Women
Allyson Cappel, Ferris State volleyball
Jr., 3.57 GPA, Elementary Education
Ferris State standout outside hitter Allyson Cappel (Tinley Park, Ill.) led the Bulldogs to both a fifth-straight GLIAC Regular Season Championship along with a fifth consecutive GLIAC Tournament title under head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm this past fall. She was chosen as the GLIAC Player of the Year for the second-straight season and was a conensus All-America choice, becoming only the second player in FSU history to earn American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America honors three times in her collegiate career.
Cappel tallied a team-leading 417 kills along with 408 digs, 50 blocks and 23 aces as FSU's most versatile weapon. The three-time all-league honoree helped guide FSU to a 27-5 overall record and the Bulldogs went a perfect 16-0 in the GLIAC, which represented their first unblemished mark in league action since 1990.
Cappel posted 28 double-figure efforts in kills this past season and tallied 10 digs or more in 25 outings. Her play helped the Bulldogs reach the Midwest Region semifinals for the eighth consecutive year and the Bulldogs became the first team in league history to win five-straight conference tournament crowns.
Carley Dubbert, Ferris State soccer
Sr., 3.98 GPA, Pharmacy
Ferris State senior captain Carley Dubbert (St. Joseph's, Mich.) led the Bulldog women's soccer squad to its most historic season in school history. Behind her leadership, the Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in program history, winning their first two games en route to a Sweet Sixteen finish.
As a senior this past season, Dubbert tallied 23 points with eight goals and seven assists in 24 outings. She notched 76 total shots, including 37 on net and finished with three game-winning markers for the Bulldogs. Dubbert was also an All-GLIAC honoree for the third time and departed as one of the winningest seniors in program history while earning conference all-academic recognition each season of her career.
In her final campaign, Dubbert was both a 2018 Google Cloud/CoSIDA Academic All-District pick and an all-region choice for the Bulldogs, who were ranked nationally a majority of the season for the first time in school history. FSU finished second in the GLIAC Regular Season standings, which was the team's highest finish ever, and also made their first-ever appearance in the GLIAC Tournament Championship game. Dubbert was a two-time United Soccer Coaches Scholar-Athlete Award recipient in addition to being a four-year starter and letterwinner at Ferris State.
Hannah Groeber, Grand Valley State cross country
R-So., 3.81 GPA, Biomedical Sciences
Laker standout Hanna Groeber (Stuttgart, Germany) was honored as a 2018 GLIAC Commissioners honoree after turning in an outstanding cross country campaign. Groeber concluded the 2018 season by earning USTFCCCA All-American honors for the first time in her career after she placed sixth at the 2018 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships with a time of 22:40.6. Groeber’s finish helped the Lakers capture their sixth cross country national title since 2010.
During the postseason, Groeber finished 11th or better at every level as she recorded a third-place finish at the GLIAC Cross Country Championships, placed 11th at the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Championships, and a sixth-place finish at NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. Groeber added more to her cross country resume after she earned First Team All-GLIAC for the first time in her career and USTFCCCA Regional honors for the second straight year. In the classroom, Groeber worked through her coursework as a Biomedical Science major and carried a 3.81 cumulative GPA. Groeber, a 2017 USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree, also earned GLIAC Academic Excellence honors during the fall season.
Gina Patterson, Grand Valley State cross country
Sr., 3.84 GPA, Exercise Science
Grand Valley State standout Gina Patterson (Washington, Mich.) concluded her cross country career after she earned USTFCCCA All-America honors for the third time in her career as she placed ninth at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships with a time of 22:53.3. Patterson’s finish helped GVSU capture its sixth cross country national title since 2010.
During the postseason, Patterson always finished ninth or better, including two second-place finishes at the GLIAC Championships and at the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Championships. She ended her cross country career with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships. Patterson also added more to her cross country resume after she earned First Team All-GLIAC and USTFCCCA Regional honors for the third time in her career. In the classroom, Patterson worked through her coursework as an Exercise Science major and carried a 3.84 cumulative GPA. The Laker senior was also a 2017 GLIAC Commissioners recipient and a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic and GLIAC All-Academic Excellence honoree during the fall season.
Tetyana Pavych, Northwood tennis
Sr., 3.83 GPA, Management Information Systems
Senior Tetyana Pavych (Lviv, Ukraine) led Northwood to a share of the GLIAC Women's Tennis Championship this season and was named the GLIAC Player of the Year. Playing from the top of the singles and doubles lineups, she went 7-2 at No. 1 singles and a perfect 9-0 at No. 1 doubles with partner Carol Arnez-Mercado.
Over her career for the Timberwolves, Pavych has gone 60-8 overall in singles (37-4 in the GLIAC) and 42-10 in doubles (29-2 the GLIAC). She is the eighth player in school history to earn GLIAC Player of the Year. A Management Information Systems major, Pavych sports a 3.829 GPA and has been named to the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence team three times in her career.
Ashley Vanderhorst, Davenport volleyball
Sr., 3.98 GPA, Nursing
Davenport senior Ashley VanderHorst (Caledonia, Mich.) earned GLIAC All-Academic Excellence for the 2018 fall season with her GPA of 3.98 in Nursing. This was her second straight season earning a spot on the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence team.
VanderHorst was named to the D2CCA All-Midwest Region Volleyball Second Team in mid November. She became the first player in Davenport history to earn D2CCA All-Region recognition. VanderHorst finished the 2018 season with 291 kills, hit .307, 31 service aces, 99 digs, and 150 total blocks. In addition, she was named GLIAC Blocker of The Year and earned a spot on the All-GLIAC First Team. Her GLIAC Blocker of The Year award was the first in program history.
The 6-1 middle blocker led the Panthers to a GLIAC Tournament Championship appearance against Ferris State University. For her efforts during the tournament she was named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team. She finished her DU career sixth in kills with 1,024, sixth in attack percentage with .242, eighth in solo blocks with 40, second in block assists with 412, and second in total blocks with 452. For the final edition of the GLIAC Player of The Week awards during the 2018 season, VanderHorst captured the GLIAC South honors.
Men
Tyler Bradfield, Grand Valley State football
R-So., 4.0 GPA, Finance
Grand Valley State redshirt sophomore linebacker Tyler Bradfield (Rockford, Mich.), who has a 4.0 grade point in Finance, has been named a 2018 Fall GLIAC Commissioner’s Award honoree. Bradfield played a key role in the Lakers’ winning at least 10 games for the fourth time in the last six years.
Bradfield, who started all 12 games, led the Laker defense and ranked third in the GLIAC with 88 total stops (32 solo/56 assisted), while recording 6.5 tackles for loss (-14), a quarterback sack (-5), nine pass deflections, one interception and a fumble recovery. Bradfield tallied seven or more tackles in seven games, including a career-high 15 tackles at Saginaw Valley State. Bradfield, who was named First-Team All-GLIAC, earned CoSIDA Academic All-America plaudits.
Nate Courturier, Davenport football
R-Jr., 3.97 GPA, Accounting
Redshirt junior Nate Couturier (Allendale, Mich.) was named CoSIDA Academic First Team Super Region III as a wide receiver, one of three selected in the region. Couturier showed electrifying moves on punt returns and had 18 punt returns for 240 yards including an 85-yard return for a score against Northern Michigan. That return set a school record for longest punt return, but that wasn't all as Couturier set a single-game record with 142 punt return yards and 253 all-purpose yards in the overtime win earning GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Couturier also is a gifted slot receiver, ranking second on the team with 32 catches for 452 yards and three touchdowns. He carries a 3.97 grade point average and is majoring in accounting.
Leki Prpa, Parkside soccer
R-Jr., 3.97 GPA, Business Management
Leki Prpa (Wind Lake, Wis.) has had an incredible offseason, seeing multiple prestigious awards come his way since the conclusion of the 2018 season. Prpa was named to the Google Cloud Academic All-American First Team, Academic All-District First Team by CoSIDA, GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year, United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region First Team, D2CCA Midwest Region Second Team and First Team All-GLIAC. He is majoring in Business Management and boasts a GPA of 3.97.
Prpa started and played all 17 games for the Rangers. He led the team in goals (7), assists (9), points (23) and game winners (3). His assist total was first in the GLIAC, while his points tied for second and goals was sixth.
Isaiah Stiverson, Ashland football
Sr., 3.73 GPA, Marketing
Senior safety Isaiah Stiverson (Blanchester, Ohio) is Ashland's 39th GLIAC Commissioner's Award recipient, and the seventh earned by the Eagle football program. He was a starting safety for the Eagles in 2018, posting 38 total tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Stiverson has a 3.73 cumulative grade-point average in Marketing, and was named CoSIDA second-team Academic All-American, CoSIDA Academic All-District and first-team All-GLIAC in 2018.
Kyle Toth, Wayne State football
R-Jr., 3.84 GPA, Kinesiology
Wayne State redshirt junior safety Kyle Toth (Hudsonville, Mich.) was voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team last fall, becoming WSU's first football Academic All-American since Hall of Fame inductee Josh Renel was so honored in 2011.
Toth, who served as a team captain in 2018, received All-GLIAC Honorable Mention after he tied for sixth in the GLIAC with two interceptions. Toth led all WSU defensive backs with 62 tackles (34 solo, 28 assisted), including two for loss during the 2018 campaign. He also contributed three pass break-ups and a blocked kick.
Academically, he has earned a spot on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) all seven semesters, including a 4.0 term GPA on four occasions. Toth, who maintains a 3.84 cumulative grade-point average in Kinesiology, has been named to the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team for three consecutive years. In his collegiate career, Toth has played in 30 games, while starting the last 22 contests. He has 147 career tackles (90 solo, 57 assisted) with three interceptions and eight pass break-ups. Toth has three forced fumbles, made one fumble recovery, and has 4.5 tackles for loss.
Ben Walling, Grand Valley State football
Sr., 3.70 GPA, Occupational Safety
Grand Valley State senior offensive tackle Ben Walling (Independence, Ky.), who sports a 3.70 grade point average in Occupational Safety/Health Management, is a 2018 Fall GLIAC Commissioner’s Award honoree. Walling, who graduated in December, turned in an outstanding season on the gridiron and completed an incredible career in the classroom.
Walling started all 12 games at right tackle and was a key figure in a Laker offense that allowed just 12 quarterback sacks in 372 regular season pass attempts. In addition, he played a key role in a GVSU offense that averaged 416.8 total yards and 257.8 passing yards per game. Following his senior campaign Walling earned All-America honors as selected by the Conference Commissioners Association, D2football.com and Don Hansen, while also being named a CoSIDA Academic All-American. The First-Team All-GLIAC honoree earned GLIAC Academic Excellence honors and was a 10-time GVSU Dean’s List honoree.