GLIAC – The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced the recipients of the Spring 2026 Commissioner’s Awards.
Included in the standout group is the a two-time league softball player of the year, the 2026 conference softball defensive player of the year, the GLIAC women's golf individual medalist, the GLIAC men's tennis player of the year and a consensus All-American shortstop and first baseman.
Ferris State's Kamryn Shannon and Grand Valley State's Evan Morrison were the award's top female and male vote getters, respectively.
The awards are bestowed after the fall, winter and spring athletic seasons to six female and six male student-athletes of junior, senior or graduate student status that excel both in the classroom and in competition. All grade-point averages are based on a 4.0 scale.
The six female student-athlete recipients are:
• Macy Irelan, Saginaw Valley State
• Mia Johnson, Parkside
• Alexis Kozlowski, Ferris State
• Maggie O'Malley, Grand Valley State
• Kamryn Shannon, Ferris State
• Ana Tucker, Grand Valley State
The six male student-athlete recipients are:
• Eli Baumann, Purdue Northwest
• Jovan Gill, Grand Valley State
• Luis Klaus, Wayne State
• Erik Kovacs, Ferris State
• Kevin Kovacs, Ferris State
• Evan Morrison, Grand Valley State
Macy Irelan • Saginaw Valley State • Softball • Senior • Owosso, Mich. • 3.94 GPA • Teacher Education (Lower Elementary with Special Ed)
Macy Irelan adds GLIAC Commissioner’s Award honors to her stellar second season with Saginaw Valley State Softball. Irelan appeared in 28 games and recorded 22 starts in the circle for the Cardinals in her second season with the team. She finished the year with a 17-5 record with two saves and 15 complete games, while pitching in 153.2 innings. During those appearances, she surrendered 44 earned runs while leading the team in strikeouts (151) for the second-straight season. The 2025 GLIAC Pitcher of the Year recorded a team-best 6.88 strikeouts-per-seven-innings and finished the season with a 2.00 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. She finished the season in the top 25 of D2 in WHIP (19
th) and Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (24
th) with 3.97. Irelan had three games with double-digit strikeouts (at #23 Barry Feb. 7 – 10 K, at Davenport Mar. 22 – 13 K, and Purdue Northwest Apr. 26 – 10 K), registering a season-high of 13 strikeouts at Davenport on March 22. She earned first team All-GLIAC honors for the second-consecutive season as well as D2CCA and NFCA first-team All-Midwest Region nods. The Owosso, Michigan native, added College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® honors to her resume for her work on the diamond and the classroom.
Mia Johnson • Parkside • Softball • Senior • South Milwaukee, Wis. • 3.89 GPA • Sports Management
Mia Johnson, a senior third baseman and sport management major at Parkside, has been named a recipient of the 2026 GLIAC Commissioner’s Award for the second straight season after continuing to showcase excellence both on and off the field. Johnson closed one of the most decorated careers in Parkside softball history by earning unanimous First Team All-America honors from the NFCA and D2CCA, becoming a two-time NFCA All-American after earning Third Team All-America honors in 2025. She started all 52 games for the Rangers in 2026 and produced the most complete season of her career, slashing .456/.605/.966 with 67 hits, 57 runs, 20 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs, 43 RBI, 142 total bases, 56 walks and seven stolen bases. Johnson was also outstanding defensively at third base, making just three errors all season while posting a .981 fielding percentage with 69 putouts and 90 assists. She led the GLIAC in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, doubles, doubles per game, home runs, home runs per game, runs, runs per game, total bases and walks per game, while ranking among the top players in NCAA Division II in several major offensive categories. Johnson finished the season ranked third nationally in slugging percentage, fifth in on-base percentage, eighth in total bases, 10th in home runs, 13th in doubles, 17th in runs, 19th in batting average and second in walks per game. She was named First Team All-GLIAC for the fourth time in her career after hitting .372 with a .533 on-base percentage and a .692 slugging percentage in conference play. Johnson’s career also included back-to-back GLIAC Player of the Year honors in 2024 and 2025, and she added another program milestone on the final day of the regular season by breaking Parkside’s all-time career doubles record with her 58th career double, passing Jackie Aiken and breaking a record that had stood for nearly three decades.
Alexis Kozlowski • Ferris State • Softball • Junior • Gaylord, Mich. • 3.68 GPA • Elementary Education
Ferris State University junior first baseman Alexis Kozlowski had an impressive season for the Bulldogs on the diamond. The Gaylord, Mich., native started all 57 games and ranked among the league and national leaders in multiple statistical categories. She tallied a team-high 70 hits with 54 RBI’s and netted 42 runs scored, 20 doubles, seven home runs and three triples. She set a new school single-season mark with her 20 doubles en route to claiming All-GLIAC First Team honors. Kozlowski was also an all-region choice and earned the 2026 GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year distinction. She helped FSU to a runner-up finish in both the conference regular season and the league tournament while posting 37 wins on the year.
Maggie O'Malley • Grand Valley State • Outdoor Track & Field • Redshirt Senior • McBain, Mich. • 3.708 GPA • Social Work
Senior track and field athlete Maggie O’Malley has been named a recipient of the Spring 2026 GLIAC Commissioner’s Award. A first-time honoree, O’Malley earned this honor as a result of excellence on the track and in the classroom. During the outdoor season, she qualified for the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a personal-best 10000m time, crossing the finish line at 34:46.54 to punch her ticket and rank ninth in program history. At the championships, O’Malley earned Second-Team All-America honors with a 12th place finish in the 10k at 35:32.69. In the classroom, the McBain, Mich. native was named to Grand Valley State’s President’s List for earning a perfect 4.00 GPA during the winter 2026 semester, contributing to her 3.708 cumulative GPA. Over the course of her career, she has placed in the top 10 at GLIAC Championships on seven occasions from 2023 through 2026 and has earned two USTFCCCA All-Region honors. O’Malley was also a point scorer for GVSU’s 2025 National Championship-winning women’s cross country team. During this race, O’Malley finished 22nd overall to earn her first USTFCCCA First-Team All-America honor.
Kamryn Shannon • Ferris State • Golf • Senior • Jackson, Mich. • 3.85 GPA • Sports Communication
Senior standout Kamryn Shannon earned the 2026 GLIAC Player of the Year Award for the Ferris State University women’s golf team and was the individual medalist at the 2026 GLIAC Championships in addition garnering All-America recognition. Shannon placed among the top 20 golfers in tournament action a total of 12 times this year and she had a total of 10 top 10 efforts. Shannon led the Bulldogs to the 2026 GLIAC Championship and helped FSU earn a spot in the NCAA Division II National Championships for the second consecutive year. The four-time all-conference choice and team captain also garnered GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team recognition.
Ana Tucker • Grand Valley State • Outdoor Track & Field • Graduate Student • Midland, Mich. • 4.0 GPA • Physical Therapy
Track and field athlete Ana Tucker has been named a Spring 2026 GLIAC Commissioner’s Award honoree following an impressive season and career. The distance runner closed out her collegiate-athletic career during the 2026 outdoor track and field season and did so in All-American fashion. At the 2026 NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, the Midland, Mich. native raced in the 5000m and 10000m events; she placed sixth in the 10000m to earn her 16th USTFCCCA First-Team All-America honor and placed 12th in the 5000m to earn Second-Team All-America honors. In the classroom, Tucker earned a perfect 4.00 GPA while pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy. Her hard work in the classroom was reflected by a spot on GVSU’s President’s List and a 4.00 cumulative GPA. Over the course of her academic-athletic career, Tucker has earned 16 USTFCCCA First-Team All-America honors and four USTFCCCA Cross Country All-Region honors. While competing for GVSU, she competed on the national championship-winning 2023 cross country team, finishing 14th overall. At the 2024 NCAA DII Indoor Championships, Tucker finished third in the 5000m at a personal-best 16:08.43 to rank third in program history. Her name is listed in the women’s 10000m in GVSU’s all-time top-10 record book, where she ranks fifth with a time of 34:27.84.
Eli Baumann • Purdue Northwest • Outdoor Track & Field • Senior • Allendale, Mich. • 3.79 GPA • Mechanical Engineering
Purdue Northwest Track & Field senior student-athlete Eli Baumann has been honored as a recipient of the 2026 Spring GLIAC Commissioners Award. Baumann becomes the first PWN Track & Field student-athlete to earn this prestigious honor and third PNW student-athlete overall. Baumann had an incredible senior season with several top marks and records including a phenomenal end to the season at the 2026 GLIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships where he took the javelin throw title and was given Field Athlete of the Meet and High Point Athlete of the Meet at the conclusion of the championships becoming the first-ever PNW track and field student-athlete to receive these honors. Baumann also showcased his talents in the classroom with a cumulative GPA of 3.79 as an engineering major, representing the true meaning of a student-athlete.
Jovan Gill • Grand Valley State • Baseball • Senior • Ft. Myers, Fla. • 3.72 GPA • Journalism/Broadcast/Digital
Grand Valley State senior first baseman Jovan Gill was a consensus All-American for the Lakers on the diamond, earning D2CCA First-Team honors and NCBWA Second-Team plaudits. Gill earned ABCA, NCBWA and D2CCA Midwest All-Region honors, while also being tabbed First-Team All-GLIAC and a GLIAC All-Tournament team selection. Gill hit .382 with 92 hits, 60 runs scored, 90 RBI, 19 doubles and 15 home runs. He led the GLIAC, ranked fourth nationally and set a GVSU single-season record with his 90 RBI. In addition, he set a GVSU single-season mark with 158 total bases. Gill tallied 32 multi-hit games, 23 multi-RBI games, a season-best 19-game hitting streak and drove in a run in 44 games. Grand Valley State claimed the 2026 GLIAC regular season and tournament titles, Midwest Region 1 title and finished with a 48-10 record.
Luis Klaus • Wayne State • Tennis • Graduate Student • Brühl, Germany • 3.918 GPA • Master of Business Administration
Wayne State University men's tennis graduate student Luis Klaus is a recipient of a 2026 GLIAC Spring Commissioner's Award for his work both on the tennis court and in the classroom. On the court, he compiled a 24-8 singles record, including a 16-5 mark at No. 2 singles in dual matches. Klaus was ranked No. 37 nationally (as of April 29) and was as high as No. 33 in the country (March 18). He had a 23-20 overall doubles record, including an 11-13 mark at first doubles in dual matches. In GLIAC regular-season matches, Klaus went 5-1 in singles and 3-3 in doubles. He was a First Team All-GLIAC selection in singles, while earning Second Team recognition in doubles. Klaus and doubles partner Harry Forsyth earned an at-large bid to the ITA Cup after finishing as the runner-up during the ITA Midwest Regional Championships. The GLIAC Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week (March 3, 2026), Klaus helped the Green and Gold to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (2025 and 2026). Off the court, he compiled a 3.918 cumulative GPA during his four semesters at WSU to earn his MBA. Klaus earned a bachelor's degree from TH Köln in Germany prior to attending WSU. He was on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) for all four semesters, including two 4.0 terms. A two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete, Klaus will also be a recipient of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award.
Erik Kovacs • Ferris State • Tennis • Senior • Toronto, Ontario • 3.95 GPA • Criminal Justice
Ferris State University standout Erik Kovacs helped lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen for the first time in nine years this past season. Kovacs ranked among the league and region’s top performers, recording a 16-8 doubles record at the number one flight in the lineup. In addition, he also won 12 singles matches as a regular starter in the Bulldog lineup along with dropping only one conference doubles match this season. Kovacs claimed All-GLIAC First Team recognition and played a key role in the Bulldogs winning both the GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships this year. The four-year letterwinner has also been a GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team selection and was tabbed to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District squad.
Kevin Kovacs • Ferris State • Tennis • Senior • Toronto, Ontario • 3.90 GPA • Business Administration
Ferris State University junior Kevin Kovacs claimed the 2026 GLIAC Player of the Year honor and was also chosen as the 2026 ITA Midwest Region Player of the Year in addition to being a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America choice. Kovacs posted a 19-6 overall singles record this year and had a total combined singles and doubles mark of 34-12 overall while holding down the top spot in the FSU lineup. He was a top 50-ranked singles and doubles player in the country and garnered All-GLIAC honors for the fourth time in his collegiate career. His performance led the Bulldogs to both the conference regular season and tournament championships along with a trip to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen for the first time in nine seasons.
Evan Morrison • Grand Valley State • Baseball • Senior • Wheatley, Ontario • 3.79 GPA • Sport Management
Grand Valley State senior shortstop Evan Morrison turned in a stellar senior year for the Lakers on the diamond. Morrison was a consensus All-American as selected by ABCA, D2CCA and NCBWA, while also earning GLIAC Player of the Year, First-Team All-GLIAC and GLIAC All-Tournament team honors. Morrison hit .410 with 104 hits, 88 runs scored, 15 doubles, six triples, six home runs and 51 RBI. The slick fielding shortstop also stole 27 bases. Morrison’s hit total led the GLIAC and ranked fifth nationally, while his 88 runs scored set a GLIAC and GVSU single-season record. He scored a run in 42 games, scored two or more runs 27 times, tallied 32 multi-hit games, including 16 games with three hits or more, and reached base via a hit, walk or hit by pitch 137 times. In addition, he accounted for 139 runs (runs scored-RBI). Grand Valley State claimed the 2026 GLIAC regular season and tournament titles, Midwest Region 1 title and finished with a 48-10 record. Grand Valley State claimed the 2026 GLIAC regular season and tournament titles, Midwest Region 1 title and finished with a 48-10 record.
