Holland Reporter

Grand Valley State University’s football team will begin its 54th season on Saturday, hosting Lincoln (Pa.) at Lubbers Stadium. This matchup marks the first meeting between the two programs.

The Lakers enter the season as one of the most successful Division II football programs by winning percentage among teams with more than 500 games played. The team holds a record of 454-153-3, which equates to a .746 winning percentage. Since 2002, Grand Valley State has been ranked in the top ten of national preseason polls 21 times out of 24 possible polls, including 18 appearances in the top five and 14 in the top three.

Historically, GVSU is 34-19 in season openers and has won 20 of its last 23 opening games. Over its history, the program has recorded ten or more wins in a season on twenty occasions—eighteen times since 2001.

Last year, Grand Valley State led all NCAA Division II programs in total home attendance with over eighty thousand fans across eight home dates and an average of just over ten thousand per game. The Lakers have led Division II in attendance for thirteen consecutive years.

The program has claimed four national championships (2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006) and made six NCAA championship appearances (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2009).

Head coach Scott Wooster begins his third year leading the Lakers. Wooster has compiled a record of twenty-two wins and four losses during his tenure so far and guided GVSU to two NCAA Division II playoff appearances as well as a GLIAC title within his first two seasons.

The roster this year features forty-five returning letterwinners along with eleven transfers who previously played significant roles at other schools.

Defensively, senior linebacker Anthony Cardamone returns for his third year as a starter. Cardamone is considered an All-America candidate after earning First-Team All-GLIAC honors twice and all-regional recognition; he enters his senior season with career totals that include one hundred ninety tackles, twenty-eight tackles for loss totaling minus one hundred forty-eight yards, and fourteen-and-a-half quarterback sacks accounting for minus one hundred twenty-one yards. Junior linebacker Jimmy Downs is also expected to be a key contributor following a sophomore campaign where he recorded forty-four tackles along with six-and-a-half tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries.

Additional defensive players include junior defensive end Jamari Buddin; sophomore defensive end Khamani Potts; inside performers Jabriel Conde, Ronald Jackson, and Josh Williams; while junior Jason Hardy leads returning members of the secondary unit.

On offense, three starters return on the offensive line including All-America candidate Brett Weaver. Senior running back Syone Usma-Harper and junior wide receiver Kellen Reed are also back this season. The team anticipates increased production from sophomore receiver Sean Byrd as well as running backs Derrick Woods (junior) and Kenneth Jones (sophomore). Redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Andrew Schuster and Zak Olejniczak along with sophomore Brady Drogosh are set to handle quarterback duties.

Special teams will feature place kicker Mathew Bacik along with punters Trace Hrgich and Evan Sundermann—all recognized for their previous performances.