Holland Reporter

The Grand Valley State women's soccer team has been selected to finish second in the GLIAC preseason coaches' poll, as announced by the league on Tuesday. The Lakers enter the 2024 season as the reigning NCAA Midwest regional champions.

Katie Hultin begins her third season as head coach of the Lakers, having achieved a 30-6-11 overall record in her first two seasons. Under Hultin's leadership, the team secured a GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship in 2022 and a Midwest Regional Championship in 2023.

GVSU returns with 18 players from last season, including their top five point leaders. Senior Taylor Reid, an All-American player who led the Lakers in goals and points last season, is among those returning. Reid is a two-time All-American, first-team All-Region, and first-team All-GLIAC performer. She was named Midwest Region Player of the Year and GLIAC Offensive Player of the Year for the 2022 season.

All-GLIAC defenders Kacy Lauer and Daan Louwerse also return to strengthen the Laker defense. Lauer was named to the all-region first team and was second on the team in minutes played while contributing 11 points. Louwerse led in minutes played, starting all 24 games last season.

Kennedy Bearden is set to return after missing the 2023 season due to injury. Bearden is a two-time national champion who scored GVSU's game-winning goal in the 2021 national championship game. In 2022, she led with 33 points and earned first-team All-Region and All-GLIAC honors.

Sophomore goalkeeper Isabel Imes will continue after compiling a 10-3-5 record over 19 games in the previous season, stopping 43 shots and recording six individual shutouts. Junior goalkeeper Cailynn Junk joins GVSU from IUPUI where she appeared in 18 games with a record of 5-3-1 including three shutouts.

The Lakers also welcome three Division I transfers expected to make immediate impacts along with five freshmen this season. Aiming for their eighth national championship, GVSU will rely on veteran talent with championship experience blended with new talent. The team opens its season at home against former GLIAC rival Ashland on Thursday, September 5th at GVSU Soccer Field.

The full results of the GLIAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll are:

1. Northern Michigan - 62 (6)

2. Grand Valley State -58 (3)

3. Saginaw Valley State -47

4. Ferris State -45

5.Parkside -32

6.Michigan Tech -31

7.Davenport -26

8.Purdue Northwest -13

9.Roosevelt -10