April 24, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Alexa Abrahamson tossed a two-hit shutout to lead Grand Rapids Community College’s softball team to a 1-0 victory over Ancilla in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader. Abrahamson was sharp in the second game as well, but the Raiders ended up on the short end of a 4-2 game. A sophomore from Wyoming, Abrahamson was spectacular, striking out nine and issuing no walks in a seven-inning game. Ancilla’s Amanda Hartman was nearly as good, scatting five Raider hits and keeping runs off the board for the first five innings. Haley Van Huis led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple, and came around to score when Brooklynne Siewertsen brought her home on a bunt single for the game’s only run and the Raiders’ fourth win of the season. The same pitchers squared off in the second game, this time with Hartman emerging with a narrow win. Van Huis smacked a single to start the first inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Siewertsen. Van Huis then scored an unearned run on a dropped fly ball. Abrahamson held Ancilla scoreless until the top of the sixth inning, when Ancilla batters hit a triple, double and single and ended with three runs on the scoreboard. The Vikings added another run in the seventh inning. GRCC attempted a comeback after Krin Beach singled and scored on a Kyla Andres triple. But the Raiders couldn’t move any more runners across the plate, settling for a 4-2 loss and a split of the twin bill. The 4-22 Raiders are back in action on Wednesday on the road against Mid Michigan College.

April 24, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College baseball team exploded for 14 runs in the fourth inning, part of a 20-2 defeat of Glen Oaks Community College. The Raiders beat Glen Oaks 4-1 in the second game of the doubleheader in Centerville, a day after sweeping a twin bill against the college in Grand Rapids. GRCC’s offense was backed by solid pitching and steady defense in all four games against the Vikings. Sam Schmitt, Aaron West, Ryan Dykstra, Fernando Rivera-Calderon, Caleb Englesman, and Matt Williams each had RBIs in the big inning. West had two hits and two at-bats and drove in three runs. Schmitt had one hit, but scored three runs and drove in two. Dykstra and Keaton Peck both drove in two runs in the game. Drew Murphy took the complete game win for GRCC. The righty went five innings, allowing two runs on two hits and striking out four. The Raiders were flawless in the field. GRCC didn’t need as many runs to win the second game, beating Glen Oaks 4-1. Caleb Englesman earned the win for GRCC, surrendering one run on seven hits over five and two-thirds innings, striking out six.  Dalton Vander Ark threw one and one-third innings in relief out of the bullpen.  Vander Ark recorded the last four outs to earn the save. Dykstra led Grand Rapids Community College with two hits in four at bats. The Raiders are now 19-10 on the season, and back in action on Tuesday against Aquinas College JV.

April 24, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Late-inning heroics sparked a doubleheader sweep for the Grand Rapids Community College baseball team on Friday against Glen Oaks Community College. The Raiders won the first game 6-5 on a walk-off single by Sam Schmitt, then rallied for a 4-3 win in the night cap. The first game was tied at five with GRCC batting in the bottom of the eighth. Pinch hitter Matt Williams was hit by a pitch, and was replaced by Keaton Peck., who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Ryan. Peck moved to third on a passed ball, then scored the winning run when Schmitt singled on a 3-2 count. Bradley Dunn took the win for GRCC, pitching two innings, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out one and walking one.  Jerad Berkenpas threw one-third of an inning in relief out of the bullpen. Collin Bradley started the game GRCC, surrendering five runs on five hits over five and two-thirds innings, striking out seven. Schmitt went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Raiders in hits. The second game was tied in the fifth inning when Jake Paganelli led off with a single and was replaced with courtesy runner Logan Cross. Cross moved to second on a sacrifice by Caleb Englesman, and scored on a Matt Williams double to left. Williams then came around on a single by Ryan. Garrett Cheslek took the complete game win for GRCC, surrendering three runs on five hits over seven innings, striking out six and walking one. Butlers took the loss for Glen Oaks Community College. The pitcher lasted five innings, allowing eight hits and four runs while walking none. GRCC socked one home run on the day, with Peck going deep in the third inning. Williams led the Raiders with two hits in two at bats.  The Raiders are now 17-10 on the season and are back in action Saturday, taking on Glen Oaks again, this time in Centerville. Powered by Narrative Science and GameChanger Media copyright 2021, all rights reserved.

April 24, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College golf team is on a roll, winning all four of its matches this season – with its best performance Friday in Jackson Not only did the Raiders top five teams to win the Jackson College Invitational at the Ella Sharp Golf Course, the team’s 285 was five over par for the course.   Tyler Hausserman was the medalist, shooting a 69. Arie Jackman, Dominic Luciani and Logan Templeton were close behind with 72 and David Courtright followed with 75. The undefeated team in action again on Monday at the Muskegon Invitational.

April 23, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The national tournament run came to an end for the Grand Rapids Community College women’s basketball team, falling 78-64 to Pima Community College in a consolation round matchup. GRCC was competing in the National Junior College Athletic Association D2 National Tournament for the first time since 1978. The team needed a win to stay alive after falling to Johnson County Community College – the top team in the nation – on Wednesday. The Raiders were ahead through the first quarter and trailed by just a point at the half. But Pima, the No. 9 seed, went on a roll in the third quarter, and GRCC was never able to catch up. Jayla Bibbs had 8 points and 17 rebounds – the NJCAA announcers joked on the broadcast she had about a million boards during the season. Shonya Hawkins had 14 points and three rebounds. Eurasia Green-Boyd had 10 points and six rebounds and Danielle Lamancusa had nine points and seven rebounds. The Raiders ended the season with an impressive 12-5 record, overcoming a variety of challenges created by playing a delayed and shortened season during a pandemic. Hawkins brought energy and intensity to the team, earning Player of the Year honors from the Michigan Community College Athletic Association’s Western Conference. A sophomore from Grand Rapids, Hawkins earned All-Region, All-MCCAA honors along with Bibbs, one of the best rebounders in the nation. Danielle Lamancusa, a sophomore from Rockford, earned Second Team All-Conference honors, and Eurasia Green-Boyd, a sophomore from Grand Rapids, and Olivia Koetje, a sophomore from Grandville, received Honorable Mention All-Conference salutes. Bibbs, a sophomore from Buchanan, Hawkins and Green-Boyd were also named to the All-Defensive Team. Coach David Glazier was named Coach of the Year in the District C, National Junior College Athletic Association Great Lakes Conference.  

A School News Network feature: GRCC Nursing students administered shots recently into the arms of students and campus employees and others at DeVos Place, hoping to be part of the solution to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The students served as volunteers at the downtown Grand Rapids site, working to vaccinate those 16 and older who now qualify for the vaccine. Some people receiving shots were taking part in the Shot of Love Campaign, an effort to vaccinate GRCC employees, students and their household family members in partnership with Urban Church Leadership Center and  Spectrum Health .  Nursing students said it was the chance to take part in a global public health effort  —   making a difference on their own campus. Several faculty members also administered shots. “This experience was very joyful and fulfilling,” said licensed practical nurse Eduardo Calderon, of helping people get vaccines that are “like gold right now.”  DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave., has been the site of more than 300,000 vaccinations as of mid-April. Vaccine appointments can be made by registering  here . Calderon is working on an associate degree in nursing at GRCC through the  Futures for Frontliners  program. “I feel very good to help out in my community. It’s very rewarding to be able to help the community especially with something like COVID vaccines.” As an LPN, he works fulltime at the Spectrum Health Rehab and Nursing Center, and has seen the impact and felt the stress of COVID as patients and healthcare workers have tested positive. He also had a mild case of COVID-19 and received the vaccine when it first became available. Now, he’s happy to do what he can to end the pandemic. “It felt very good to be able to be involved in this global exercise to help bring those numbers down,” he said. LPN Jonisha Hill also is working on a nursing associate degree, and estimates she administered between 60 and 70 vaccines at DeVos Place. “It was the most beautiful experience I have ever seen in my 27 years of living,” she said. “There were so many happy people expressing the happiness of being vaccinated and helping others around them.” Hill has worked during the pandemic at a long-term care facility, where many elderly patients died with COVID-19. She said volunteering at the clinic was a different atmosphere, one of positivity and hope. People asked to take photos with her after receiving the vaccine.  “It was a joyous occasion, and I am so glad GRCC gave me the opportunity to see it from that perspective,” Hill said. Nursing Programs Director Shelly Richter said the opportunity for nursing students to participate in the vaccine clinic goes far beyond the basic skill of administering injections and vaccines. “This setting provides students a broader view and understanding of teamwork and the subsequent ripple effects that can positively impact our community and beyond, especially in the midst of this ongoing global pandemic," she said. "The opportunity to work with a variety of team members in an effort to educate and vaccinate our community has been invaluable.” This story was reported by Erin Albanese of the School News Network.

April 23, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Jeff Bauer is stepping down after two seasons leading the Grand Rapids Community College men’s basketball team to spend more time with his young children. Bauer said the decision to leave GRCC was difficult. He has three children below the age of five, the youngest born in September. The Raiders were 21-24 during his tenure, making the NJCAA Region XII tournament each year. “I will always be grateful for the opportunity and the support given to us both of these seasons,” Bauer said. “However, after our third child was born last fall, our family decided that it would be too difficult to continue to juggle all of my jobs and still attempt to be the father that our three young sons need.” Bauer is in his third year of teaching biology and chemistry at West Ottawa High School.  He resides in Allendale. “I will always value the relationships with the great people at GRCC from the administration down to the student-athletes,” he said. “I would like to thank my staff as they worked very hard to make this the best experience possible for our student-athletes.” The 2021 season was delayed and shortened due to the pandemic. The team played tough, losing a string of games in the final seconds. “I certainly didn't want to end my tenure here after the challenging season that we had during this COVID-stricken time. We spent the final half of our season with only three of our projected top 10 student-athletes while trying to navigate one of the most challenging schedules that the program has ever participated in,” Bauer said. “To our team's credit, it battled every night as we were in every game. This is a very proud program and I have been blessed to be a part of it. I know our administration will choose the best fit to take the Raiders into the future!"   Bauer in 2006 began his 10-year career at Grand Valley State University coaching alongside Head Coach Ric Wesley. His success there included winning 72% of his team's games and participating in five NCAA tournaments, including two “elite eight’ appearances.  His best GVSU season was 2007-2008 when the Lakers went 36-1, eventually losing in the “elite eight” while being ranked No. 1 in the nation.  “Jeff worked hard and led the basketball team through a season with many challenges, GRCC Interim Athletic Director David Selmon said. “We appreciate all he has done for GRCC and the Athletic Program, and I wish him and his young family well.”  

April 22, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College softball team lost two games to Kalamazoo Valley Community College on Thursday, despite Alexis Nguyen hitting her third home run of the year. The Raiders lost the opener 8-2, then were outslugged 17-5 in the nightcap at home at Belknap Park. Nguyen’s homer came in the first game. The freshman shortstop from Walker drove in both of the team’s runs in the game. Brooklynne Siewertsen with the team’s only other hit, scored on the homer, a shot down the left field line. The blast tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, but then KVCC responded with six runs in the top of the fifth inning to put the game out of reach. The Raiders jumped out in front with a four-run first inning in the second game. Haley Van Huis started the game with a double, and Siewertsen followed with a single. Nguyen tallied an RBI when Van Huis scored on a grounder to short. Siewertsen scored on an out by Taylor Cross. MARIAH Redding walked, and came around to score on a double by Krin Beach. Beach then score on Kaylie Andres’ single. KVCC then responded with three runs in the top of the second, the two each in the fourth and fifth innings before piling on 10 runs in the sixth. The Raiders are now 3-21 on the season.

April 22, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College is launching a free summer program for graduating high school seniors to help boost math and reading skills before they attend GRCC or another college. Bridges to College – Raider Ready will be offered in two sessions in both Kent and Ottawa counties. The program will predominantly be offered on the GRCC Main Campus and the GRCC Lakeshore Campus in the Midtown Center. Some parts of the sessions will be offered online and the college is providing use of a laptop. “The pandemic created challenges for both students and educators,” GRCC President Bill Pink said. “With this program, many students will benefit from both a refresher in foundational skills, as well as information that will prepare them for their college journey. Bridges to College – Raider Ready is one more way GRCC is serving its communities.” Students also will work with college navigators, helping prepare them for the higher education experience. The program is open to all high school graduates of the class of 2020 or 2021 who are planning to attend a college in the fall.   “Our mission is to support West Michigan residents and partner with our K-12 districts to help all students have access to a quality education,” said Dan Clark, GRCC’s Dean of Academic Outreach. “Many of our region’s students are looking ahead to their first semester in college after an unprecedented year. We’re focused on helping them be prepared and get off to the best possible start.” The health and safety of students, faculty and staff is a top priority. GRCC will continue to work with local and state health authorities to follow wellness guidelines. The first session is planned to run from June 8 to July 6, and the second from July 12 to Aug. 12. Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Information is available at grcc.edu/bridgestocollege , email at bridgestocollege@grcc.edu and phone at (616) 234-3388.  

April 21, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – GRCC’s women’s basketball team struggled in the opening round of the NJCAA D2 National Tournament, losing 86-49 to the top-ranked team in the country. The Raiders’ season isn’t over, as the team will play again at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 23 in the consolation round. A bright spot: GRCC head coach David Glazier was named Coach of the Year in the District C, National Junior College Athletic Association Great Lakes Conference. GRCC is making its first trip to the National Junior College Athletic Association National Tournament for the first time since 1978. The 12-4 Raiders were seeded 13 th and faced a tough opening round opponent. Johnson County Community College, from Overland Park, Kan., is 20-1 on the season and was seeded fourth in the tournament. GRCC hung close in the first and fourth quarters, but were dominated mid-game. The Johnson County defense smothered Player of the Year Shonyah Hawkins, limiting her to six points and two rebounds. Eurasia Green-Boyd led the Raiders with 13 points and seven rebounds, and Danielle Lamancusa had 11 points and six boards. Jayla Bibbs had eight points and five rebounds. GRCC is hoping to regroup in the next round, playing the winner of the game between Pima Community College and North Platte-Mid-Plains Community College on Friday.