ALLENDALE, Mich.—The 2015-16 Grand Valley State women's basketball team exceeded all preseason projections and expectations set for them before the season began in a big way, advancing all the way to the 2016 NCAA Division II Final Four. That deep postseason run came as a surprise to those outside the program, who saw GVSU's potential as limited, only to watch them rattle off 26 wins, the third most for a single season in program history, and advance to the program's second ever Final Four berth.
"A lot can be accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit, and I think that's what happened with our players last season", said GVSU head coach Mike Williams. "I think they were coachable, they were positive and they were together. They didn't care who played, who scored, they just wanted success as a group and that was a key for our success."
Now set to begin the 2016-17 season and finding themselves in the enviable position of returning all five starters form the 2016 postseason, the Lakers are finally getting the early respect they deserve. A #13 ranking in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Preseason Poll and a GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll pick to win the GLIAC North Division are both indicators of the potential of the Lakers this season.
"Obviously anytime you return players with experience, you have expectations", said Williams. "The issue is, are these expectations putting your players in a bad place as far as living up to them, or in a good place as far as 'hey, we have a chance to be pretty good', and it's all how you deal with it. This year with our kids I think it's been a good thing, I think they've handled it well and we'll see what happens."
After taking the reigns for his first season as head coach of the Lakers before the 2015-16 season, Williams has the added benefit of a veteran core of senior starters to boost his team heading into the season. Fresh off a junior campaign which saw her score a team-best 524 points and become the 23rd member of the GVSU 1,000 point scorers club is forward Kayla Dawson. The De Pere, Wisconsin native also notched All-GLIAC First Team and Defensive Team honors and was an excellent player on both ends for GVSU last season. In addition to leading her team in points per game, Dawson also compiled an impressive tally of 80 steals on the season, or 2.2 per contest.
Opposite Dawson on the wing is Bailey Cairnduff, one of two Lakers to end the season on the program's top ten list for made three point field goals in a season, with 70. Cairnduff's 190 attempts from deep were the most of any Laker last season, and her outside shooting led her to the second highest points per game (10.6) on the team, behind Dawson. A multi-category contributor, Cairnduff also chipped in four rebounds and over a steal per contest while leading the team in free throw shooting percentage (.908). The only Laker to end the season with more made three pointers than Cairnduff, senior guard Lindsay Baker became the program's single season leader in three-pointers made by knocking down 77 attempts from deep. Her shooting clip from downtown of 45 percent was also the second best mark by any Laker player over a season in program history.
After playing the 2015-16 season as an undersized center, Piper Tucker may be able to return to a more comfortable position on the floor for her final season. The East Lansing native posted averages of 8.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while starting all 36 games. Tucker led the team in defensive rebounds (142) and blocks (26) while contributing 36 steals and 300 points on the season.
The dynamic backcourt duo of Janae Langs and Taylor Lutz returns as a boon for Grand Valley State in the 2016-17 campaign. Lutz, a point guard from Granger, Indiana, led the Lakers in assists with 132 and ended the season ranked fifth in Division II in assist/turnover ratio (2.75). Additionally, she chipped in 6.6 points and four rebounds per game, was second on the team in steals with 48, and shot 38 percent from beyond the arc. Langs rose to the occasion in the Laker's postseason run, ramping up her scoring average to more than double what it had been during the season, and hitting multiple game-winning or game-tying buckets in the GLIAC and NCAA Tournaments. Her clutch playmaking could be counted on again in the upcoming season, as will increased production in scoring (4.9) and rebounding (3.9) as she figures to be in line for more playing time.
Two other important pieces for GVSU will bolster the team in the frontcourt, as 6-1 center Korynn Hincka returns from a sophomore campaign cut short by injury, and is joined by redshirt-sophomore Taylor Parmley to be a potent rebounding duo for the Lakers. Hincka led the team in overall rebounds (5.6 per game) despite playing an average of 13.2 minutes per game, and provided valuable size and depth off the bench before suffering a season ending injury. The Posen, Michigan native could be in line for a big season if she can earn more minutes on the hardwood. Despite giving up several inches to opponents at times last season, Parmley was a relentless rebounder on the offensive glass, amassing a team high 68 offensive boards while coming off the bench in every game for GVSU. A player who creates her own shots down low, Parmley also displayed a talent for finishing at a high percentage, leading the team in that category (.526).
Aside from the known quantity in the returning seniors and role players from last season, the Lakers also have an untested group of sophomores and freshman, some of whom may be able to carve out important roles for themselves this season. Sophomores Laekyn Jaciuk, Lindsay Kusbel and Victoria Hedemark have all shown the potential to make plays, and may be ready to do with more regularity this season when called upon. A seventh senior, Keyara Wiard, appeared in 31 games for GVSU last season, providing depth off the bench at the guard position. Six freshmen join the roster for the season, although it remains to be seen what contributions they can make for the Lakers this season.
The Lakers will open play this weekend at the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge, hosted at GVSU Fieldhouse Arena in Allendale, Michigan. That is a change of pace from last season, when GVSU opened the season at the tournament down in Missouri.
"Last season we started on the road, and it's not a bad thing, because you're going to play road games and have to get used to it, but you always want to play at home", said Williams. "You want to be in front of your own fans, sleep in your own bed, you want to shoot on your baskets. Next year we'll go back to being on the road again, but this year it's nice for us and our parents to play here at home to open the season."
GVSU's opener against Quincy on Saturday evening features a rematch with a team that defeated the Lakers in a close, two-point game last season. The Lakers return much of the same personnel from last season's matchup, whereas the Hawks feature a somewhat depleted squad from last season's team that finished 25-6. Despite losing three of their top five scorers, the Hawks will still field a team that figures to give the Lakers a tough opening challenge.
"I think the matchup (with Quincy)will be very similar to last year", Williams said. "Teams change personnel a little bit, sure, but teams kind of do what they do year in and year out, you've got two very good coaches (at Quincy and Truman) that have been doing this for quite some time and you get set in what you do and I think they're going to continue that. Both of these opening matchups are against two of the better teams in the GLVC and that's why we choose to play them."
After facing Quincy on Saturday, the Lakers will face the Bulldogs of Truman State in a Sunday afternoon matinee. The Bulldogs return three starters from last season's 20-10 campaign, which had a great defensive year in holding opponents to just 55.3 points per game. Aside from the trio of starters, Truman will look to a group of fringe producers last season to make up the bulk of their minutes this season.
"Truman is a team that is very well positioned on defense, they kinda slow the game down on the defensive end and don't let you get anything too easy", Williams said. "They make you work for what you get on the defensive end and on offense they kinda spread it out with kids who can shoot as well as lots of cutters. They're pretty different from teams we play in the conference, so it's always a little bit more of a challenge for us in that first game."
The fourth team participating in the challenge and playing each GLVC opponent when GVSU is not will be Northern Michigan. The Wildcats will be looking to improve on a 13-16 season in which they finished eighth in the GLIAC standings and earned a GLIAC Tournament berth.
