Grand Valley State athletics will induct eight individuals into the Athletics Hall of Fame Friday (Nov. 6) night as the Class of 2026. The event will be held at the Raleigh J. Finkelstein Athletic Village Arena. A reception will start at 5:45 p.m., followed by the ceremony that will begin at 7 p.m. The 2026 class will be the 40th class inducted into the athletics Hall of Fame.  
 
Ashley Botts (Beloit, Wis./Boylan Catholic), Soccer (2009-12)
Ashley Botts will go down as one of the most decorated and clutch soccer players in Grand Valley State program history. Botts was a three-time, First-Team United Soccer Coaches Association All-American and a two-time D2CCA First-Team All-American. She was twice named to the NCAA All-Tournament team, including being named the Most Outstanding Player in 2010. Botts was a four-time, First-Team All-GLIAC honoree, the GLIAC Freshman of the Year in 2009 and the 2011 GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year. Ashley was the 2012 United Soccer Coaches Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the 2011 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year. On the pitch, Botts ranks first in career game-winning goals with 25, fifth in all-time goals with 67 and sixth in career points with 163.  GVSU was 84-4-13 with Botts in the lineup, including a 49-2-4 record in GLIAC action, 8-0-1 in GLIAC Tournament play and 13-2-4 in NCAA Tournament games. Botts was a key figure in the Lakers' 2009 and 2010 NCAA Division II National Championship seasons. 

Gianni Ferrero (Idstein, Germany/Pestalozzischule Idstein), Swimming (2013-16)
Gianni Ferrero is one of the all-time greats to hit the starting platform for the Grand Valley State swim team. Ferrero claimed the individual National Championship as a senior in 2016 when he touched the wall first in the 100 fly in a GVSU and GLIAC all-time record time of 45.56. He tallied 23 career All-America honors, including eight top four finishes in the 200 IM, 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 free, and 200 back. Gianni currently holds the GLIAC all-time mark in the 100 fly (45.56) and 200 fly (1:43.91), while adding the GVSU top time in the 200 IM (1:45.53). He was dominant at the GLIAC Swimming Championships during his career, including 2016 when he was named the GLIAC Swimmer of the Year after winning four individual events and was a part of three relay teams that won titles. During his career Ferrero won seven individual event titles and six relay titles, while also helping his team claim the 2015 and 2016 team titles, the later with a GLIAC Championship meet record point total of 1,098 points. 

Sarah Hoffman (Saline, Mich./Saline), Women's Golf (2008-12)  
Sarah Hoffman is one of the most honored golfers all-time for the Grand Valley State women's golf program after turning in a stellar four-year career. Hoffman was a three-time Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American, earning first-team honors in 2012, second-team in 2010 and honorable mention plaudits in 2011. In addition, Hoffman was a three-time, First-Team All-GLIAC performer, a four-time WGCA Scholar All-American, and a three-time WGCA All-Region honoree. Hoffman was named the 2012 GLIAC Women's Golfer of the Year after recording medalist honors at the GLIAC Tournament. She claimed 11 tournament wins during her career, the third-best total in program history and her five wins during the 2011-12 campaign rank second all-time. Sarah recorded a low round of 69 during her career, currently the third-best round in program history. GVSU claimed four GLIAC team titles, three NCAA Regional crowns and finished second at the 2009 NCAA Championships during her career.  

Brandon McFarland (Urbana, Ill./Urbana), Baseball (2004-05)
Brandon McFarland turned in a stellar two-year career for Grand Valley State on the diamond, leading the Lakers to the final four at the NCAA DII World Series twice. During his junior season McFarland hit .389 with 82 hits, 52 runs, 18 doubles, five triples, six home runs and 53 RBI. His 82 hits rank fourth in a single season, while the 18 doubles are fifth. McFarland earned First-Team All-GLIAC plaudits and was a First-Team ABCA All-Region performer. GVSU finished 46-16 overall in 2004, claiming the GLIAC regular season title, tournament title and NCAA Midwest Regional crown before advancing to the NCAA DII World Series National Championship game. McFarland hit .333 with 65 hits, 46 runs, 14 doubles, four home runs and 49 RBI as a senior when he earned First-Team All-GLIAC and All-Regional plaudits. He was 17-for-19 in stolen bases as GVSU tallied a 36-17 record. The Lakers claimed the 2005 GLIAC Tournament Championship, repeated as the NCAA Midwest Regional Champions and finished fourth at the 2005 NCAA DII World Series. McFarland notched a .363 career batting average with 147 hits, 98 runs, 32 doubles, seven triples, 10 home runs and 102 RBI in 112 games as the Lakers recorded a combined 82-33 mark. 

Alyssa Neumen, (Rockford, Mich./Rockford), Lacrosse (2012-15)
Alyssa Neumen will go down as the center piece in the emergence of the Grand Valley State women's lacrosse program. Neumen, a defender, was a member of the original GVSU women's lacrosse program and played four years for the Lakers. She was a three-time GLIAC Defender of the Year and a three-time First-Team All-GLIAC performer. Neumen, who was a Second-Team Independent All-American in 2012 and earned Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Region honors in 2014 and 2015, concluded her career with IWLCA Third-Team All-America honors in 2015. She is second in all-time ground balls (136), caused turnovers (69), and finished her time in a Laker uniform with 72 career starts. Grand Valley State was 51-21 overall during her career, including a 23-0 mark in GLIAC action and three consecutive GLIAC regular season and tournament titles. 

Joe Pollard (Livonia, Mich./Franklin), Football (1975-78)
Joe Pollard was a key piece in the building of what GVSU Football is today – A Tradition of Excellence. Pollard was a three-year standout for the Lakers on the gridiron, including his final two years when he earned First-Team All-GLIAC plaudits and NAIA All-American honors. GVSU tallied a mark of 9-3 in 1978 and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Playoffs after claiming the GLIAC Championship. The Lakers claimed the first-ever playoff win in program history, 24-14 at Wisconsin 
La Crosse, before falling 13-7 at Elon (N.C.) in the legendary mud game. Pollard notched 119 total tackles and picked off five passes from his safety position during that senior campaign, while also returning 22 punts for 173 yards and one touchdown. GVSU notched a mark of 7-3 during his junior season when Pollard recorded 107 total tackles and returned 20 punts for 243 yards and one touchdown. Joe tallied 264 tackles, picked off seven passes and recovered eight fumbles during his career as GVSU went 31-10-1. 

Deanne Scanlon (Zanesville, Ohio/West Muskingum), Volleyball Coach (1995-2021)
Deanne Scanlon made her mark on the GVSU women's volleyball program as just the second head coach. Scanlon concluded her 26-year career as a National Champion coach, and the all-time winningest coach in program history with a record of 615-225, including a GLIAC ledger of 350-108. During her illustrious career Scanlon built a program that stood the test of time. GVSU won nine NCAA Midwest Regional crowns, advancing to the NCAA Final Four six times, captured 18 GLIAC Championships and won 30 or more matches in a season seven times. Deanne was named the AVCA Regional Coach of the Year five times, GLIAC Coach of the Year four times and AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2005. Her 615 all-time collegiate victories rank 11th all-time in NCAA DII history. Scanlon changed the landscape of GVSU volleyball from the time she took over in 1995 and made her mark in post-season play, notching an incredible record of 36-14 (.720) in 15 NCAA Tournaments. Deanne mentored 29 All-Americans and 95 All-GLIAC selections, including five GLIAC Player of the Year winners, four GLIAC Libero of the Year honorees, four GLIAC Freshman of the Year selections, one GLIAC Setter of the Year (awarded for the first time in 2014) and one GLIAC Blocker of the Year. In addition, nine of her former players have been inducted into the GVSU Athletics Hall of Fame.

Darien Thornton (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne), Track & Field (2012-16)
Darien Thornton made his mark on the Grand Valley State track & field program with elite performances at the championship level. Thornton tallied nine NCAA DII All-America honors during his career, while also recording two GLIAC Championships and nine additional top three finishes. Thornton claimed the NCAA Individual Championship at the 2016 outdoor meet in the hammer with a throw of 233-7, while also earning two All-America indoor honors with a third-place finish in the weight throw (69-9.75) and an eighth-place finish in the shot put (56-10.75). He notched an additional six All-America honors at the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships from 2013-2015, including five top three finishes. Thornton concluded his career with the GVSU all-time outdoor mark in the hammer (240-4) and the top indoor mark in the weight throw (73-6.75). In addition, Thornton ranks fifth all-time in the outdoor shot put (60-8.75) and eighth in the indoor shot put (57-5). Darien is third all-time with 29 points at the NCAA Outdoor Championship and fourth with 23 indoor points. Thornton, who won 37 events during his four-year college career, was a part of eight GLIAC Championships and a second-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships.