Grand Valley State’s men’s and women’s track and field squads head into the 2025 season ranked first in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) according to the GLIAC Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The poll results were determined based on votes by the coaches of each team.
Released by the GLIAC this afternoon, the poll ranks GVSU’s men first with 81 points and nine votes to win the conference championship title. The Lakers sit just ahead of Saginaw Valley State, who garnered 71 points and one championship vote. Grand Valley State’s women’s squad leads the 10 other GLIAC teams with 100 points and 10 votes to win the 2025 championships. Parkside falls just behind the Laker ladies, earning 84 points and one vote for the conference title.
The men’s team returns 43 athletes from last season, including three that saw competition at the 2024 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. Koby Fraaza and Brock Wooderson return as the elders of the group and are accompanied by redshirt-sophomore Owen Westerkamp. Fifteen newcomers join the men’s squad for the 2025 season.
The Lady Lakers also added 15 to their roster in addition to 21 returning athletes. Lauren Kiley headlines the list, adding three individual cross country championship titles to the team’s accolades. After injury took Kiley out of the 2024 regular season, she bounced back with a vengeance in the postseason. The redshirt-junior went undefeated, winning the GLIAC individual championship title in her first race back before snagging the individual title at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. Kiley closed out her season with a national title-winning 20:28.5 finish in the women’s 6k. Other women returning with 2024 national appearances include Allie Arnsman, Abby Olson, Annika Sandman, Maggie O’Malley and Abigail VanderKooi.
The 2025 Grand Valley State cross country season opens on Friday, September 12 at the Michigan State Spartan Invite. Laker fans can view the full cross country schedule at gvsulakers.com.
