Holland Reporter

Five student-athletes from Grand Valley State University have been honored with the GLIAC Commissioner's Award for their achievements in the fall season. The recipients are Natalie Graber and Koby Fraaza from cross country, Sarah Wight from volleyball, Taylor Reid from women's soccer, and Colton Hyble from football.

Natalie Graber played a pivotal role in leading the Grand Valley State Lakers women's cross country team to their seventh Division II National Championship Title. She achieved a personal-best 6k time of 19:50.3 at the NCAA Nationals, securing third place. Graber also earned USTFCCCA All-American honors and was named GLIAC Women's Runner of the Year after her performance at the 2023 GLIAC Championships. Academically, she maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.9 while pursuing her Doctorate degree in physical therapy.

Koby Fraaza contributed significantly to his team's success by helping secure a Midwest Regional Team Title and a GLIAC Championship Team Title in cross country. He achieved fourth place at the 2023 GLIAC Championships with a time of 24:36.3 and placed eighth at the Midwest Regional Championships. Fraaza also received USTFCCCA All-American honors for his performance at the Division II Nationals and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.9 as he completed his degree in Biomedical Sciences.

Sarah Wight concluded her volleyball career with Grand Valley State by earning All-American honors for the first time, being named Second-Team All-American by both AVCA and D2SIDA. She led her team with a .391 hitting percentage and recorded 293 kills during the season. Wight's academic accomplishments include finishing her computer science degree with a GPA of 3.81.

Taylor Reid received United Coaches All-American honors for two consecutive seasons in women's soccer. She led her team in scoring with five goals and three assists over 24 games, contributing to their Midwest Regional Championship win against Ashland. Reid maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.85 while earning CoSida third team Scholar All-American recognition.

Colton Hyble excelled as a senior defensive end on Grand Valley State's football team, earning First-Team Academic All-American status along with other accolades such as First-Team All-GLIAC honors and membership on the AFCA All-State All-Good Works Team. He contributed significantly to his team's defense which led nationally in QB sacks.

These student-athletes demonstrated excellence both athletically and academically during their respective seasons.