GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) revealed the postseason awards for the 2022-23 women's basketball season on Friday, as voted on by the league coaches. Saginaw Valley State senior guard Kaitlyn Zarycki was named the GLIAC Player of the Year, Lake Superior State forward Grace Bradford was selected freshman of the year and Grand Valley State's Mike Williams was recognized as conference coach of the year.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Kaitlyn Zarycki, Saginaw Valley State
Senior guard Kaitlyn Zarycki is the first Cardinal to win Player of the Year since Emily Wendling in 2016 and is the fourth league player of the year in program history. She averaged 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 steals per game over her senior campaign. She led the GLIAC in free throw percentage (90.8%), steals per game, and finished the season fourth in total points despite missing four games with a hand injury. Highlights from her immaculate regular-season included breaking the single-game scoring record totaling 44 points on Senior Day over Davenport University and maintaining her current streak of 45 consecutive made free throws.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Grace Bradford, Lake Superior State
Grace Bradford is the fourth LSSU Laker to win GLIAC Freshman of the Year and the first in 17 years, joining Jaclyn Armstrong (2006), Chris Nance (1992), and Deanna Sutton (1988). She played in all 26 games for the Lakers, starting 25, and she averaged 12.4 points on 40.9 percent shooting from the floor while also grabbing 9.9 rebounds per game, ranking second in the GLIAC in rebounding behind only her teammate, Mattison Rayman, with a league-best 8.0 defensive rebounds per game, which is a top-ten mark nationally. Bradford was able to eclipse 20 points on four occasions, including a season-high 26-point performance against Purdue Northwest on Feb, 2, and she scored double-figures in 16 games. She also finished the season with eight double-doubles, 28 steals, and 23 assists.
COACH OF THE YEAR - Mike Williams, Grand Valley State
For the second consecutive season, and the third time during his tenure at GVSU, head coach Mike Williams was named GLIAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year. Williams guided the Lakers to a regular season conference title, the 12 th in program history, as the Lakers went 17-1 during league play to earn their second straight conference championship. At 26-2 overall heading into the GLIAC tournament, Williams has led the Lakers to the number five overall ranking nationally in the WBCA, and they currently sit third in the latest Midwest Regional rankings. Williams won his 200 th game at GVSU earlier this season, becoming the second coach in program history to achieve this feat, and has amassed a record of 204-43 (.826) in his eight years in Allendale, winning 26 or more games six of those seasons. This is the third GLIAC Coach of the Year award for Williams, as he has previously won in 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The First, Second and Defensive All-GLIAC Teams for the 2022-23 women's basketball season are as follows:
First Team All-GLIAC
Tori DePerry, Saginaw Valley State
Ellie Droste, Grand Valley State
Chloe Idoni, Ferris State
Makaylee Kuhn, Northern Michigan
Isabella Lenz, Michigan Tech
Ellie Mackay, Michigan Tech
Alyssa Nelson, Parkside
Dash Shaw, Purdue Northwest
Emily Spitzley, Grand Valley State
Kaitlyn Zarycki, Saginaw Valley State
Second Team All-GLIAC
Rylie Bisballe, Grand Valley State
Becca Fugate, Wayne State
Paty Gallasova, Parkside
Lillee Gustafson, Davenport
Tadrianna Heard, Purdue Northwest
Hannah Kulas, Grand Valley State
Mallory McCartney, Ferris State
Mattison Rayman, Lake Superior State
Alex Rondorf, Michigan Tech
Shea Tripp, Wayne State
All-GLIAC Defensive Team
Rylie Bisballe, Grand Valley State
DeShonna Day, Ferris State
Lillee Gustafson, Davenport
Isabella Lenz, Michigan Tech
Hadley Miller, Grand Valley State
Ana Rhude, Northern Michigan
Alex Rondorf, Michigan Tech
Emily Spitzley, Grand Valley State
Saniaa Walker, Saginaw Valley State
Kaitlyn Zarycki, Saginaw Valley State
