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The Grand Valley State volleyball team will kick off the 2015 season on its home floor this weekend, as the team hosts the GVSU Laker Riverfront Classic. The Lakers will play two matches apiece on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 4-5) inside the Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, as GVSU begins to defend the 2014 Midwest Region championship.
 
Ranked #7 in the AVCA Top-25 Preseason Poll, Grand Valley State hosts this tournament for the third time in the last four years. The Lakers welcome the following teams to Allendale for this year's classic: Bemidji State, Carson-Newman, Concordia-Portland, Daemen, Lock Haven, Ohio Dominican, and Quincy.
 
Here is Grand Valley State's schedule at this weekend's GVSU Laker Riverfront Classic:
 
Friday, Sept. 4
2:00 p.m. vs. Concordia-Portland (19-10 in 2014)
7:00 p.m. vs. Carson-Newman (27-7 In 2014)
 
Saturday, Sept. 5
12:00 p.m. vs. Bemidji State (5-23 in 2014)
4:00 p.m. vs. Lock Haven (20-11 in 2014)
 
The 2014 campaign was another season for the record books, as GVSU finished the year with a 27-6 overall record and a sixth appearance in the NCAA Final Four. In GLIAC play, the Lakers went 17-1 to earn a share of the regular season title. When it came to the NCAA postseason, Grand Valley State was nearly untouchable.
 
Despite being the Midwest Region's #3 seed, the Lakers hosted the NCAA Midwest Region Tournament in Allendale and GVSU swept all three of its matches to claim the ninth regional title in school history. Grand Valley State was the only team in all of Division II to win all nine sets at the regional level. The Lakers swept Wingate in the Elite Eight before falling to national runner-up Southwest Minnesota State in the national semifinals.
 
GVSU returns nine letterwinners and three starters from last year's team, led by a core of seniors. Middle blocker Kaleigh Lound - a 2013 AVCA Third Team All-American - is averaging nearly a block per set for her entire career, while outside hitter Betsy Ronda needs one kill to become the eighth Laker in history to reach the 1,000 career kill/1,000 career dig club. Outside hitter Kourtney Wolters started 25 matches last season and played a key role during the Lakers' postseason run.
 
Fellow seniors Jessica Majerle and Carley Gross looked to add to the production of the outside hitters, while senior Taylor Shomin and junior Amanda Glaza will be the top options at the libero position. A pair of sophomores - setter Katie Olson and middle blocker Sydney Doby - will look to expand their roles this season after solid freshman campaigns.
 
Speaking of freshmen, the Lakers' rookie class of eight freshmen (six true freshman, two redshirts) is the largest class and will also need to contribute throughout the year. Middle blockers Staci Brower and Jillian Butsavich, outside hitter Brooke Smith, libero Kaylene Norris, and setter Taylor Stewart all seem to figure into the rotation at some point.
 
After this weekend's tournament, GVSU will head to Sioux Falls, South Dakota next weekend (Sept. 11-12) for the Augustana Showcase. The Lakers will face Northern State, Minnesota State Moorhead, Minnesota Crookston, and the host school Augustana before beginning GLIAC play the following week.