we shrunk it down and put the camera inside the body.”

TenBrink, who invented the SmartTrainer and is also a GVSU alumnus, said the camera system is a crucial part of the device.

“With the high-def cameras, they also built a rail system that keeps those cameras strategically aligned along the spine,” he said.

TenBrink acknowledged that cadavers will always play a role in the medical profession but said his invention both reduces training costs and mitigates students’ exposure to harmful radiation sources.

“The gold standard of training are cadavers,” TenBrink said. “However, they have a lot of limitations.

They have a limited supply, they

have limited pathologies, so the diseases the surgeons want to correct aren’t there, and they require X-rays. If you think about X-rays, you’re limited to a hospital facility.

It’s very expensive, and it’s dangerous because you have radiation.

With my invention I’m looking to solve all three of those problems.”

TenBrink believes the SmartTrainer eliminates the need for students to be exposed to radiation through X-rays.

“Surgery right now, specifically spinal surgery, is minimally invasive, meaning it requires a tremendous amount of X-rays, and medical students are being subjected to tremendous amounts of X-rays right out of the gate,” he said. “So, why during training do you need to subject students to dangerous radiation? This is one tool that can provide safety and minimize exposure to radiation.”

SEE AMDI | A2

President Donald Trump recapped his first year in the White House during the annual State of the Union address on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

Speaking in his first formal SOTU, the president aimed to spread a message of unity in Washington.

“Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve,” he said.

After the event, several Michigan senators, congressmen and other officials shared their reactions.

U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland) applauded the president’s initiatives in a press statement sent out shortly after the address.

“Millions of middle class Americans are already seeing the tangible benefits from tax and regulatory reform,” his statement read. “Bigger paychecks, better wages, stronger benefit packages, and increased retirement savings for hardworking taxpayers should be celebrated by all. Instead of jobs leaving Michigan for Mexico, American companies are investing in American workers and bringing these jobs home. This will lead to even greater opportunity and prosperity for families who have struggled to make ends meet.

“I look forward to working with the President and both my democrat and republican colleagues in Congress to responsibly rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, improve care for our veterans, and fix our broken immigration system.”

Huizenga’s statement was a stark contrast to that of Dr. Rob Davidson, a Democrat campaigning for Huizenga’s seat.

“A year into the Trump regime, West Michigan families are tired of chaos and confusion,” Davidson’s statement read.

“They demand a president and a Congress that can rise above the divisiveness and act on the right priorities. Instead of wasting tens of billions of dollars building a wall that won’t work, Congressman Bill Huizenga should be investing in healthcare that will provide safety and peace of mind for all American families.”

SEE SPEECH | A2

RESEARCH

GV to host third annual 3-Minute Thesis competition

BY ITA TSAI NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s third annual 3-Minute Thesis competition (3MT), where graduate students present their theses in front of the university community, will take place Thursday, Feb. 15, at 3:30 p.m. in the DeVos Center Loosemore Auditorium.

The rules of the competition require participants to present their topic within three minutes, utilizing a single static slide.

Those who fail to comply with the rules will be disqualified from the competition.

In order to participate, individuals must be current graduate students at GVSU completing independent research. Students have to present a brief explanation of what their research is about, along with a letter of recommendation from a faculty member.

The winner of the competition will receive a $500 cash prize as well as full funding to represent GVSU at the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools (MAGS) 3MT competition in Grand Rapids in April.

This year, 17 students are currently slated to participate in the contest from a variety of programs.

“Three of them are doctoral students, and the rest are master’s students,” said Kelsey Stevenson, special projects graduate assistant at The Graduate School at GVSU, who was interviewed when there were still 18 competitors scheduled. “The largest group of students come from the biology program, from which we have five students. Other programs include public health, criminal justice, biomedical sciences, social work, engineering.”

GVSU was called to partake in this competition by MAGS in 2016. The success of the first event has motivated its continuation.

“It’s a great way to show the campus community what our graduate students are doing and the impact of their research not just at Grand Valley but at state, regional, national and even international levels,” said Jennifer Palm, assistant to The Graduate School.

According to Palm, judges use two criteria. The first pertains to SEE 3MT | A2

COMPETITION: Samantha MacKay (left) poses with several of her awards, including the best 3MT in 2017. 3-Minute Thesis is returning to GVSU on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 3:30 p.m. in the DeVos Center Loosemore Auditorium. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS GV PRESIDENT SENDS EMAIL REGARDING SEXUAL ASSAULT/HARASSMENT

Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas sent out a campus-wide email Tuesday, Jan. 30, regarding sexual assault/harassment reporting and support services. Haas began the email by stating that GVSU takes the responsibility of caring for campus community members seriously, as well as addressing sexual assault and harassment, to ensure a safe university environment.

In explaining the timing of his email, Haas said, “In light of the national dialogue surrounding these issues, and the impact they have on those affected, of primary importance is making sure our community knows where to report and how to access support.”

Some of the resources highlighted in the email were the Title IX coordinator and equity officer/director, Theresa Rowland; the GVSU Police Department; the campus victim advocate, Krystal Diel; the University Counseling Center; the dean of students; the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center; and Encompass, the employee assistance program. Contact information for all these resources can be found in the email.

To file an anonymous report or for additional reporting options, visit www.gvsu.edu/reporting. For more information on resources and campus efforts, visit the Victim’s Rights and Options website at www.gvsu.edu/ vro.

PANELISTS AT GV TO DISCUSS OPIOID EPIDEMIC

In an event sponsored by Grand Valley State University’s Office of the Vice Provost for Health, experts in opioid addiction will come together to discuss the epidemic on Friday, Feb. 2, during a Health Forum of West Michigan event.

The event will be held in the DeVos Center Loosemore Auditorium and will run from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Panelists include Talal Khan, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services; Kim Gaedeke, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Services; Cara Poland, Spectrum Health; and David Rahinsky, Grand Rapids police chief. Michael Bouthillier, from Ferris State University’s College of Pharmacy, will serve as the forum moderator.

The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP online, visit www.gvsu.edu/vphealth.

FACULTY TO BE RECOGNIZED AT ANNUAL AWARDS CONVOCATION

During the annual Faculty Awards Convocation being held Thursday, Feb. 1, Grand Valley State University faculty members will be honored for their years of service, teaching and work in the community.

The event will be held in the DeVos Center Loosemore Auditorium and will begin at 4 p.m. John Constantelos, professor of political science, will give an address titled “Internationalized!” as he is the recipient of the Internationalization Award.

For a full list of the awards that will be presented, visit www.gvsu.edu/gvnow/2018/faculty-to-be-honored-atannual-awards-convocation-10333.htm.

INNOVATIVE: A C-arm mimic camera system on a sliding rail (pictured). The GVSU aMDI, part of the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, recently collaborated with Encoris in the creation of the SmartTrainer, a spinal surgery training device. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

AMDI

CONTINUED FROM A1

Both TenBrink and Nowak spoke highly of the device’s prospects, as unlike a cadaver, the SmartTrainer can be used countless times, reducing the complications commonly associated with training for spinal procedures.

“The idea is that you would use this spine to train two or three doctors, then take it out and put another spine in,” Nowak said. “You can keep reusing this rather than having to keep doing surgeries on cadavers.”

“Let’s say a medical device company has six im-

plants that they’re launching into the market,” TenBrink said. “That sales representative can take a SmartTrainer along with six spine inserts and do training on the spot with any number of surgeons. You cannot do that with a cadaver.”

Another feature of the SmartTrainer is its ability to simulate various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.

Since the training device is prefabricated and parts are interchangeable, different bone model components can be inserted to mimic a cadaver with a particular spinal condition.

“When you get cadavers, they won’t all have the diseases you want to practice on,”

Nowak said. “They can create all these different disease states or pathologies, and now people can actually practice on these different disease states rather than practice on an ideal spine.”

The possible ailments for the SmartTrainer to simulate are practically endless.

“We can manufacture as a company an unlimited supply of trainers and bone model inserts which are pathology-specific,” TenBrink said.

TenBrink said opportunities for the SmartTrainer extend outside the country, as well, since developing nations and regions that oppose operating on cadavers would ultimately benefit from the spinal

training device.

“In third-world countries where they don’t have good access to surgical training, given the portability of the Smart Trainer and how they have access, they can do this literally in an African hut,” TenBrink said.

Both TenBrink and Nowak had high praise for the device and the work involved in developing it, and both emphasized the importance of the aMDI group in engineering the internal cameras for the SmartTrainer. They hope the device will create a safer, more fulfilling training experience for medical students entering the orthopedic field.

VP OF ENROLLMENT DEVELOPMENT ESTABLISHES NEW SCHOLARSHIP Lynn (Chick) Blue, vice president for enrollment development at Grand Valley State University, has recently established a new scholarship designed to support students who otherwise could not afford to attend GVSU. Titled the “Blue Working Family Endowed Scholarship,” this scholarship will assist students who have graduated from Michigan high schools but are unable to attend college because of financial reasons.

Through this, individual scholarships will be provided that fill unmet funding needs.

Criteria for applicants will be posted online at www. gvsu.edu/myscholarships once the scholarship is ready to be awarded.

VOL . 52

NO. 39

Lan thorn EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief EMILY DORAN Associate Editor JENNA FRACASSI

PROMOTIONS Promotions Manager SHAYNA KOZKOWSKI ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager

News Editor ARPAN LOBO

IAN BORTHWICK

Sports Editor ROBBIE TRIANO

KATARINA ZOMER

Laker Life Editor TY KONELL A&E Editor ANNE MARIE SMIT Image Editor

Campus Accounts Manager

Account Executive RACHEL MOORE Ad Designer LIAM CARTER BUSINESS STAFF

EMILY FRYE

Business Manager SHELBY CARTER

Digital Editor MATT READ

Asst. Business Manager ALEXIS LAMB

Layout Editor RACHEL SPRING

Distribution Manager MEGHAN FITZGERALD

Layout Designer MAX GELDHOF WEB TEAM Web Manager JUSTIN GREEN

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

The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published twice-weekly by Grand Valley State University students 62 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the GVSU community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.

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ADDRESS: President Donald Trump (center) with Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan at the State of the Union Address on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Several Michigan political figures responded to the address. COURTESY | PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS, AP PHOTO

SPEECH

CONTINUED FROM A1

Both Michigan Sens.

Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow issued statements focused on bipartisanship.

“At a time when America is deeply divided, it is more important than ever that Members of Congress from both parties come together to tackle the big challenges facing our nation,” Peters said. “I hope President Trump will make good on

3MT

CONTINUED FROM A1

comprehension and presentation content, dealing with how the presenter explains their thesis to the audience. The second deals with the actual presentation, the verbal skills of the presenter and whether or not the audience is able to remain engaged.

“The competition is not only to improve their public speaking skills but

his commitment tonight to work with both Democrats and Republicans to pass bipartisan legislation that will rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and support hardworking American families.”

In her statement, Stabenow said, “I remain committed to working with republicans, democrats and the White House to get things done for Michigan families.”

Several Michigan gubernatorial candidates offered their responses as well.

Michigan Lt. Gov. and

Republican hopeful Brian Calley said in a statement that “we should be proud of the fact that Michigan is at the heart of America’s resurgence, and, as the President said, the Motor City’s engines are revving again.

I look forward to working with President Trump to continue to help Michigan and our country achieve success in the coming years.”

Gretchen Whitmer, the current Democratic frontrunner, tweeted, “Hey 45: The Motor City’s engines are

already revving ... thanks to our Michigan workers and President Obama’s hard work getting the auto industry back on track!”

Michigan Attorney General and Republican frontrunner Bill Schuette congratulated Trump on “accomplishing the first major federal tax reform in decades” in a tweet.

Trump’s address also included messages on immigration, North Korea and the military.

also to dig deeper into how they can showcase their research to the community in unique ways,” Palm said.

Samantha MacKay, 2017 winner of 3MT, shared her personal experience of being a participant in the contest.

“Most of us felt pretty stressed and nervous because we knew how high the stakes were,” MacKay said. “You only have three minutes to explain the research you’ve been working on for months or even years, and to try to summa-

rize everything you’ve been doing in just three minutes to people that have no idea of what you’re doing in terms of research is really stressful and challenging.”

MacKay majored in biomedical sciences with a minor in Spanish at GVSU, and she completed a master’s degree in health science.

“My thesis looked into the long-term effects of an estrogen mimic, which is found in many daily household items, and how it affects aquatic life and

its potential repercussions on humans,” MacKay said.

“It not only contributed to exemplify my personal academic success, but it gave me further opportunities to foster my public speaking and presentation skills.

“It allowed me to go on to participate at a national level, which was an honor and (a) very interesting experience to be a part of.”

GO TO: http://bit.ly/2nrLzau FOR MORE INFORMATION

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A3

DIVERSITY

‘Hip-hop education’ looks at urban school systems Visiting professor Christopher Emdin speaks at GV

BY RACHEL MATUSZEWSKI RMATUSZEWSKI@LANTHORN.COM

Emdin, a visiting professor from Columbia University, shared his passion for education and equity with an audience at Grand Valley State Uni-

versity on Monday, Jan. 29.

Emdin spoke at the “hiphop education” event in the Kirkhof Center Grand River Room, an event sponsored by the GVSU Black Student Union. The topic was designed to challenge

the perceived “unteachable” nature of students of color.

Emdin spoke with GVSU students about continuing in today’s education system what Martin Luther King Jr. had begun in his 1950s movement. Emdin told the

audience that fighting social injustice does not look like students refusing to leave a counter or marching across a bridge but instead fighting in subtle ways, the first being contemporary education.

PRESENTING: Chris Emdin speaks to GVSU students on Monday, Jan. 29. Emdin, author and professor at Columbia University, was speaking at GVSU for an event about ‘hip-hop education,’ which highlighted the struggles that students of color face in education. GVL | EMILY FRYE

“The civil rights issue of our time is what happens in education,” Emdin said.

Emdin brought to light the two kinds of personalities students choose when they enter a room full of people.

In one theory from his new book, “For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood ... and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education,” he proposed that students have their “ratchet” self, which expresses an authentic representation of themselves. They also have their academic self, which works to conform to the mold that education and other students set for them in order to fit in.

Emdin said society has constructed a false narrative that “ratchet-ness” is inherently anti-intellectual or antiacademic. Yet, Emdin argues that if education is going to change, new academic spaces need to be built where students can be as “ratchet” and academic as they desire.

“I want students to understand that for some stu-

dents, they can be themselves and still learn, and we shouldn’t let people’s perceptions of them inhibit them from being academically successful,” Emdin said. “For other students, I want them to see the humanity of their peers, to recognize even though they may have opportunities to be able to connect easily to school that some may not, and to give them humanity.

“I want everybody to go and try to focus on education, no matter what field you are in, no matter if you are an education major or not. To understand that will really help us to fulfill MLK’s legacy, and we all have a responsibility to go into schools.”

Emdin stressed the oppression that society has placed on African-American students by not allowing them to be themselves and forcing them to conform to what is considered normal.

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

OPPORTUNITIES

Seidman College of Business to hold career-planning conference

BY ANNIE GIFFELS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM

For Grand Valley State University students looking to network, talk to experienced professionals and receive helpful advice for their major, the Seidman College of Business is hosting a Career Development Evening Conference on Monday, Feb. 5, at the DeVos Center Loosemore Auditorium from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

With a conference like this, students can expect to receive honest guidance and information from recent alumni of GVSU who will be there to represent an array of different companies.

Eric Anderson, a senior at GVSU and the president of the GVSU chapter of the American Production and Inventory Control Society, is the event coordinator for this conference.

With the help of the GVSU Career Center and multiple student organizations, Anderson is in charge of planning and executing this event.

“I’ve always wanted to redefine the word ‘collaboration,’ so I gathered 12 other organizations and included the Career Center to see if we could come up with something that would be meaningful to the students,” Anderson said.

Three hundred students

have already RSVPed, and Anderson said this is the largest event he has ever taken on. Free of charge, the conference is open to students of any major seeking professional advice. To combat confusion, Anderson made it clear that this conference is for students of all majors.

“We made sure to bring in a good mix of different companies so that students of all majors can benefit from an event like this,” Anderson said. The event is also LIB 100-approved.

Recent alumni of GVSU will discuss their professional experiences and offer advice to students hoping to be successful in their post-graduate careers. The conference will start with an hour-long panel discussion and Q&A period in which students can text their questions to www.polleverywhere.com and receive honest, firsthand advice and information from six different panelists who graduated from GVSU. Anderson feels confident that the GVSU graduates will be able to offer diverse perspectives on their personal experiences in a professional workplace post-college, saying, “The first six panelists will speak upon what it’s like to suc-

EVENTS: The poster for the Career Development Evening Conference, sponsored by the Seidman College of Business. The event aims to give GVSU students of all majors the opportunity to network with other professionals for career planning. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

cessfully launch their careers, as a lot of them are entrepreneurs themselves.”

Following the panel, students will have the chance to learn on a more personal level with breakout sessions.

During these 15-minute rotations, with five-minute breaks in between, students are encouraged to dig deeper into topics such as interview strategies, personal branding and creating beneficial professional relationships.

Along with the many GVSU alumni attending,

several companies and student organizations will also be present to help students further their understanding of their chosen career path and offer resources to help ensure success. The companies collaborating with GVSU on this event are Abbott Laboratories, Amway, Charter Capital Partners, Deloitte, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, Michigan Small Business Development Center, US Signal and Wolverine Worldwide.

The student organi-

zations involved are the American Marketing Association, Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization, Enterprise Systems Student Union, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Investment Portfolio Organization, Seidman Supply Chain Management Association, Society of Automotive Engineers, Society for Human Resource Management, Product Design and Manufacturing, Professional Sales Association, Phi Chi Theta and the

Public Relations Student Society of America.

Jacob Hemingway, a senior at GVSU and the president of the GVSU chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, believes this event has the potential to become a tradition.

“We would definitely love to see this conference progress and grow in the years to come,” Hemingway said.

GO TO: http://bit.ly/2E6AepZ FOR MORE INFORMATION

Work on Mackinac Island this summer The Island House Hotel and Ryba’s Fudge Shops are seeking help in all areas: Front Desk, Bell Staff, Wait Staff, Sales Clerks, Kitchen, Baristas.

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TECHNOLOGY: A student tries out a Google Cardboard Virtual Reality headset that students created using a 3-D camera on Tuesday, Jan. 30, during Library Invasion at the Mary Idema Pew Library. The event was held by the Visual Studies Interactive Studio.

SHEILA BABBITT GVL

A4 | OPINION EDITORIAL

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON

By Natalie Schunk

Division of Inclusion and Equity continues to be relevant

G

rand Valley State University’s Division of Inclusion and Equity will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on Thursday, Feb. 8. During the department’s existence at the university, its staff has created initiatives and provided resources to support minority and underrepresented students on campus. This department does not simply exist to make GVSU appear more welcoming and progressive to the outside world. On the contrary, the Division of Inclusion and Equity continues to meet the very real need to spread information, promote intercultural understanding and confront hatred directed toward different people groups.

In a perfect world, GVSU wouldn’t need the Division of Inclusion and Equity at all. But we don’t live in a perfect world, and the need for this department has only grown in recent years and in light of recent events.

For example, the campaign and presidency of Donald Trump have arguably served to invigorate and embolden white nationalists and their brothers in the so-called alt-right movement who had previously been flying quietly under the radar. Just earlier this month in Howell, Michigan, flyers for the white supremacist group Patriot Front were posted downtown in two separate incidents: first on car windshields of people attending a fundraising event for girls in India and again before the “March Against Fear” that was organized to protest this insidious spread of white nationalist ideals.

In November 2017, East Grand Rapids also saw

white nationalist messages posted around. These flyers read, “It’s Okay To Be White,” and many had pictures of Trump on the front, as well as a website for the alt-right movement listed.

These flyers were intentionally posted over “Black Lives Matter” signs and under the windshield wipers of cars in the area. This led to many residents feeling violated and upset. One resident even expressed that these signs made the community feel less inclusive, creating an uncomfortable environment and making some residents feel unwelcome.

As long as such exclusionary ideologies persist (and there are many others based on racism, sexism, homophobia, etc., that deserve their own separate commentary), we will need departments like the Division of Inclusion and Equity. Sadly, the prevailing thought that many people have when they see initiatives that deal with inclusion is that their own rights are being infringed upon. But the reality is that creating inclusive environments is beneficial for all.

By working toward making GVSU an inclusive environment, the Division of Inclusion and Equity makes GVSU an intrinsically better place.

While several advancements have been made, actions that promote one race over another or that propagate divisive rhetoric (often coming from politicians and legislators) remind us of how far we still have to go. By being inclusive and striving for equity, we can continue to make that progress.

2/1/2018

editorial@lanthorn.com

The dangerous myth of chain migration

BY YSABELA GOLDEN FRESHMAN UNDECLARED MAJOR EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Anyone who doesn’t live under a rock could tell you that immigration policy has been a touchy subject in the U.S. for some time now. 2018 certainly hasn’t brought any improvements in this arena, and this January has been especially eventful.

First the three-day government shutdown over Democratic desire to revive the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, then Trump’s responsive plan to exchange the citizenship of many DACA “Dreamers” for his $25 billion border wall.

Neither party, though for very different reasons, is interested

Editor-in-Chief Associate editor News editor Sports editor Laker Life editor A&E editor

WHAT IS A LANTHORN? Lant • horn, n. [Old English] A lanthorn is a lantern that was used in mid-to-late 16th-century Europe. It was constructed of leather and a single lens made from a thin

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The Grand Valley Lanthorn slogan is “Give light, and the people will find their own way.”

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The Lanthorn strives to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. With this in mind, the Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but neither will it discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs.

The content, information and views expressed are not approved by—nor do they necessarily represent those of—the university or its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty or staff.

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

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and so on and so on until hard-working Americans have drowned in the flood of foreign invaders and our economy is ruined forever.

In practice, the General Accounting Office has long since determined that immigration waiting lists provide the limits necessary to prevent “chain migration” from ever becoming an actual threat. Each link in the chain—that is to say, each waiting list for a family visa—can take up to 25 years, thanks to widespread system backlog. In addition, any immigrant who wants to sponsor the migration of a family member to join them has to prove to the government that they would be able to provide financial support for their relative if they needed it, meaning their income has to be 125 percent of the poverty line for the number of people in their household. Not only does this exclude any immigrants relying on government assistance from participating in the family migration program, but it requires petitioning immigrants to have taken the time to settle down with a stable, well-paying job, adding even more time to the long window

between one link in the chain to the next. As a result, it takes far too long for a chain to form at all for family migration to be the kind of overwhelming problem it’s painted to be by Trump’s immigration plan.

In fact, the only thing that ending family reunification programs accomplishes is catering to the fears of Trump’s far-right nativist supporters.

The image of immigrants as Trojan horses for hundreds more like them—draining the government of funds to support their families and refusing to assimilate into white American culture the way European immigrants have in the past—has been used too long as a fear-mongering tactic by anti-immigration groups, and it’s foolish to cut away even more at our already-restrictive immigration policies because of it.

Xenophobia has no grounds on which to create national policy, but it unfortunately appears to be what we’re moving toward. Trump’s wall may be ridiculous, but his intention to end family migration, rooted and supported by years of nativist fear, is a concerning possibility.

How to stay flu-free this semester

GV L E DITO R IAL BOA RD EMILY DORAN JENNA FRACASSI ARPAN LOBO ROBBIE TRIANO TY KONELL ANNE MARIE SMIT

in paying such a high price to release DACA from what is beginning to sound more and more like a hostage situation, so like many of Trump’s statements regarding the border wall, this bargain is unlikely to come to pass. But the border wall is far from the most concerning aspect of the White House’s immigration outline—at least in comparison to its plan for ending “chain migration,” a prospect especially troubling for the fact that its accomplishment seems entirely plausible.

“Chain migration” is the fun conservative buzzword used to describe our country’s family migration systems and family reunification visas the same way “Obamacare” was used to describe the Affordable Care Act. In theory, the “chain” means that once a person becomes a U.S. citizen, they can quickly bring their immediate family, spouses and children to the U.S. as well. Upon naturalization, these immigrants can petition for less-immediate family, like parents and siblings, to come to the U.S. themselves, who in turn can petition for their families to become citizens,

BY SHAE SLAUGHTER SENIOR ENGLISH MAJOR EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM

Classes are in full swing and that means that germs are, too. Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed a drop in attendance in my classes, and it’s not because students just want to skip. Coughs and sniffles can be heard echoing through the hallways. GVSU seems to be on the receiving end of some nasty illnesses ranging from colds to the flu and everything in between.

We’ve all heard it before, but

it is important to stay healthy now more than ever. The good news is there are a couple of simple ways to do so.

First things first, wash your hands. I know, I know, we aren’t children and we know better, right? I definitely hope so. Still, I feel like this broken record needs to be replayed just one more time because handwashing not only keeps your own immune system healthy, but it also protects those around you from picking up any germs you might transfer. Since we’re all sharing the same desks, buses and classrooms, it’s just the courteous thing to do. Bonus points if you carry around travel-sized hand sanitizer, too.

Once you’ve mastered handwashing, it’s important to focus on getting enough sleep.

I think I speak for most college students when I say that sleep comes at a premium during the semester, but I also know how important it is. Unfortunately, catching up on your

sleep often means skipping a party or not procrastinating and staying up until 2 a.m. writing a paper. Both parties and procrastination are beloved pastimes of college students, but during the winter it’s better to focus on getting enough shut-eye first.

While we’re addressing college norms, we might as well talk about eating habits, too. Shockingly enough, ramen noodles will not provide you with all of your daily vitamin needs. Instead, try to eat a well-rounded diet and throw in a multivitamin if you’re feeling extra feisty. Of course, a healthy diet alone isn’t enough to keep you illness-free, but it’s a key step in prevention. If your body is run-down from a little too much iced coffee and Taco Bell, it won’t even stand a chance.

Illness is likely inevitable for all of us. If it isn’t happening now, it could be a month down the line.

Sometimes even the best preventative care won’t be enough, so if you do get sick, do yourself a favor and visit a doctor. If you aren’t from the area, you can visit the Metro Health GVSU Campus Health Center or an urgent care depending on your insurance. No one likes the doctor, but getting medicine that can cut your sick days in half is definitely worth it. You might have to miss a class to make it in for an appointment, but I promise it is for the best.

You can’t deny that germs are really flowing on campus right now, and we’re all potential victims. Even if you’re busy, it’s important to take the time to take care of yourself. Papers and tests are important, but so is your well-being. Following these few simple steps is a great way to start protecting yourself before it’s too late.

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“Patriots 27-16.”

“Patriots 25-7.”

YEAR: Sophomore MAJOR: Political science HOMETOWN: Kalamazoo, Michigan

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“Patriots 38-21.”

“Patriots 28-17.”

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YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Sociology HOMETOWN: Truxton, Arizona

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS

NEWS | A5

PERSPECTIVES

GV professor to lecture on activism of black athletes

BY DREW SCHERTZER DSCHERTZER@LANTHORN.COM

Jesse Owens won the 100-meter Olympic gold in 1936 in front of Adolf Hitler. He returned to the U.S. with four Olympic gold medals and international fame. However, Owens arrived home to be confronted by racism, and he struggled to find work. He is one example of a black athlete who has affected black activism in the U.S. Louis Moore, associate history professor and coordinator of African/African-American studies at Grand Valley State University, will host the “Black Activism Through Sports” event taking place Tuesday, Feb. 6, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, Room 2215. The event is part of the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ (OMA) celebration of Black History Month. Moore will go through a history of black athletes, the struggles they have faced and the social impact they have had on society.

“They were willing to risk their lives to improve their nation,” Moore said. “So much history looks at black athletes as entertainers. Activists do more than just play: They show up and break down structural inequality.”

Moore will begin his presentation with a brief history of black athletes such as Jackie Robinson, Bill Russell and Muhammad Ali. He will then discuss how these athletes relate to present day. Moore said we see similar trends today as we did in the past.

Moore said many athletes ride the fence and don’t want to be too con-

troversial, fearing for their sponsorships or even their jobs. However, some athletes fight through the controversy, and it is possible to juxtapose those athletes of the past to those of today.

Colin Kaepernick, for example, started the trend of kneeling during the national anthem. Some see this as disrespectful, while others view it as necessary attention being drawn to police brutality and inequality in the U.S. Regardless, Kaepernick fought for what he believed in, arguably similar to how Robinson faced racism for becoming the first AfricanAmerican player to join Major League Baseball.

All around, the picture is painted that athletes of color have had large impacts in movements they have started or joined.

“Historically, for AfricanAmericans, sports have been a huge part of our identity,” said Juanita Davis, assistant director of the OMA. “The activism piece is about who we are, that combination of different athletes throughout the course of history used their platform to bring attention to issues.

“These issues have been historically and systematically ignored.”

Davis said one of the goals for having events like this is for students to understand experiences of African-Americans in the U.S. historically. She hopes this will provide students with the materials necessary to have conversations and critical dialogue with other people.

Davis believes that having a willingness to listen is crucial for conversations

MAKING A STAND: Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos raise their fists in a salute to black power during the 1968 olympics. On Tuesday, Feb. 6, GVSU professor Louis Moore will lead a discussion titled ‘Black Activism Through Sports.’ COURTESY | DRKENSAGUNTER.COM

with people of different backgrounds or beliefs, not necessarily turning the event into a debate. The goal of these talks is to understand

others’ experiences. This, Davis believes, will help bring people of differing backgrounds together.

Following “Black Ac-

tivism Through Sports,” the next event to celebrate Black History Month at GVSU will be “Body Image and Blackness” taking

place Friday, Feb. 9, in the Kirkhof Center.

GO TO: http://bit.ly/2E5OE79 FOR MORE INFORMATION

ANNIVERSARY

Division of Inclusion and Equity celebrating 10 years

BY SARAH HOLLIS SHOLLIS@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s Division of Inclusion and Equity is preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary on Thursday, Feb. 8. The event will be taking place at 20 Monroe Live in Grand Rapids from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Division of Inclusion and Equity is a component that works to ensure that GVSU’s campus supports diversity and that traditionally underrepresented groups are provided with equal opportunities.

“The Division of Inclusion and Equity supports GVSU in being the model for equity and inclusion among public, comprehensive regional universities in the nation—growing programs and initiatives to align with the current needs of students, faculty, staff and the broader community,” said Jesse Bernal, vice president for inclusion and equity at GVSU, via email. “We ensure access and support for all at Grand Valley. We lead this work with a social justice and intersectional framework, in collaboration with other university divisions and units.”

The 10th anniversary event will include several speakers, as well as the announcement of a new scholarship opportunity.

“Our goal is to highlight and build awareness around our innovative and pioneering approach to inclusion and equity,” Bernal said. “Attendees can expect to hear from President Haas, myself and other special guests, including Jeanne Arnold, who served as Grand Valley’s inaugural vice president for inclusion and equity.

“We are also excited to announce a new scholarship focused on supporting undergraduates who want to go into

CELEBRATING INCLUSION: Vice President for Inclusion and Equity Jesse Bernal, pictured, introduces a keynote speaker during a lecture in the Cook-DeWitt Center on Sept. 26, 2016. GVL | LUKE HOLMES

careers related to inclusion and equity in higher education.”

The event is open to everyone, including students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners. Bernal also extended an invitation to “those working with us to address the shared interests and needs of both our university and broader community.”

“We believe that the values of equity and inclusion make each member of our community better and are fundamental to what it means to be a Laker,” Bernal said. “This anniversary celebrates and builds on work

done by students, faculty and staff members since Grand Valley welcomed its first class in 1963. When President Haas created the Division of Inclusion and Equity in 2008, GVSU was the first institution of its kind to create such a division and hire a vice president to lead its efforts.

“Our world today requires that universities pay attention to such issues. However, it is our full embrace of diversity, equity and inclusion that enables GVSU to thrive.”

The Division of Inclusion and Equity is comprised of several different units,

including the Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity, Campus Interfaith Resources, Disability Support Resources, Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity, Kaufman Interfaith Institute, Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Pathways to College Office, Social Justice Education, Title IX office and Veterans Upward Bound.

GO TO: http://bit.ly/2E3opAR FOR MORE INFORMATION

A6 | LAKER LIFE

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

ARTS AT A GLANCE STUDY-ABROAD INFORMATIONAL SESSION TO BE HELD FRIDAY, FEB. 2 The Grand Valley State University Padnos International Center (PIC) is set to host a study-abroad first-step meeting on Friday, Feb. 2, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Lake Ontario Hall, Room 130.

The meeting will go over the basics of studying abroad for GVSU students who are interested. It will also cover picking the best program for each student, funding and academic information. Meetings are held every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, contact the PIC at 616-3313898.

CAMPUS INTERFAITH RESOURCES TO HOST SECOND SACRED SITES TOUR Grand Valley State University’s Campus Interfaith Resources is set to host its second sacred sites tour, this time traveling to the West Michigan Hindu Temple on Friday, Feb. 2, from 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. Attending GVSU students will not only be able to see a local Hindu temple, but they will also learn about Hinduism and Jainism.

For more information, contact Kevin McIntosh at mcinkev@gvsu.edu.

ILLUSTRATION STUDENTS TO HOLD ROAD SHOW SATURDAY, FEB. 3 Grand Valley State University illustration seniors are taking their artwork on the road Saturday, Feb. 3, from noon to 6 p.m. at Vault of Midnight in Grand Rapids.

Vault of Midnight, a comic book store located at 95 Monroe Center St. NW in Grand Rapids, will be a location for GVSU seniors to show off and sell their artwork, as well as zines, buttons and prints.

For more information, contact professor Durwin Talon at talond@gvsu.edu.

STANDING ROCK PHOTOGRAPHY TO BE SHOWN IN LIBRARY EXHIBITION SPACE Grand Valley State University will be hosting the “Standing Rock: Photographs of an Indigenous Movement” exhibition in the Mary Idema Pew Library Exhibition Space starting Monday, Feb. 5, and ending Wednesday, Feb. 28.

The exhibit will consist of 36 out of more than 1,500 photos taken of the Standing Rock resistance of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The photos, taken by American Indian journalist Levi Rickert, capture the intensity of the Standing Rock movement.

For more information, contact the Kutsche Office of Local History at 616-331-8099.

GV OPERA THEATRE TO HOLD PERFORMANCES OF ‘OKLAHOMA!’

The Grand Valley State University Opera Theatre will be performing the musical “Oklahoma!” on Friday, Feb. 2, from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Haas Center for Performing Arts.

Set in the old American West amidst a rivalry between farmers and cowboys, “Oklahoma!” tells the love story of cowboy Curly and farm girl Laurey. GVSU alumnus Christopher Carter will be returning to campus to direct the play after recently performing in it with the Chicago Lyric Opera.

For more information, contact the GVSU Department of Music, Theatre and Dance at lanejack@gvsu.edu.

Additional showtimes are available at www.gvsu.edu/ events/oklahoma:3/.

HEADSHOT: 2015 Last Laker Standing winner Jeremy Lippitt poses for a photo in the Kirkhof Center Feb. 15, 2016. GVL | SARA CARTE

Swing Dance Club to host upstairs floor at Presidents’ Ball

BY TY KONELL LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM

Presidents’ Ball is an exciting event for Grand Valley State University students.

The planning of outfits, fancy dinners and night of dancing can provide the perfect way to unwind during a stressful semester. For the GVSU Swing Dance Club, the excitement is even higher as they are set to host the top floor of Presidents’ Ball for the fourth year in a row.

For members of the club, or any GVSU students who are interested in swing dancing, having a dedicated space at Presidents’ Ball may allow for a different energy and, of course, a different dance style.

“They (the members of the club) love it, and so do I,” said Jessica Long, Swing Dance Club president. “The second floor has a very different feel from the first floor. Both are great, but I’m obviously partial to the swing dancing. We will have an amazing live jazz band performing, and the live music is energetic but not too loud where you can’t talk with friends and socialize.”

The jazz band 501 Swing Street, an ensemble made up of GVSU students, will be performing at Presidents’ Ball for the second time. Brenden Hoekstra, founder and trumpet player in the band, said the band has been able to grow in both its musical repertoire and

its performance capabilities since last year’s Presidents’ Ball.

“Last year, we had one set of music we could play, about nine songs,” he said. “Since then, we have been able expand our repertoire to include as many as 33 songs, which is how many we are playing this weekend. Additionally, we are playing those charts and then new ones much cleaner and with more energy. We have learned what works and doesn’t work for dancers, including how fast the songs are and what order the songs are played in.”

Hoekstra, who has been swing dancing for several years, said he felt honored to have a dedicated floor to swing dancing and to be able to play jazz there.

“This music and dance started in the early ‘30s, and by the ‘50s it had almost entirely died out,” Hoekstra said. “The Neo-Swing Revival came in the ‘90s, which has started a process of recreation and preserving of America’s greatest musical contribution. That is special.”

Moreover, Long said having the upstairs floor for swing dancing is exciting for club members but that anyone is invited to join regardless of skill level or membership in the club.

“Members of Swing Dance love that there is a place they can show the style of dance they’ve been learning to music they know,” Long said. “How-

ON THE FLOOR: Members of the GVSU Swing Dance Club do a line dance as a group at a club event Dec. 3, 2015. GVL | LUKE HOLMES

ever, we welcome everyone to join us, member or not.”

She also said Presidents’ Ball offers a place for club members to put what they practice every week into action and see what swing dancing has done for many members.

“As president, it’s amazing to see the club continue to grow through the experiences we are able to participate in,” Long said. “Presidents’ Ball is a fantastic way to spotlight what we do and try to share the love of this dance to those interested in learning. The coolest part of being president is honestly seeing what the club and this dance can do for people. For many of us, it’s our home away from home.”

Long said she believes the club continues to be invited to host the upstairs floor due to the unique energy it brings.

“I think swing continues to be invited to host the upstairs at Pres. Ball because of

the atmosphere we create,” Long explained. “Like I said, our floor has a very different feel than the first floor.”

Hoekstra said the unique energy is further heightened by the presence of a live band.

“Live music brings energy and spontaneity that is hard to mimic with recordings,” he said.

“As a musician, it is humbling to be the one that provides that energy. The (musician) gets to see what the dancers are doing and how they change as a result of the change in the music.”

Long said it is continuously exciting to see how much growth in attendance the upstairs floor at Presidents’ Ball sees every year.

“Over the years, the floor has become busier and busier, so I hope to see many new faces this year,” Long said. “Come participate, come learn, come watch, come listen to the music—swing dance will be waiting for you.”

EVENTS

Spotlight Productions to host Last Laker Standing semifinals

BY TAYLOR CROWLEY TCROWLEY@LANTHORN.COM

Grand Valley State University’s Spotlight Productions will host the semifinals of the Last Laker Standing comedy competition on Saturday, Feb. 3. The show will begin at 8 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Pere Marquette Room.

The nature of the campuswide stand-up competition allowed for any GVSU student to audition. Auditions were held mid-January, and Spotlight Productions chose the participants who would move to the semifinals.

Spotlight Productions chooses 10 people to move to the semifinals, and the top five winners then move to the finals round. This year’s competition will include new faces and new humor. Students who have never participated in a

comedy competition will show off their stand-up chops in the semifinals in hopes of moving forward to the next round.

During the semifinals, competitors will showcase a five-to-seven-minute skit.

The audience and the judges will then choose who will go further in the competition. The finals round consists of 10- minute skits.

Simon Carlson, secondplace winner of last year’s Last Laker Standing, will be hosting this year’s competition. This is Carlson’s first time hosting this competition, but he said he plans to warm the crowd up at the beginning of the show with a five-to-10-minute comedy act, and he intends to keep the crowd excited and upbeat during the show.

“We can prove the show with a comedian host and warm the crowd up a bit,” Carl-

son said. “It’s fun to perform, but it’s important to hype the crowd up and keep the show going at a nice pace.”

Brandon Cooley, thirdplace winner from last year, is excited to compete in this year’s Last Laker Standing. Cooley plans to bring fresh material to the stage to try to impress the audience and judges.

“The show, in general, is explicit,” Cooley said. “You could say some of it is rated R depending on the style of the performer. There is a lot of different humor from everyone in the club.”

Cooley said the audience will get to experience different styles of comedy firsthand, from one-liners to observational humor to story-based humor.

Five finalists will move to the next round where they can update their skits with new material. A professional come-

dian will host the finals, and the winner of the competition will open for the upcoming year’s LaughFest in Grand Rapids.

The host for this year’s finals is Jordan Rock, comedian Chris Rock’s brother.

Spotlight Productions comedy chair, Aurora Reese, is excited for Rock to come to GVSU and host the show.

“I think it’s really cool we have Chris Rock’s brother hosting our finals this year,” Reese said. “I was super excited to hear he would host.”

Spotlight Productions encourages all GVSU students to attend the event. Reese said the turnout is usually decent, and she hopes people can attend the event to support the competitors.

Admission is free to the public. For more information on the event, contact Spotlight Productions at spotlight@gvsu.edu.

DIVERSITY

Celebration of Black Arts to kick off Black History Month

BY TASMAN MATTOX TMATTOX@LANTHORN.COM

To kick off Black History Month, the Grand Valley State University Black Student Union (BSU) is holding the annual Celebration of Black Arts on Saturday, Feb. 3. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Grand River Room. Various student organizations will be performing to honor the legacies of AfricanAmerican entertainers.

“The BSU has done this event for several years during

the first week of Black History Month,” said Juanita Davis, the assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) and one of the advisers for the BSU. “It highlights the talents of African-Americans in general in the arts and entertainment industry, and also helps students engage in uplifting activities outside the classroom. Historically, the arts highlighted at the event have been a source of support for African-Americans.”

The BSU is intended to be a place where anyone can get involved and feel more accepted.

“I think there is a sense of camaraderie, unity and family,” Davis said. “It’s an opportunity to learn from your peers outside the classroom. They can get strategies for success they wouldn’t otherwise get.”

The OMA has a similar goal of making people feel comfortable.

“We want to make sure everyone feels like they belong at Grand Valley,” Davis said.

Some students find cultural heritage events to be a mixed bag.

“The cultural events on

campus are a bit bittersweet for me,” said Breann Barge, a GVSU student. “I feel like they are a great thing for POC to connect with each other, but at the same they’re typically the only ones at these events aside from students who are just curious about something that’s not typical for them.”

However, these events can also be very fulfilling for attendees.

“If you’re a floater like me, it’s hard to connect even when you’re in a room full of people who should understand,” Barge said.

“But I do love taking part in these events. They give me this familiar feeling that I forget about being here.”

Barge also shared what art meant to her personally.

“Art is very essential to me as a black woman,” she said. “It lets me put every aspect of my identity into something people can see. ... I have always been a more creative person, so arts are very important to me.

“I think in general, for blacks and POC, art is an expressive aspect of our culture—clothes, food, music, etc.

In a way, it’s like taking ownership of your narrative and presenting that to the world. Arts are powerful because of their interpretation and how many forms they can take just from how people react to them.”

Interested students can easily get involved with the BSU, which meets Tuesdays at 9 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, Room 2259. Davis’ advice is “Just attend their meetings.

You can just show up!”

GO TO: http://bit.ly/2GzYizS FOR MORE INFORMATION

PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL: The promotional banner for the Black Arts Celebration, above, highlights the beginning of Black History Month. The arts celebration will occur Saturday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center Grand River Room. Various student organizations are set to perform to honor African-American entertainers and their legacies. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. COURTESY | GVSU.EDU

SPORTS | A7

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

QUICK HITS GV FOOTBALL TIGHT END NICK KEIZER NAMED FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN

The Grand Valley State football season ended rather suddenly—and controversially—in early November, but that hasn’t stopped the news surrounding the Division II football landscape.

One Laker who stood out above the pack during the 2017 campaign was senior tight end Nick Keizer, who was named a 2017 D2Football.com First Team All-American on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

Keizer led all GLIAC tight ends in receptions (29), receiving yards (504) and touchdown catches (nine) while leading the nation in yards per catch (17.4) for tight ends. Twenty-two of his receptions resulted in a first down. Among all receivers in the GLIAC, Keizer ranked second in touchdown catches and 10th in total receptions.

Along with his All-American accolade, Keizer’s successful senior year also earned him 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-American and a GLIAC Commissioner’s Award honoree.

Although Keizer will not be a member of next year’s team, the Lakers have plenty of time to prepare for their comeback next season.

M. CLUB HOCKEY (DIII)

Creating a legacy GV men’s DIII hockey continues tradition of giving back to community

GIVING BACK: GVSU hockey player Derek Simon gets the puck against Hope College on Saturday, Jan. 27. GVL | DYLAN MCINTYRE

GV LACROSSE MAKES TOP-25 RANKINGS IN PRESEASON COACHES POLL

Although the winter season is still sticking around for (hopefully) just another month, the preparation for spring sports hasn’t stopped for this year’s Grand Valley State women’s lacrosse team.

After falling short in the GLIAC Tournament Championship match last year, the team has been hard at work to avenge last year’s ending.

That preparation has brought a great amount of hype revolving around the team, as they were recently ranked No. 21 in The Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) preseason coaches’ poll, which was released Wednesday, Jan. 31.

The season is looking bright for the Lakers, as they will have 13 seniors leading this year’s team. They will also have returning senior midfielder Meghan Datema, who led last year’s team with 44 goals.

The Lakers are one of three GLIAC schools that were represented in the top 25, including McKendree (No. 20) and Indianapolis (No. 24).

GVSU will open its season against Kutztown University on Saturday, March 3, in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

FORMER GV WOMEN’S RUGBY COACH TO BE HONORED AT CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY As an annual tradition, Grand Valley State Athletics will host the Celebrating Women in Sport and Physical Activity on Saturday, Feb. 10, in the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena.

One honoree is Bob Richthammer, who has helped countless high school students earn scholarships to play rugby in college. He also helped establish GVSU’s women’s rugby club team as a national powerhouse.

When he moved to West Michigan in 2004, Richthammer was asked to coach GVSU’s women’s club team that had two seasons under its belt.

With current coach Abe Cohen, Richthammer established the team as one that consistently competes for the national title.

VARSITY SCHEDULE MEN’S BASKETBALL Thursday 7:30 p.m. at Michigan Tech Saturday 1 p.m. at Northern Michigan WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Thursday 5:30 p.m. at Michigan Tech Saturday 3 p.m. at Northern Michigan MEN’S TENNIS Friday 12 p.m. vs. Lawrence Tech

BY LOUIS RICARD LRICARD@LANTHORN.COM

Sports help to unite people. They are a source of entertainment, a source of passion for the fans and a source of adrenaline for the athletes.

Sometimes, sports can go beyond their primary purpose. Sometimes, they help turn a tragedy into an incredible story, uniting players, fans and everyone around them.

The Grand Valley State men’s Division III club hockey team did just that. This past weekend, the club raised more than $7,000 (and counting) during their “Hockey Fights Cancer” game against Hope

College on Saturday, Jan. 27.

However, this is only the beginning.

Captain Alex Bjork started this tradition at GVSU about three years ago, inspired after his grandpa had passed away from the disease.

“I had some buddies playing at Aquinas, and I saw that they were doing a Hockey Fights Cancer with the Van Andel Institute,” Bjork said. “So, I reached out to them and they gave me some contact information and that’s when it took off.”

After the first year, GVSU had raised more than $1,000 that went to the Van Andel Institute. The following

year, the club raised $1,500. According to head coach Charlie Link, this has been a long time coming.

“It’s just grown since we started, and the players took it to a whole other level this year,” Link said.

Although the cancer-awareness game got the most attention, GVSU hockey has been involved in the community in many different ways. The club held fundraisers for members of the military and special-needs hockey players, and a brain-cancer-awareness game in honor of a player’s parent who passed away this last summer.

“It’s not just hockey: We’re trying to make young people successful in what they want to do in their career,”

Link said. “It’s just a great way to give them the exposure to the real world as far as what kind of impact they can have on everybody.”

The team also decided to unite with GVSU fraternity Delta Sigma Phi, which helped organize the fundraisers and shine more light on the event. Vice President Zach Ebsch said his fraternity felt compelled to help, as five members are from the hockey team. One of the former members happened to be Alex Siroky, the player who lost his parent to brain cancer last summer.

SEE HOCKEY | A8

BASEBALL

Preview: Depth, confidence lead GV baseball into new season

BY BRADY MCATAMNEY BMCATAMNEY@LANTHORN.COM

The 2017 Grand Valley State baseball team was a good one. They finished the season 31-23 and relied heavily on their offensive presence to win games due to a litany of injuries within the pitching staff, hampering their ability to get outs reliably.

Despite not winning the GLIAC Championship, the Lakers had a productive season. The players learned a lot about themselves, and the coaches learned how they can get better.

This season—the 2018 Lakers—is when better comes to light, even with the lost production of the now-graduated Seth Johnson, Matt Williams, Alex Young and Keith Browning.

“This year I think—nothing against last year—but I think we’re just a stronger, more balanced team,” said infielder and catcher Austin Ladoux. “I’d say we got plenty of catchers to do it, plenty of new guys for hitting in the outfield. Overall, I think we’re going to be a really good team hitting-wise and defensively.”

Ladoux returns to the field with plenty of confidence following a wildly productive season at the plate where he led GVSU with seven home runs and had the second-highest batting average (.360), slugging percentage (.585), on-base percentage (.434) and total bases (94).

Though Johnson, an outfielder, was arguably the most important bat in the lineup and is no longer with the squad, head coach Jamie Detillion has no shortage of players to fill the gap in the lineup with an expectation for big things.

“We have four or five guys competing for a spot there,” he said. “I would expect Jake Gleason to be in the mix. I think he’s a middle-ofthe-order type hitter, too. Right now there’s between Zach Berry, Drake Ellens, Nolan Anspaugh, so there’s

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES: GVSU baseball player Josh Smith steps up to the plate after the Lakers faced off against Ohio Dominican in a doubleheader on April 8, 2017. Last year, the Lakers finished with a 31-23 overall record. GVL | LUKE HOLMES

three pretty talented kids who are bringing it every day in practice and giving us a tough decision as a coach when you’ve got good players competing for one spot.

“Aaron Donald right now is one of our better bats, and there’s a good chance he can see some time in left

field, but like I said, there’s four or five outfielders right there who could easily be shifted around to fill those holes.”

The outfield is not the only place the Lakers have ample talent, as Detillion noted the handful of first basemen, catchers and pitchers who can all expect to see the field

a lot during the 2018 campaign.

These new pieces will not have to worry about adjusting themselves to the college game, either, as most of the Lakers’ new faces are junior college transfers.

SEE BASEBALL | A8

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A8 | SPORTS W. BASKETBALL

Looking for revenge GV women’s basketball to travel to UP for pair of GLIAC showdowns

BY KELLEN VOSS KVOSS@LANTHORN.COM

HEADING NORTH: GVSU guard Natalie Koenig dribbles the ball up the floor during the team’s victory over GLIAC foe Purdue Northwest on Saturday, Jan. 27, at the GVSU Fieldhouse. GVL | SPENCER SCARBER

HOCKEY CONTINUED FROM A7

“We felt so bad because he had to drop the process and go back home and miss school for a few weeks,” Ebsch said. “We still cared about him and his family even though he wasn’t in the fraternity.”

GVSU fraternities are required to participate in a local and a national philanthropy event, and Ebsch, along with his brothers, decided to seize advantage of their platform. After talking to the club, Delta Sigma Phi had several alumni and current members donate money to the Van Andel Institute. The fraternity also designed T-shirts that they sold to the entire Greek community, raising a total of $3,484.

Ebsch could barely contain his excitement when mentioning the partnership his fraternity and the

BASEBALL CONTINUED FROM A7

Having lots of pitching is by design. After losing a sizable chunk of their arms to injuries last season, their depth was tested and the coaches knew they needed to be more prepared for the possibility of that same thing happening again.

Injuries are a natural part of the game, after all.

So they went out and recruited—hard. GVSU will be rolling into the season with at least 18 pitchers on their active roster (barring anything unforeseen), one of whom was last year’s staff ace: Ryan Arnold.

hockey club developed.

“The purpose of college is building friendships and networking, and meet all kinds of personalities and cultural backgrounds,” Ebsch said. “We did this because we care about our brother and we wanted to get involved with the community.”

Bjork knows this is only the beginning, and though he paved the way for his successors, he has faith in the younger players to do just as well, if not better. Link is on the same page as his captain.

“We will have the same amount of involvement,” Link said. “We already have guys set to take over next year. We’ll continue to do what we’ve already built up.”

GVSU hockey set the bar high for the following years and most importantly sent a message across all campuses. Sports do unite people, although they shouldn’t be the only way to do so.

“It doesn’t have to be with

“(I want to) give the team a chance to win every time I go out there, try to ride my hot hand from the last half of last season, just go out there and compete,” Arnold said.

In 2017, Arnold led the team in earned run average (3.03), opposing batting average (.192), wins (six), innings pitched (74.1), strikeouts (63) and fewest hits allowed (52). He will help the eight new pitchers get acclimated to the culture at GVSU. With the new players comes a new pitching coach in Shane Street, an addition that Arnold and the other pitchers are thoroughly enjoying.

“One of our big additions would obviously be coach Street,” Arnold said. “He’s

Everything is going according to plan for Grand Valley State women’s basketball after they blew out Purdue Northwest 78-36 on Saturday, Jan. 27.

The Lakers are coming off excellent performances from guards Natalie Koenig and Jenn DeBoer, who combined to score 31 points and hit six 3-pointers in the win. Coach Mike Williams was very proud of the way his team took care of business against a team they were supposed to blow out.

“I thought we played really well last week,” Williams said.

“I thought we played really well to start the second half, and we continued to play hard, so that was good to see.”

With the win, their record improves to 17-3 overall (10-2 GLIAC) as they sit tied for first atop the GLIAC North Division with Michigan Tech.

That top spot will be up for grabs as GVSU will travel to the Upper Peninsula this weekend for a rematch with Michigan Tech on Thursday, Feb. 1, and with Northern Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 3.

In order to prepare for two of the GLIAC’s best programs, Williams is providing his team with some muchneeded rest to keep their legs fresh and minds calm.

“We got to keep doing what we’ve been doing in the past to prepare for these teams, but I thought we needed to take Monday off,” Williams said. “A lot of our players have logged a lot of major minutes, and we’re trying to keep everyone’s legs fresh, so hopefully this rest helps.”

On Saturday, the Lakers will face the Wildcats of

Northern Michigan for the second time this year. The Wildcats currently sit in the middle of the pack in the GLIAC. In their first battle, GVSU got the win in a 66-59 doubleovertime thriller at home.

Northern Michigan has seen a lot of success out of their posts, as they have three girls who have averaged five or more rebounds in conference play this year: Lexi Smith, Taylor Hodell and Erin Honkala.

Rebounding isn’t Smith’s only strength, however. She has also been averaging 14.7 points and shooting 45 percent from the field in conference play as a freshman. Coach Williams and the Lakers aren’t taking this team lightly.

“They put the ball on the block, and they’ve got some really good posts,” Williams said.

“Smith has been playing really well for them, and they are really solid when it comes to taking shots away for their opponents, especially on the perimeter.”

However, the more anticipated matchup is Thursday’s game against the Huskies of Michigan Tech. The first game had the Lakers taking a rough overtime loss during their DeltaPlex season opener. This time, the stakes have been raised, as the winner will take sole possession of first place in the GLIAC North Division and second overall.

The Huskies can pour in buckets from all over the court, as they are currently averaging 72.7 points per game.

The roster is quite experienced and features three seniors who average more than 10 points: Kelli Guy (11.8 ppg), Lindsay Winter (12.2 ppg) and Brenna Hiese (11.8 ppg). Michigan Tech can score at will, but Williams has his girls ready for an-

other shootout.

“They are the best offensive team in the conference, and they don’t turn the ball over a lot,” Williams said. “You’ve got to be on your toes because they can shoot it at any point in time, and they have been really good at getting to the rim.”

The Lakers are excited to get their revenge on the Huskies, but they’ll have to play at an almost perfect level to avenge their previous matchup.

“We’re excited to go up to the U.P. and see what happens,” Williams said. “It’s one of those things where we thought we played pretty well (the first game), but they just played better, so we got to play well up there.”

What makes these two matchups especially rough is the fact that GVSU will have a lot of traveling to do to get all the way up to the coldest part of Michigan. But the team is more excited for this road trip as it is a chance not only to bond as a team but also to prove themselves against some top-notch competition.

“This is a group that doesn’t mind a lot of travel since they love being together,” Williams said on the five-plus-hour road trip ahead for GVSU. “It’s really neat that most of their families will make the trek up there with us.

“They are of course excited to miss a couple days of school. So, yes, we’re pretty pumped for this road trip.”

GVSU looks to pick up two more wins and gain sole control of the crown in the GLIAC this week. Thursday’s game with Michigan Tech is set to tip off at 5:30 p.m., and Saturday’s game against Northern Michigan is set to tip off at 3 p.m.

FACE-OFF: A member of the GVSU men’s DIII hockey team faces off against Hope College during the team’s ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ event Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Georgetown Ice Center. During the event, the Lakers raised over $7,000 for cancer research. GVL | DYLAN MCINTYRE

sports,” Link said. “It has to be anybody. Just your normal person should be giving back as much as possible.”

In his four years with GVSU,

Bjork learned something that will last with him for a lifetime, and it cannot be found in a book or on the ice rink.

“Don’t be afraid to get

involved,” Bjork said. “The organizations we’ve partnered with have been really easy to work with, and it’s been very self-fulfilling to

see events like this grow and know that as small as you are you can have an impact on many lives.”

brought in a different culture than what most of our guys are used to. I’d definitely give a lot of credit to the pitching staff on the addition of coach Street. He’s been doing a lot, working with guys, working with … pretty much everything that goes into pitching.

He’s been the guy to look to.

He’s definitely been a huge asset that we have.”

Street has brought in a new pitching program to help his pitchers improve their velocity and control while making the best of the fact that the team has to practice indoors for the time being.

With the cold West Michigan winter, the Lakers have been relegated to the Kelly Family Sports Center for al-

most the entire offseason.

Although that’s not an ideal setting for baseball, they have been making the best of the situation and are still managing to use their time effectively, even if it’s not out on the diamond.

“Just preparing us to be successful is what we’ve been doing,” Ladoux said. “Defensively, just kind of getting the small ball type of stuff, the things we can do inside like ground balls, bunt defense, working on all the small little things in baseball that you don’t do a lot in the games, but when you do them, you need to do them.

We’ve been doing that a lot, just kind of getting our reps inside while we can.”

With depth, small ball and

star power already looking like strengths, the Lakers also see themselves as a proficient hitting and pitching team that can field the ball cleanly and make almost any play that comes to them. So, if that’s the case, what could possibly be the Lakers’ weakness?

“I don’t really think we have any,” Arnold said. “Having a completely new lineup from what we were going with last year compared to this year, you would think inexperience would be what would hurt us, but I don’t think that’s going to be a problem at all.”

So, for a team that has filled vacancies with experienced players to add to the ones already here that can mash and record outs, what is the ceiling?

Where do the Lakers see themselves once May rolls around and the regular season is in the rearview mirror?

“I hope we make it all,” Ladoux said. “These guys, … this is my last year. Last year, might as well go out with a bang. We’ve got the guys, got the talent and I think we can do a lot of damage this year, especially in our conference. I think we’ve got a chance to go all the way to the big time, World Series. No doubt.”

The expectation-laden season leads off with a non-conference doubleheader against the Ohio Dominican Panthers in Mason, Ohio, on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 1 p.m.

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

SPORTS | A9

COLUMN

Super Bowl LII predictions Lanthorn sports staff bets on outcome of big game sell their souls to their lord and savior, Bill Belichick. You might just be tired of people who win.

But if you’re thinking the Eagles are actually going to win this game, let me take you on a walk down reality-check road with a couple of questions: Are you really going to bet against the most dominant franchise in all of sports in the past two decades? Do you truly believe Nick Foles will be the quarterback who finally hoists the first Super Bowl trophy in Philadelphia Eagles history?

Have you heard of who plays quarterback for the Patriots? (Hint: rhymes with Dom Trady.) Do you know what the term GOAT means?

Do you know that the value of his five Super Bowl rings— that can fit on one hand (if he puts one on his thumb)—is more than my entire life?

And more importantly, if the Patriots have the ball—and are down—with less than four minutes left, do you really believe the Eagles are going to stop Tom “The Comeback Kid” Brady from making miraculous pass after miraculous pass en route of hoisting his sixth Super Bowl trophy?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please slide into my Twitter DMs (@TheTrianoKid) so we can arrange a bet and I can take all of your money.

Bonus conspiracy theory: If Tom Brady retires after realizing he has just too much jewelry, watch out for the Pats to pick up Kirk Cousins.

You heard it here first. If this theory actually becomes true, remember my name because I’m going to be famous and #TooCool for all of you.

As a diehard New York Giants fan, I cannot get myself to root for the Eagles

come Sunday. As much as I would love to see Tom Brady lose, I don’t see it happening in this matchup. I would, however, like to mention that Eli Manning and the Giants are the only team to defeat the GOAT and the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Dilly dilly.

The Eagles will be relying heavily on their defense and their running game against a strong Pats offense, and it’s likely they will find themselves tired out as a result. Brady and Nick Foles are obviously not on the

same level of play, either. No comparison. Combine that force with the coaching of Bill Belichick—the happiestlooking coach in the NFL— and the Patriots are pretty much unstoppable.

Likewise, Brady is one of the most, if not the most, reliable quarterbacks in the league. That’s why he is now in the running for his sixth ring.

Also, it’s about time for him to hang up the ol’ cleats. As this may be the last game Brady ever throws a deflated ball, he’s going to make it count. Bet.

Louis Ricard: Patriots 17, Eagles 10

This has to be the most surprising matchup in recent history. On one side of the ball sit Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the most dominant duo in football history. On the other side?

A dude who went camping last summer to meditate about his football career and a head coach whom only true fans know.

When I put it this way, it seems like there is no point

in watching the game, and to be honest, I did think it was going to be a blowout for the longest time.

Nick Foles is not the greatest of all time by any means, but if there is one thing I’ve learned about him, it’s that he gets the job done.

Statistically speaking, our camping fanatic is better than Carson Wentz in terms of wins, touchdown-interception

BY LANTHORN SPORTS SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM

Robbie Triano: Patriots 24, Eagles 21

Whether you like it or not, Tom Brady and the Patriots are going to win their sixth Super Bowl. I’m sorry to spoil the game well before it begins.

You may hate Brady. You may believe their organization is comprised of a herd of cheaters who would willingly

Jenna Fracassi: Patriots 30, Eagles 24

Kellen Voss: Patriots 27, Eagles 14

Brady McAtamney: Patriots 23, Eagles 17

REPEAT OF ‘04: After a long NFL season, the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles will battle each other for the Super Bowl trophy Sunday, Feb. 4. COURTESY | NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

ratio and healthy knees.

His team rallied behind him when he had to come in following the MVP candidate as the season was coming down to an end, and he prevailed.

Then there is the actual GOAT (and there is no debate about that): Tom “Piercing Blue Eyes” Brady.

The 40-year-old is going for his sixth ring, and that’s quite frankly absurd.

Here’s the deal. Philadelphia’s defense is fun to watch, and they love to pressure the quarterback with all different kind of schemes. Their issue is the deep and outside ball, something the brand-new Patriots receiver Brandin Cooks loves to catch. If— and I mean when—Brady sees the mismatch and the man-on-man coverage, I expect him to toss it up for

Cooks to chase it down the field and make a few big plays in the game.

Philly will keep it close and this will be a low-scoring game, but ultimately, who would you trust with two minutes left on the clock in the fourth quarter, Tom Brady or Nick Foles?

We have all been around toddlers who are learning to walk for the first time, and it’s the cutest thing in the world.

They often stumble at first, only able to take one or two steps.

But occasionally, it appears that a toddler has finally figured out how to walk, taking six or seven steps in a row before eventually stumbling over with a frustrated demeanor and a somber look on their face.

That six or seven steps in a row is what this postseason has

felt like for Nick Foles. Yes, he has looked great all postseason long and has managed to lead Philly to the Super Bowl despite being in the backup quarterback role all season long. And while he looked unstoppable last week, he has never played in a big game like this. I have a gut feeling he’ll lose his nerve and we’ll see the Nick Foles we all know and love as he throws his second interception before the end of the first half.

With Bill Belicheck’s ex-

pert coaching, Matt Patricia’s complicated defense (can’t wait to see you in Detroit, Matt) and the best NFL quarterback in history at the helm, expect to see the Patriots’ dynasty dominate yet again. We’ve been lucky the last 10 years to see some exciting Super Bowls with crazy finishes. This will not be one of them, as the Evil Empire that is New England will add another championship to its hefty resume.

It’s hard to contest that the Patriots and the Eagles are the two best teams in their respective conferences, even if the wunderkind Carson Wentz is still hurt for Philly. Luckily for the birds, they are armed with one of the “elite” backup quarterbacks in the NFL in Nick “Napoleon Dynamite” Foles who is surrounded by a morethan-capable offensive line and offensive weapons galore in guys like Alshon Jeffrey, Zach Ertz, Nelson Agholor, Jay Ajayi

and LeGarrette Blount.

Unfortunately, the underdogs (a label they have so comfortably embraced) are going up against the Greatest of All Time times two in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. They are surrounded by a coaching staff that features two soon-to-be head coaches (hello, Matt Patricia) and a team that has come out victorious in 14 of their last 15 games and— oh, yeah—won last year’s Super Bowl on the back of one of the greatest comebacks in the his-

tory of sports.

With Brady and his Gronkof-mass-destruction seemingly good to go for the big game, it looks like the only thing that could possibly slow their roll is themselves. Don’t get me wrong, the Eagles deserve to be the NFC’s representative in Minneapolis, especially after decimating the hosting Vikings in the conference title game, but they simply won’t be enough to get in the way of the GOAT and a sixth ring.

Arpan Lobo: Eagles 23, Patriots 21

Now that that’s out of the way, I think that writing off Philadelphia isn’t exactly a foregone conclusion. Even with Nick Foles’ limitations, the Eagles’ defense has been opportunistic enough to set the offense up with short fields and make opposing offenses struggle throughout the playoffs.

While Brady might seem invincible, he has lost two Super Bowls before. Each time, he was heavily favored against a team from the NFC North. I think the Eagles are able to make the game ugly enough and keep it close before nailing a game-winning field goal to win 23-21.

D’Angelo Starks: Eagles 31, Patriots 27

On the flip side, the Eagles saw Nick Foles swoop in and save their Super Bowl chances after the tragic injury to Carson Wentz.

This is what I expect to happen Sunday: The Eagles’ defense will make Brady a little uncomfortable with its strong front seven, and Foles will play

just well enough for the Eagles to secure a 31-27 victory. Foles will then sign a $100-million deal with the Browns, and all will be right with the world again.

First things first, Blake Bortles and my beloved Jacksonville Jaguars deserve to be in the Super Bowl. If it weren’t for the high-level collusion between the NFL and crooked Tom Brady, they would be in Minneapolis. Sad!

“The Patriots are AFC champs” may officially be the most common phrase used in modern sports. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have done it again, and—no surprise—the Patriots are favored over the Eagles on Super Bowl Sunday.

FEBRUARY 1, 2018 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS

A10 | SPORTS CLUB WRESTLING

GV wrestling finishes third in Nationals preview

BY D’ANGELO STARKS DSTARKS@LANTHORN.COM

The Grand Valley State club wrestling team traveled to Liberty University to participate in the NWCA National Dual.

This is a tournament that teams participate in to gauge the competition they will see in the National Tournament in March.

The tournament is set up so the teams wrestle against each other and the winner of the two advances to the next round.

The Lakers came in as the three seed. On Friday, Jan. 26, the Lakers wrestled in three pool-play matches and won all three. First, they took on the Penn State wrestling club and won that dual 39-12. Then, the Lakers faced off against Temple University and dominated the competition with a score of 488. Finally, the team took on the Apprentice School Builders.

This was a much closer dual than the other two, and it actually came down to the final heavyweight bout to determine who would win. Miguel Correa, heavyweight wrestler for GVSU, matched up against a nationally ranked opponent from Apprentice and pinned him, winning the match for the Lakers. The final score of that match was 29-23. The big win from Correa helped the Lakers make it into the tournament bracket and also maintain the three seed they had coming into the tournament.

In the quarterfinals of the tournament bracket GVSU was matched up with the sixth-seeded team from Middle Tennessee State. This matchup was similar to the one with Apprentice, meaning that it all came down to the final bout, but this time the losing team would be eliminated. Once again Correa was tasked with winning his bout in order to secure the victory for his team, and he came through just as he had earlier. Correa took on the fourth-ranked heavyweight in the NWCA and managed to pin him to push his team to a 32-21 victory.

The Lakers went on to the semifinals to face a familiar foe: Liberty University, a team that has met up with GVSU in the semifinals each year for the past three years. GVSU won the dual with Liberty in 2016, and Liberty won the dual last year. This year would be much of the same for Liberty. The Lakers got down early in the dual and found themselves in a position where they would have been unable to come back, so they conceded the dual with Liberty and forfeited the final three weights. Liberty took this dual 44-6.

Although not exactly the outcome he had hoped for, GVSU club wrestling coach Rick Bolhuis saw a lot of positives from his team in the tournament.

“The team really competed hard,” Bolhuis said. “Even in individual matches we lost and in our dual loss to Liberty, we competed hard despite the score or circumstance. That mentality is important when trying to be in the hunt for a team National Championship.”

This weekend saw some big performances from several wrestlers on the team. Correa, who sealed multiple victories for the Lakers, had four wins, one loss and three pins. The biggest performer in terms of points was Brendan Hazelton, who had five wins, one loss and four pins, and scored a total of 29 points for the team.

Brenden DeVries had five wins, one loss, two pins and one major decision. Other big performances came from Nick Reddy, Joe Posledni and Jake Sobeck who each won four duals for the weekend.

“I think our guys realized we are more competitive than they’d been giving themselves credit for,” Bolhuis said. “Additionally, we earn 14 points to carry over to the National Tournament in March. It’s nice to have a little cushion on some of the field.”

The Lakers will be in action again Saturday, Feb. 3, at home in the Laker Classic Wrestling Tournament.

NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: A member of the GVSU men’s club wrestling team prepares to take down his opponent during the team’s host event, the GVSU Duals—their first event of the new year—on Sunday, Jan. 14, at the GVSU Fieldhouse Arena. GVL | SPENCER SCARBER

L A K E R E XC H A N G E Announcements Context for a complex World: Staying informed matters more than ever. The World Affairs Council's annual Great Decisions series begins January 29 and brings 8 critical global conversations going on till March 26. Get more information at worldmichigan.org or call 616.776.1721

Mercy Health Physician Partners, one of the largest primary and specialty physician networks in West Michigan is now ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS. For more information call 616.773.2717 or check out their website MercyHealthPhysicianPartners.com Located at 1175 Wilson Avenue NW Walker, MI 49534

Work on Mackinac Island this summer Make lifelong friends!

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3 rooms available at 48 West, Allendale, MI | 4 bed 4.5 bath: $557 Looking for students to take over three (possibly four) leases at 48 West apartments! Willing to discuss sublet fees, also includes free parking and two Mennas Joint gift cards with about $200 on each.

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Our townhomes and Allendale apartments in Allendale offer modern amenities, comfort, privacy, and a great location.

Conveniently located at the 48th Avenue entrance to Grand Valley State Universityʼs Allendale campus. Schedule a tour today and experience the best off-campus, GVS U apartments in the Allendale rental market!

One bedroom sublet immediately available at Meadows Crossing Apartments! No curren t housemates, just you for $595. Text (248) 219-9405 for details!

Announcements Introducing the GVSU student initiated combine degree!

Combine your bachelor's and master's degree and get a jump on the job market.

Get more information at gvsu.edu/sicd

FREE CLASSIFIEDS FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF some restrictions apply email lakerexchange@lanthorn.com for more info on restrictions FOR COMMERCIAL RATES EMAIL

lakerexchange@lanthorn.com OR CALL

Employment WORK ON MACKINAC ISLAND THIS SUMMER! They are seeking help in all areas: Front Desk, bell Staff, Wait Staff, Sales Clerk, Kitchen, Baristas.

For more information visit www.theislandhouse.com Make lifelong friends!

GVSU Opera Theater Presents: Rogers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! Located at the Louis Armstong Theatre, Allendale Showings: Feb. 2,3,8,10 @ 7;30pm and Feb. 4,11 at 2:00pm Tickets: $14 for adults, 12 for seniors, GVSU alumni, faculty & staff, $6 for students To buy tickets or get more information visit gvsu.edu/theatre, 616-3312300, or StarTickets.com We are located near the John Ball Zoo and are looking for a part-time (2-3 hours per week) house keeper to clean, do laundry and shop for groceries. Pay is negotiable. If you have any questions or interested in the job email Jenn at freeman.jenn@gmail.com

Have you got something to say? PUT IT IN THE LANTHORN! We will post your subleasing ads, employment ads, and for your student organization here in the Lanthorn. Send what you want to say to lakerechange@lanthorn.com

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