ALLENDALE – Four Grand Valley State fall athletes were selected as Fall 2025 GLIAC Commissioner's Award recipients, as announced by the league office today. Koby Fraaza and Abigail Vanderkooi from cross country, Kacy Lauer from women's soccer, and Brett Weaver from football earned the honors.
 
Koby Fraaza caps off an impressive collegiate cross country career with one more honor: Fall 2025 GLIAC Commissioner's Award Recipient. Fraaza began his season with a second place finish at the MSU Auto Owners Spartan Invitational before finishing in the top 25 in the elite division of the Notre Dame Joe Piane Invitational. During the championship season, Fraaza was key in helping his Lakers secure their 23rd consecutive men's GLIAC and NCAA Division II Midwest Region Championship titles. He was named 2025 GLIAC Cross Country Champion ahead of a third-place finish at the Regional Championships. At the NCAA DII Championships in Kenosha, Wis., Fraaza notched a personal-best 10k finish at 29:50.4 to place fifth overall. He excelled in the classroom, as well, achieving a perfect 4.00 semester GPA to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.912. During his time at GVSU, Fraaza has accumulated three First-Team All-GLIAC titles, three U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honors and four USTFCCCA All-America honors. Academically, the Richland, Mich. native has been named a GLIAC Commissioner's Award recipient on two previous occasions (Fall 2023, Fall 2024), has achieved a perfect 4.00 semester GPA to be named to the President's List five times and has earned a spot on the Dean's List (3.5+ GPA) four times.
 
Kacy Lauer has been named a recipient of the GLIAC Commissioner's Award for the first time in career after a standout senior season. Lauer was named a First Team All-American by United Soccer Coaches and D2CCA. The senior also earned First Team Scholar All-American honors by United Soccer Coaches and College Sports Communicators Second Team Scholar All-American honors. Lauer put up a career high six goals and five assists for 17 points this season from her primary defensive outside back position. She was named a First Team Midwest All-Region performer by United Soccer Coaches and D2CCA. Lauer also was named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-GLIAC First Team honors. The Lake Orion native appeared and started in all 22 games for GVSU this season logging over 1800 minutes to help the Lakers to a GLIAC regular season and tournament championship. In her career at GVSU, Lauer appeared in 93 games and was a two-time All-American and three-time All-GLIAC performer. 
 
For the first time in her academic-athletic career, Abigail VanderKooi has been named a recipient of the GLIAC Commissioner's Award. This season, VanderKooi helped lead Grand Valley State to their eighth NCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Championship title. She was the first Laker to cross the finish line, finishing sixth at a personal-best 20:25.6 to earn her first U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-America honor. Prior to the national championships, the redshirt-senior was named 2025 GLIAC Cross Country Runner-Up with a 20:29.1 finish in the 6000m before finishing third at the NCAA Division II Midwest Region Cross Country Championships to earn her third USTFCCCA All-Region honor. She accomplished the feats all while achieving a perfect 4.00 GPA in the fall semester to maintain an impressive 3.957 cumulative GPA. Throughout her career, the Fremont, Mich. native has captured four First-Team All-GLIAC honors, three USTFCCCA All-Region honors and two GLIAC podium finishes. A seven-time NCAA DII Championship qualifier, VanderKooi has also excelled in the classroom. She has been named to the President's List (4.00+ semester GPA) on four occasions and to the Dean's List (3.5+ semester GPA) thrice.
 
Brett Weaver has been named a recipient of the GLIAC Commissioner's Award for the first time in his career after a standout senior season. Weaver was tabbed a College Sports Communicator Academic All-American following his senior campaign. In addition, Weaver garnered First-Team All-GLIAC plaudits and D2CCA Super Region 3 honors. Weaver graded out at a 94.7 percent efficiency rate for the season and posted. Weaver was a four-time GLIAC Academic Excellence honoree and a two-time Academic All-American. GVSU was 42-8 during his career with two GLIAC titles and three NCAA Division II playoff appearances.