June 25, 2008

Bay City, Mich. - The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference announced its 2008 Spring Commissioner's Award winners on Tuesday, with Grand Valley State picking up two of them. Stephanie Cole, a senior pitcher on the GVSU softball team, and Derek Hinke, a senior outfielder on the Laker baseball team, became the fourth and fifth GLIAC Commissioner's Award winners this year.

As a senior biomedical science major, Cole led Grand Valley State with 13 wins in the 2008 season, finishing with a record of 13-6. She compiled a team low earned run average of 1.83 with 75 strikeouts. In 126.1 innings pitched, she gave up 99 hits and 45 runs, with 33 of the runs earned. In addition, Cole pitched 14 complete games with seven shutouts. She also recorded two saves on the season, while holding opposing batters to an average of .208. Cole was a First Team All-GLIAC selection following the 2008 season. Cole ranked 72nd in Division II in ERA and 55th in saves, and finished the season 16th in walks allowed per seven innings with 0.89. She earned ESPN the Magazine All-District IV honors in both 2006 and 2007 and was an All-GLIAC Second Team selection in 2006.

Hinke, a statistics major, finished the 2008 season batting .391, which was second on the team. He was also the only Laker to start and play in every game this season. Hinke recorded 192 at-bats, scoring 45 runs and knocking in a team-leading 53 more. He hit six home runs on the season, a team best, and slugged .599 with 18 doubles and two triples. Hinke walked 15 times and struck out just 21 times to finish with an on-base percentage of .430. Hinke earned numerous awards during the 2008 season. He was a First Team All-GLIAC selection, as well as an Academic All-GLIAC honoree. He was also named to the Daktronics North Central Region First Team and the 2008 First Team ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV. Hinke ranked in the top 100 in Division II in doubles per game (46th), doubles (81st) and runs batted in per game (67th).