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Permanent link for Men's Club Volleyball Wins GLMVC Conference Championship on April 1, 2024
The weekend of March 16th-17th was a very successful one for GVSU Men’s Club Volleyball’s A team. The team traveled to Davenport University for the second round of the Great Lakes Men’s Volleyball conference tournament. Sitting in first place without dropping a single set, the team ended up losing their last match to Bowling Green Saturday night. The Lakers started bracket play Sunday with two large margin wins against Ferris State and Western Michigan. The championship was set for a rematch against Bowling Green. After winning the first set 25-23, the Lakers fell to an eight point deficit to start the second set. After battling back, they dropped the second set 25-21 forcing another three match game. A back and forth battle found the Lakers tied 10-10 in a first to 15 race. A serving run by Greg Janes put them up 14-11. A beautifully placed serve by Jack Norkiewicz finished off with a block from Paden Rousseau gave the laker men’s club volleyball team their first conference championship since 2017.
The Laker Men’s Volleyball team had multiple award recipients for all conference honors. First team all-conference team included junior setter Jacob Fiandalo, senior middle blocker Paden Rousseau and freshman middle blocker Michael Uldrych. Both graduate students Greg Janes and Sam Szarowicz earned second team for outside hitter. AJ Zanders, Easton Upton, and Mack Tyrell earned honorable mention awards.
Special shoutout to all the parents who bring food, drinks, and endless support to our team as well as our friends. The success of this program would not be possible without them, our coaches, and club sports.
We look forward to trying to repeat next year!
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Men's Volleyball
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Permanent link for Rising Resilience: Grand Valley State University Club Wrestlers Show Out at 2024 NCWA National Championships on March 20, 2024
The wrestlers representing Grand Valley State University displayed an
impressive blend of determination and skill during the 2024 NCWA
National Championships held at the Brookshire Grocery Arena in
Shreveport, Louisiana, from March 14 to March 16, 2024. Despite
encountering formidable opponents from renowned collegiate wrestling
programs nationwide, the GVSUWC athletes exhibited unmatched
resilience and prowess. Their performance highlighted their profound
devotion to the sport and the university, evident in their steadfast
determination and unyielding quest for achievement. As they navigated
through demanding matches, each member of the GVSU Wrestling Club
exemplified the culmination of extensive training and preparation,
garnering recognition and respect for their exceptional performance on
this esteemed national platform.
In a gripping match against Alexandria Green from Texas State
University, 116-pound wrestler Isobel Wharff displayed her skills,
engaging in a fierce battle until the 3:41 mark, ending with Green
securing the victory. However, Wharff's determination remained
unwavering as she prepared for her next challenge against Angelina
Walker from Ottawa - Arizona. Despite a valiant effort, Wharff faced a
quick defeat, with Walker claiming victory in just 17 seconds.
"In moments like these, we witness the essence of our team's
ethos: show up, be prepared, and understand that every match begins at
0-0," said Head Coach Ryan Lancaster. "Isobel exemplified
this spirit in her recent encounters. Against Green, she engaged in a
gripping battle, showcasing her skills until the final buzzer. Every
match presents an opportunity to score bonus points, not just on the
scoreboard, but in character and grit."
In the 125-pound
weight class, Zack Koenig of GVSUWC exhibited exceptional prowess,
navigating a series of challenging matchups with remarkable skill.
Koenig started his campaign with a dominant technical fall victory
over Gabriel Matamoros of Rutgers WC, followed by another impressive
triumph against Brennan Garate-Flores of Pacific Lutheran. Continuing
his winning streak, Koenig secured a major decision victory over Luis
Barajas of Grays Harbor, showcasing his tactical proficiency on the
mat. In a closely contested about against Joseph Jimenez of Sacramento
State, Koenig demonstrated his resilience and determination, clinching
a hard-fought decision victory to advance further in the tournament.
Despite facing a formidable opponent in Dominic Ciolli of Ohio State,
Koenig displayed unwavering determination and fought bravely,
ultimately falling short but leaving an indelible mark with his
stellar performance.
Coach Lancaster said, "Zack's journey through a series of
challenging matchups showcased his remarkable skill and unwavering
commitment to our team's philosophy. Each victory, whether by
technical fall or a hard-fought decision, underscored Koenig's
tactical proficiency on the mat and his resilience in the face of
adversity."
The GVSUWC's Maria Potrero also left her mark on
the tournament, engaging in intense bouts that showcased her talent
and tenacity. Potrero faced off against formidable opponents such as
Marinthia Mendoza from Grays Harbor and Carly Manning from Clemson.
Despite experiencing both victory and defeat, Potrero demonstrated
resilience and a fighting spirit that echoed throughout the
tournament. One of the standout moments for Potrero was her match
against Manning, where she dominated the mat, securing victory in 5
minutes and 26 seconds.
"Win or lose, she exemplified our core values, demonstrating
resilience and a relentless fighting spirit. Her decisive victory over
Manning was a defining moment for her and our entire team," said
Coach Lancaster.
Jack Sherman, representing GVSUWC in the 157-pound weight class,
also performed remarkably throughout the tournament. Sherman kicked
off his campaign with a commanding technical fall victory over Dominic
Acosta of Central Florida, setting the tone for his subsequent
matches. He continued his winning streak with a dominant major
decision win against Brady Bollander of James Madison, showcasing his
technical proficiency and strategic prowess on the mat. Despite facing
a setback against Keaton Fischer of West Chester in a closely
contested about, Sherman bounced back with an emphatic pinfall victory
over Clay Queen of Lyon, displaying his resilience and determination.
He followed it up with another impressive pinfall victory against
Anthony Colavito of Montclair State, further solidifying his
reputation as a formidable competitor. Despite facing a tough opponent
in Mitchell Helgert of Washington State, Sherman fought valiantly but
ultimately fell short, concluding his campaign with a commendable performance.
"From his commanding technical fall victory over Acosta to
his dominant major decision win against Bollander, Sherman displayed
skill and a strategic finesse that set him apart. Even in facing
setbacks, like his closely contested about against Fischer, Sherman
exhibited resilience, bouncing back with emphatic pinfall victories
over his opponents," said Lancaster.
The final standings at the Nationals reflected the culmination of
months of arduous training and unwavering dedication. West Chester
emerged victorious with a narrow lead, followed by Ohio State WC and
Clemson. However, the GVSUWC's remarkable journey captivated the
attention of wrestling enthusiasts. With a total score of 15.5 points,
the GVSUWC claimed a notable 16th position. While the team didn't
clinch the top spot, its performance underscored the talent and
resilience ingrained within its ranks.
"The GVSUWC adheres staunchly to our fundamental principles:
show up, be prepared, score bonus points, and remember the score is
always 0-0. Jack and Zack's commendable 4-2 record at Nationals
exemplifies our commitment to these principles. Though not atop the
leaderboard, the final standings reflect the culmination of months of
relentless training and unwavering dedication. While West Chester
ultimately seized victory with a narrow lead, our 16th position
underscores our team's undeniable prowess and resilience," said Lancaster.
The GVSUWC demonstrated impressive perseverance and resolve at
the 2024 NCWA National Championships. Their outstanding performance
underscored the result of extensive preparation, unwavering
commitment, and a relentless pursuit of greatness. Every wrestler gave
their utmost effort, reflecting the team's embodiment of sportsmanship
and unity, garnering respect from spectators and opponents. As the
event concluded, the GVSUWC emerged as a dominant force, illustrating
the resilience and enthusiasm characteristic of collegiate wrestling.
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Wrestling
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Permanent link for Rising Resilience: Grand Valley State University Club Wrestlers Show Out at 2024 NCWA National Championships on March 20, 2024.
Permanent link for Grand Valley State University Wrestling Club Shines at 2024 NCWA Great Lakes Conference Championship on March 13, 2024
The wrestling warriors of Grand Valley State University Wrestling Club etched their legacy into the annals of the 2024 NCWA Great Lakes Conference Championship, a riveting spectacle hosted on March 2 at the hallowed grounds of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. The GVSUWC Lakers unleashed their determination on the rugged mat, earning themselves coveted spots in the upcoming NCWA National Championships in Shreveport, Louisiana, slated for March 14.
GVSUWC's femme fatales, 18th-ranked Isobel Wharff and 13th-ranked Maria Potrero ascended the podium with uncontested conference titles in their weight classes: Wharff in the 116-pound category and Potrero commanding at 143 pounds. Their triumph set an unyielding precedent, casting a formidable shadow over the competition.
On the men's battlefield, the journey through the tournament was a tapestry woven with intense clashes and unyielding competition. 16th-ranked Zack Koenig, grappling in the 125-pound weight class, fought valiantly to secure a 4th-place finish, showcasing a resilience that echoed through each pulse-pounding match.
Koenig's odyssey included a quarterfinal conquest over Alex Needham from the University of Dubuque, followed by a hard-fought semifinal duel with Damian Ryan from Bellarmine University. Ultimately, Koenig clinched fourth after a nail-biting third-place skirmish against Dominic Ciolli from The Ohio State University.
Climbing the ladder, number one ranked Jack Sherman, the undisputed ruler of the 157-pound category, showcased his mat mastery. Despite putting up Herculean battles every round, Sherman finished fourth after facing a gauntlet of formidable opponents. His saga featured a commanding triumph over Logan Brown from Thomas More University in the championship's opening round, only to be met with a quarterfinal setback against Jake Gooding from Ohio State University.
Though he rallied with victories in the consolation bracket, a fierce third-place match against Gooding ended in a brutal defeat for Sherman. Anthony Coleman and Brandon Khnanisho, GVSUWC's representatives in the 235-pound class, personified determination and skill. Coleman grappled his way to a commendable 4th place finish, while Khnanisho, despite finishing 8th, showcased unwavering grit and commitment.
Coleman's quest included a swift triumph over Ethan Hrynkow from Ohio State University in the quarterfinals, followed by a semifinal tussle with Joseph Pineda from the University of Dubuque. A triumphant rebound in the consolation bracket against Gavin Wurm from Ohio State University preceded a fourth-place finish after a closely contested third-place showdown against Jacob Meek from the University of Toledo.
Khnanisho faced an uphill battle, losing in the quarterfinals to Pineda from the University of Dubuque and then to Hrynkow from Ohio State University in the consolation bracket. Despite the challenges, Khnanisho's journey illuminated his unwavering determination on the mat.
Head coach Ryan Lancaster beamed with pride: "We're incredibly proud of our wrestler's performances at the Great Lakes Conference. The caliber of competition, with teams like Bellarmine and Thomas More, speaks volumes. Despite the challenges, our athletes showcased skill, determination, and resilience. Qualifying all six wrestlers for the NCWA National Championships is a testament to their hard work and dedication. We're excited to continue our journey and prepare for the upcoming competition."
With all six Grand Valley State University Wrestling Club warriors clinching spots at the NCWA National Championships, the team now sets its sights on an arduous preparation regimen. As they hone their skills and devise strategies for the national stage, the GVSUWC wrestlers aspire to carve their names into the wrestling pantheon, bringing glory and honor to their university.
Permanent link for Friday's Spring Break Blogs at Clemson on March 11, 2024
Amelia Paulin
Today was the last day of our training trip in Clemson! It was a little cloudy with some rain, which was a nice break from the hot weather all week. Today, practice was in some small boats. This was our first time doing small boats all of break, so it was a much needed change of pace! I was in the Marco, a pair, and bow coxed. Other boats that were in our fleet were 2 other pairs, a double, and a single! Practice started off pretty chill as I took us across one of the race courses doing our warmup in order to get to the correct side of the lake. Then, we were notified that our coach’s launch was broken so we had to go with a women’s 8 for a bit! We followed the 8 into a little cove/island area that was around 6k away. At this fun little new spot, we did some drills in order to work on balance and togetherness. To start off, we did 3 bobs for timing, 3 bobs at arms away for balance, and 3 bobs at the pivot point for more balance. We successfully completed those, and it was time to turn around and row back in order to load the trailer.
On the way back I had to play a little bit of minefield, as I had to dodge huge trees left and right. Then, to end practice off we did a 30 stroke burst at a high rate and took it then. After taking it in, we loaded the trailer. And to end the week off, the coaches got the whole team pizza. Yum!!
Josh Scotto
Hello! My name is Josh Scotto and today was the final day of our spring break training trip! We started off with an early morning at 5:50-6am after pressing snooze a couple times. After getting dressed for the day and going downstairs to stretch and walk on the treadmill I had a sizable breakfast of a plate of eggs and potatoes, double portion of oatmeal, a banana muffin, and two slices of toast.
Moving to the water, while I had rowed the past couple days I decided to give my lower back a break and stay on land and de-rig/clean up the beach with a fellow teammate Reilly Forbes so the team could leave earlier. Taking about 2 hours to pack everything up onto the trailer after everyone docked we finally got on the road for home!
While most of the ride home was uneventful, there were a few fun moments. After about 13-15 hours on the road, shotgunning roughly 6 hours, and driving roughly 6 hours, we finally made it to Lot J where we unpacked the van and said our goodbyes while I waited for some of the other vans to get back to the lot. Unfortunately with limited sleep the next morning we went to return the lovely vans to Enterprise, then I went home and slept for another 6 hours and am just now finishing this blog!
Nikolai Stroemme
To start the day, I woke up to the sound of the favorite apple alarm. I proceeded to pack up everything I didn't need for the day then went down for the hotel breakfast. There was very little food as Temple ate most of it. We then packed up the vans and made our way down to the boat dock. once we arrived, me, Robbie, Tyler, Ryan, and Valley set up our 4 and made our way to the race course to start our AT day. It was 3 split up 2ks and we had tons of fun doing a proper start and racing the course. After we finished the AT, we came into the dock to de rig the boats and load up the trailer. Once that was done we had a pizza party on the beach then took a group photo to commemorate this spring break. Now we are doing the 15 hour drive back to the campus to sleep and eat.
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Permanent link for Friday's Spring Break Blogs at Clemson on March 11, 2024.
Permanent link for Thursday's Spring Break Blogs at Clemson on March 11, 2024
Ellie Mulder
Hello laker nation! Today is Thursday, March 7 and I started my day bright and early around 7:30am. After a delicious hotel breakfast consisting of yogurt, granola, and many muffins, we headed to Lake Hartwell for our morning practice. I sat port 5 in our new varsity women’s 8 called the Laker Legacy. This boat is easily the most comfortable boat I’ve ever rowed in my 7 years with this sport! This morning, we focused on finding a consistent balance throughout all 8 seats to glide through the water. We also focused on timing on the back end with arm and back swing in time with stroke seat. I had some strong improvements on my shoulder placement and “arms-out” timing. After practice, we freshened up and headed to downtown Clemson for a pizza lunch and smoothie bowl dessert! With satisfied stomachs, we headed to Clemson University’s geology museum. We had loads of fun checking out the luminescent minerals exhibit and taking pictures outside in the flower-filled fields. After we returned to the hotel and grabbed a quick nap, it was time for evening practice! Tonight we scrimmaged head-to-head against Clemson University’s club team. Though we suffered a pretty tough defeat, we learned a lot about how we can improve and what we need to focus on next. Personally, I’m gonna focus on maintaining a strong and tall posture even when I’m tired. Ice cream at Andees’s ice cream shop in downtown Clemson rounded out my last full day here in South Carolina! Tomorrow’s our last practice and I hope it goes well! Thanks for reading!
Aiden Miller
Today started just like the others on spring break. I woke up early to get a nice hotel breakfast in; consisting of a questionable omelet, cereal, a bagel with peanut butter and apple butter (a personal favorite of mine), and a banana. After scarfing down breakfast and talking with President Eliot Van Pelt I went and got ready for practice.
Practice this morning was a nice little steady state which split us varsity men into a 4+ and an 8+. I was placed in 3 seat of the 8+ and was coxed by the celebrity coxswain Valley who did amazing :) (shout out Valley). The weather wasn’t quite what we expected today and it was a bit warmer and sunnier out. So I decided to row without my shirt and this caused me to burn - a lot.
After returning to the hotel I went out with some of my friends (Joe, Miles, Michael, Amelia, and Anna) to get some Sully Steamers which is a bagel sandwich place in Clemson. I got the blonde which is basically just a turkey sandwich on a bagel. After eating that incredibly sauced up sandwich (in like -5 seconds) we went to some shops to get some Clemson gear. Although we settled on a Goodwill for some of the best deals around. I got 4 shirts for $6 so that’s a huge success in my book.
Once back to the hotel the PM practice was a bit weird since the women had to leave later because of a scrimmage. So the men all got stuffed into vans and went off to practice. Once again we were joined by Valley in the experimental 2V lineup and also joining us were amazing novices Connor, Sean, and Riley. The row started off rough, but ended up turning around and ended as a better row. So I’m looking forward to rowing with this lineup :).
Afterwards the men sped off to the dining hall to eat some pork, mashed potatoes, and mixed veggies. Also had some ice cream and two cookies for dessert. There was also this Oreo pudding that everyone was going crazy for, but I didn’t see the hype. Also at dinner the winner of the talent show was announced and that was Ellie (Lil E) and her sick rap of Intergalactic by the Beastie Boys (rightfully so, that was pretty sick).
We then returned to the hotel and I played some Yukre with some teammates (I blundered that game hard). Then I went off to Cookout with the same group as before but minus Miles. Overall a very good day. Loving everyday I get to spend with my friends and teammates. Have a great day everyone :)
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Rowing
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Permanent link for Mastering the rowing stroke and a hike to a waterfall with an afternoon off on March 7, 2024
Reilly Forbes
Welcome back to day 5 in Clemson! I started off my day with morning practice in the cold and rainy weather, but we made the most of it. I was coxing the varsity women in the Ring,4+, and we took it out for a long steady state row. We were working on stationary drills to really nail down our catch timings and overall boat set. We then took it for a long row, adding in pauses throughout the stroke to match up body positions. We wrapped up our rainy morning practice with some rate work, working on shifting to higher or lower rates efficiently. Overall, a very productive practice.
Today was our afternoon off day so the team took advantage of our free time from rowing to partake in another physical activity, a hike! A large portion of the team made a trip to Yellow Branch Falls and hiked to a large waterfall that we got to climb around on and swim in. The hike wasn’t too hard but because of the rain, it was very slick and muddy making it a little more difficult but entertaining to watch everyone try and navigate the trails in the mud.
We came back from the hike and relaxed for a few hours before heading to Southern Wesleyan University where we had dinner. Tonight's dinner was brisket and mac n’ cheese and it really hit the spot after a long day full of a large variety of activities. My day began to come to an end with an eboard meeting at the hotel after dinner where the executive board had their monthly meeting going through everything that they had been working on and what their next projects were. I hung out with some of my teammates in the lobby after the meeting before heading up to my room to wind down for bed and watching part of a movie before heading off to bed to get some much needed rest for another exciting day in Clemson tomorrow.
Kyle Emerson
Today started as the past few have: wake up at 7:30am, go downstairs for breakfast, go back up to the room to get dressed for practice (my uni and rain jacket since it was drizzling this morning), then get to the practice site by 9:00am. I was in the pair (The Marco-Pitzer) with Mr. Aiden Miller and we went on to do quite a bit of steady state with drills in some rather wet conditions, but we made the most out of it anyway. At 11:00am, morning practice was done, and we returned to the hotel. Many of the varsity and novice men went to a pizza place across the street from the hotel called Your Pie. That was some of the best pizza for the price that I have ever had, and with the best company anyone could ask for. As someone who has experienced three spring breaks with the team, there is always one thing that I especially look forward to: the day hike. Two years ago I did this exact hike that took us to this incredible waterfall, but this time, I was able to explore up to the top and even further up the stream which the waterfall connected. Because of the rain, it was still muddy and if I had a dollar for everytime I nearly ate mud on my way to and from the waterfall, I could have paid off my dues, but that’s what makes you feel alive and was a good use of the rest of the day until dinner. It was BBQ at the Southern Wesleyan University dining hall which consisted of mac and cheese, pulled pork, mixed veggies, and french fries (finished with a little bit of ice cream). The rest of the night consisted of going to do laundry with a couple other rowers then heading to bed. Tomorrow we’ll be back on the water at 9:00am in the men’s Varsity 8+ (Featuring the Lubbers).
Tyler Jacobs
The day started off dark and rainy. I woke up pretty early to avoid the morning rush so that I could make myself a waffle and not have to wait in a 20 minute line for it. Like on other mornings. I was a little hesitant if we would still be able to go on a hike later in the day due to all the rain, but the forecast showed the weather clearing up around noon so I tried not to worry about it too much.
When practice rolled around it was still rainey, but the good news was that it was our only practice for the day. The novice men took out an 8 with one seat empty. We mostly just did drill work. Towards the end of practice Coach Trevor came up with a friendly competition for us novices. Whoever could keep their blade in the water for the longest would win and I was able to win.
After practice I took off the wet clothes I had on and put on some dry clothes. I then ran across the street to Subway for lunch. I’ve gone there so many times on this trip the lady behind the counter at this point knows who I am and what I'm going to order.
There was some debate on what time we should leave for the hike so we eventually just decided as a team to split into two groups and leave at separate times. I decided to go with the first group. When we got to the park I was very impressed. We were the only ones there so we had the whole place to ourselves. The trail we walked on was muddy, but still a cool, neat long trail. I was the first one to make it to the waterfall and I thought it looked absolutely gorgeous. My brain immediately started to think of ways of how I could climb up it. I took off my shoes and began my journey to the top of the waterfall. Anytime I pulled myself up I made sure my hand had a good grip on whatever I was holding onto so that I wouldn't fall to my death. After about 10 to 20 minutes of climbing I was eventually happy with how high I was so I decided to climb back down. As I was getting ready to leave the 2nd group was arriving. At that moment I just decided to stay because I just loved the environment I was in and assumed that another van could take me home. Some of the varsity members started to go on a hidden path on the side of the waterfall. I was curious so I followed them and to my surprise it led to the top of the waterfall. When I got to the top I felt like the king of the world. The view was breathtaking. I climbed inside the waterfall and had a mini panic attack due to the water pressure and it being hard to breath for a couple seconds but I got over it. After hours of exploring we eventually had to head back. The trail back to the parking lot was about half an hour away, but me and some other people decided to run so we shaved at least 15 minutes off the time. I got put in a van with 6 other people so I was squeezed in there. The hike was definitely my favorite part of the trip so far. I just loved the location and scenery. It all felt so surreal. The only negative was all of my clothes were wet, muddy and cold.
Once I got dropped off back at the hotel I took a quick shower and then quickly put whatever I had laying around on and headed towards my van to take me to the food place. I surprisingly wasn’t that hungry, but I still had a decent amount of food and made sure that I didn’t waste anything.
When I got back to the hotel I took a proper shower because I wasn’t rushed. To close things out for the day, I relaxed in bed working on editing some videos on my computer and watching some youtube. Overall today was definitely my favorite day because I love exploring and wandering and when I was by the waterfall I got to take all of that to a whole new level.
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Permanent link for Day 4 in Clemson filled with sunny skies, seat racing, scrimmage with Clemson, and a talent show! on March 6, 2024
Reece Thurston
Welcome back to Clemson! I woke up early around 7:30 and headed down to the hotel lobby for breakfast with the team before we headed out for our morning row. When we arrived at the water, we were met with perfectly flat water and sunny conditions perfect for rowing. I rowed in the single which I was super excited about because it’s been a couple years since I’ve been able to row one. Our morning workout consisted of steady state intertwined with some drills, focusing on a slow recovery and getting our oars in right away at the catch. I spent the drill time doing some bobs at the finish followed by catch placement. On our row back to the dock, we practiced some starting 5’s in anticipation for tonight's seat races.
After our morning row, the women’s team ventured into downtown Clemson for lunch and some sightseeing. We got steamed bagel sandwiches and smoothies to fuel ourselves for our afternoon practice. We finished our downtown trip with souvenir shopping where I bought a shirt and a sticker to put on my car.
We got back to the hotel and it was then time to begin getting ready for afternoon practice. Today was our first seat racing practice of the spring to begin making racing lineups. The women’s squad loaded up into two 8+’s and hit the water. Our workout was 6x1000, and we switched two people in each after every piece. Considering the short amount of time we’ve been able to spend working at a higher intensity on the water, the pieces went really well! The women’s team is making progress each day and it was evident in today’s practice that everyone is giving these spring break sessions their 100% effort.
As our day drew to a close, the whole team retreated back to the hotel where we participated in a team talent show! Whoever had a talent they wished to share with the team had the opportunity to show it off. The talent show rounded out the night and I spent the rest of my time relaxing in my room getting ready to get back at it tomorrow morning!
Michael Jeromsky
My morning started at the ripe hour of 4 o'clock. I awoke from my slumber to pounding on my hotel room door. It was Aiden Miller. He informed us that Nikolai had just landed in South Carolina, and we needed to go pick him up from the airport. Aiden, Miles, and I took one of the rental vans and got Nikolai from the airport. Once we returned to the hotel, we ate our breakfast. The meal consisted of scrambled eggs, sausage, orange juice, banana nut muffins, and the most vile, gut wrenching, intestine killing, heart stopping, plague infected red skin potatoes that had ever been in my mouth. After breakfast, I changed and headed to the race course for practice.
Morning practice was steady state and we rowed by sixes and all 8 to mainly work on our technique. We also practiced our starts for the scrimmages that we had against Clemson and Villanova in the afternoon. Once practice was finished, Miles and I returned to the hotel room and ate 2 of our “Banquet Chicken Pot Pies”. This was by far the best financial decision Miles and I had ever made, being that the pies cost 1 dollar each. I then went with Amelia, Anna, and Joe to downtown Clemson to buy some souvenirs to take back home. Soon after, we headed to the afternoon practice where we raced Clemson and Villanova for three 1000-meter pieces. The pieces went very well as the GVSU men's varsity 8 won all 3 of the pieces. By the time the third piece started, the sun had already set, I was unable to see the man in front of me and was rowing purely out of instinct. I would like to commend Butters for not crashing into the shore or any of the other boats in those conditions, it was truly a miracle.
We headed to dinner directly after our scrimmages and dug into fresh tilapia, fried shrimp, hushpuppies, and tasty vegetables. The food review was an 8/10. Once we headed back to the hotel and showered, the team held its first ever talent show. Many people from the team showed their impressive and wide range of talents. Some notable acts were the Tik Tok dance, how to pog, how to get kicked out of practice, how to mew, how to griddy, how to start a pyramid scheme, types of rocks, and Ryan’s angelic voice.
Connor Wolfe
The day is Tuesday, March 5th- our 4th day on the water. After downing one chocolate chip waffle while making eye contact with Little Ryan, Van #5 took off for the beach. Today I was rowing with my fellow novice men in the Stoll, 8+, for our morning steady state before being joined by Nikolai and Sawyer later for evening AT. Starting off with some drills to fix out positioning and rush, we did two-part pauses in varying steps of the recovery Then, we continued onto our steady state where we were able to apply what we’ve learned. Practice concluded with a full-boat row back to the dock where we focused on set and timing as a boat.
Today is laundry day so after stopping back at the hotel to grab clothes, van #5 once again departed for the laundromat where we pioneered the world’s first laundry basket race course (I was the fastest (credits to Jo Pat)). We then proceeded to head downtown where I purchased the world’s drippiest Clemson bucket hat and ate a french toast bagel for lunch.
To wrap things up, we headed back to the water for our AT practice where Nikolai arrived just in time from his three hour flight. We made a ton of progress on set and rush during our 8x4’ pieces and ended the rowing day with a long steady state row back.
Back at the hotel we had a talent show where I gave a presentation on Pogging and witnessed many feats of humorous strength before tending to my wounds and heading to bed.
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Rowing
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Permanent link for Day 4 in Clemson filled with sunny skies, seat racing, scrimmage with Clemson, and a talent show! on March 6, 2024.
Permanent link for Another Day of Rowing and Team Bonding in Clemson on March 5, 2024
Sarah Lawrence
Today was day three in Clemson. This morning's practice I was in a women’s varsity 8+. We worked on having a proper lay back and pivot position and catch timing. Coach McKenzie was my coach this morning and she created a fund drill to make laying back at the finish and pivoting less scary for the new novices in the boat. I was sitting in 4 seat and was focusing on my blade and seat timing. I could feel and Coach McKenzie could see the improvement by the end of the practice.
During the break between practices the women grilled hot dogs by the water and even though I can not eat hot dogs, I really enjoyed spending time with my teammates outside of practice. I did end up refueling for afternoon practice at a local Clemson business with a couple of other varsity women. After eating we walked around campus enjoying the amazing weather we had today.
This afternoon we had the same lineups but Coach Troy was coaching my boat this practice. We did some drills to work on catch timing, having a good ratio at low rates and then transfer that to high rates, and we also put our start sequence together. I was focusing mostly on twisting round the pin and keeping my pivot the same through my stroke but my favorite part of practice was working on the start sequence. It felt so energizing to have everyone build power and speed together as one to move the boat. After practice we headed to the dining hall for dinner and everyone got to relax and hang out before we headed back to the hotel. My roommates and I watched a movie and then called it a night. Overall today was a great day of rowing and making memories and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the spring season holds.
Izak Sahutske
Today was a good day. We got a total of around 28,000 meters on the water in between our first and second practices both in 8’s. Today was also the first day where we spent most of our time rowing by all 8’s on the feather and near the end of the second practice we did some starts. They were a little bit rocky at first, but after a while we got the hang of them and they were a lot of fun. I rowed in the new men’s 8 for the first practice and oh my lordie is that boat fun. She can sing like Aretha Franklin.
For lunch me and a couple of the other guys went to a raising canes. We went to zaxbys yesterday so naturally we needed to go to canes today to see which one is better. For my money, I’ll take zaxbys, but that was not the popular opinion amongst my teammates.
Raising canes was on the Clemson campus so we walked around a little bit. The campus is beautiful and HUGE. A lot bigger than we thought it would be. We stopped by the bookstore and some of us got shirts to remember the trip by.
This trip has been so much fun and I have done everything I can to take it all in and live in the moment. But no matter how good of a job I do, I don’t think I could ever get it all.
Arley Wagley
My third day in Clemson! This morning I woke up and another coxswain and I split a red velvet waffle! In the a.m. I was with Coach Kyle in one of the two men’s varsity eight. We started with a chalk talk and a demonstration on a slider led by Coach Kyle. We had a good warm-up of swing pick and once we got out there and lined up with the other varsity men’s eight, we worked on drive sequence, steady state, and dropkick drills. The dropkick drills were my favorite, because even though they are super helpful for the drive, they’re also a little bit of fun. They include bobs, a men’s team favorite where they bob their blades in the water before returning to a named position.
The men are constantly cracking jokes at appropriate times, which makes every single row with them hilarious and upbeat. I was focusing on blacking the blades into water, their blade depth, and we have been focusing on suspension a lot this trip. We had a lot of laughs in the a.m. and snuck in some more bob drills. After a quick dock, the men wanted to make it a competition to see how fast they could get the boat out of the water and off of the dock for the other boats (55 seconds!) Making small things like this into a competition or just seeing how fast they can go really adds a fun and competitive spirit into our practices every day. After putting the boats away I retired to my room for a nap, most people went out to lunch and some even stayed and grilled hot dogs! all plans sounded super fun but it’s important that I get my rest since the practices are fun, but it’s important that i’m alert and awake!!
For the pm practice after my nap we had a new line up and returned to the water! It was beautiful and hot outside! We started with study state after a good warm-up, did some drive sequencing and legs only! After picking up by all eight and focusing on our set a bit we got to do some starts! Another team favorite where we simulate starting a race. This is great practice for me to use my coxswain voice and apply my voice to their rhythm. The men in my boat loved this, and absolutely killed the drill. We spent some time seeing how long we could glide with a good set after the starts. After the loss of my glasses in the Clemson reservoir and a nice smooth docking from yours truly, we all ran off to dinner where they serve lots of good food, but the highlight was the beignets served for dessert that were a hot commodity. Afterwards, we all returned and took showers and a lot of the team headed down to a public dock where we spent some time, laughing and having fun together before I returned to my room and talked a little bit about our day and some strategy for tomorrow’s before ultimately heading to sleep. One of my favorite parts of every practice is being able to ask everyone how the role was and getting to hear how everyone’s day in the boat went, It’s such a good way to bond and learn about my team.
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Anna Cleveland
We started out the morning with a quick breakfast at the hotel and headed off to the practice course. When we arrived there was a light fog but shortly cleared after our land warmup. For morning practice I was bow seat in the Schintz. We did a steady state row followed by lots of bob drills. When we were rowing it back to the dock we went by all eight and were surprisingly set for just getting back out on the water.
After practice a group decided to get lunch at Tropical Grille (very yummy rice and chicken and veggies!). Then we made a short trip to Walmart to grab some essentials. It was also nice to be able to take a short nap in between practices.
We then headed to our afternoon practice to do some bungee resistance work. The day turned out to be very warm and sunny. While waiting to use the dock we decided to wet launch since we share the dock with several other teams also on spring break. I sat seven seat in the Schintz for this practice. We are starting out strong this spring season and doing lots of rate work. We also went by all eight for the last part of the pieces and it will be exciting to see how much we will improve even by the end of the week.
After our afternoon practice we headed directly to dinner at the dining hall. It is nice to be able to eat dinner with the whole team and have more time for team bonding between the men and women’s squads. A few of us also went out for ice cream afterwards and I got banana ice cream with peanut butter and dark chocolate chips. Back at the hotel we played card games in the lobby. After that I headed to bed to be ready for another day of practice!
Brendan Butterfield
Today marked our second day in Clemson where we had our second and third practice session. We started the day by waking up at 7 am for breakfast then shortly after left for the water for our first AM session of the week. I was coxing the new men's boat where we did drills to work on drive sequence and did the back it down drill. It's during the first few practices this week we are working on dusting the rust off and getting back into the swing of things. After practice, we headed back to the hotel and a group of the guys went for a little walk to try the local cuisine. We made the hike down the street to go to Zaxby's. Trying new restaurants we don't have back home is always fun. After getting lunch many of us went back to our rooms to rest during the downtime. After lunch, I took a short nap as I was still tired from the drive down to Clemson. When I woke up it was time for our PM practice. For today's PM practice, we did an AT workout at pace which was 4x8 min 1:30 on 30 seconds off. It was nice to see that we were still able to work our way up to higher rates while in the boat after being inside all winter. I feel pretty confident so far for the season and am eager to see how much we improve this week. After our PM practice, we headed to dinner at a local dining hall and made plans to go see Dune Part 2 afterward. A number of the men went and watched Dune which we all enjoyed and recommended.
Sean Antone
I woke up this morning at 7am with a sore throat due to the dry air circulating the room at night from the AC. I thought I was sick which startled me because I would hate to be sick the entire spring break. I took a vitamin C booster and headed downstairs for breakfast. The lobby was quite comfortable as it had a modern design with the colors of orange representing Clemson. I had eggs, sausage, and potatoes with a dark roast coffee. 1 creamer. I headed back upstairs with Butters to chill until we had to leave for practice around 8:30am.
We showed up at the site we unload the boats from. We warmed up and stretched before heading out on the water. we unloaded the boats off the dock and headed out on the lake. Around 11, we turned around and headed back to shore. It was a warm overcast, which was perfect weather to row in. After strapping down the boats and a post cap of practice, we headed back to the hotel in the van to grab lunch at Zaxby’s. I had a chicken sandwich with fries.
After the 15 walk back from Zaxby’s with Izak, I went back to the room to chill out until Bryce and Robbie returned. We all played Super smash bros. on the Nintendo switch. Shortly after that, I went downstairs in the hotel hospitality room to find Elliot, Ryan, and Daniel doing homework. I was tired watching them so I went back upstairs and took nap before the afternoon practice.
After arriving at the site, we did our warmups and applied sunscreen on a high of 70 degrees today. As we attempted to get our boat in the water, many teams were clustered on the beach trying to do the same. Once we got our boat in, we were on our way. Our afternoon practice focused on AT workout meaning we train like we’re in a race. The piece was a 4x1:30 going at high stroke rates. 22,24,26,28 stroke rate. The sun was shining as our blades floated across the water. After a well paced row, we docked the boat and strapped it down on the beach. We were running late for the dining hall so we quickly gathered everyone and drove the vans away from the site.
Since the movie, Dune 2, starts at 7:30, we had to eat quickly so we could watch it. I was buying my ticket while I was waiting in line for food. The food that was being served was biscuits and gravy, corn, and green beans. I caught a ride with Mateo, Butters, and Robbie. As we made our way to the theater we listened to 90s rock. After watching Dune 2, we headed back to the hotel and went into the hospitality room to check if people were still playing poker. Since I was tired, I decided to head back upstairs to my room to go to bed. It was a very eventful day and I can't wait to wake up at 7am for hotel breakfast :)
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Alyssa Cassie
Today was the first day in Clemson! After a long, courageous battle of driving through the night, we arrived at the course to rig boats and begin to knock the rust off. To quote one of our coaches who has been through this process themself, today is the kind of practice that puts hairs on your chest. After some projected rain, we were pleasantly surprised with some sunshine and warm weather. Before hopping on the water, as one of the clothing coordinators I was tasked with passing out our spring shirts for the season. After some team photos in our new merch, we got to work on the water. For being one of our first practices back on the water, it felt highly productive and we got some good meters in, rowing through a total of three bridges. Some of the main things I focused on today to prevent the resurfacing of old habits is opening my shoulders to prevent shooting my slide and backing in my blade. Too bad I was sitting bow so I didn’t have any teammates in the splash zone behind me.
After wrapping up practice, we all headed to the hotel and received our room assignments. I fell asleep on the floor waiting for my turn to shower and then took yet another nap post shower until it was time to leave for dinner. As an athlete, it’s important to get in sleep wherever you can, I consider it a form of self care. Thank goodness one of my teammates/roommates was awake to get us up and moving in time to head to the dining hall. Tonight we also had our Spring Break meeting where our Club President graced us with some gentle reminders as well as stern rules. As always, our spring break guides meant to keep things light hearted and fun did not disappoint. I can’t wait for all the adventures and memories to be had this week!
Bryce Drobnick
Today we arrived for our first day of break in Clemson, South Carolina. We left Allendale last night at 7 pm and arrived in Clemson around 9 am. My van had a blast on our travels and visited fun locations throughout our adventure.
Once we got to Clemson we began to rig our boats, including our 2 new 8's. Once rigged up we grabbed lunch from Jimmy Johns and headed on to the water. It was a beautiful 70 degree blue sky day, much nicer than the 20 degrees we left in Michigan.
Today we did mixed lineups of Varsity and Novices and did drill work, specifically at the back end of the stroke. We rowed about 12k today.
After practice, we headed to our hotel; relaxed, and headed to dinner at Southern Wesleyan University and returned to the hotel to finish the night.
I am super excited to continue my training this week and I hope you all enjoy the rest of the blogs.
Sydnee Ochs
We began our journey to South Carolina by leaving lot J in Allendale at 7pm March 1st.In complete honesty I was in and out of consciousness until we hit Kentucky, at around 2:30AM, when I was granted Passenger Princesses Privileges while Reilly drove.
We arrived in Clemson right around 10AM on March 2nd, after unloading our trailer, rigging our boats and a quick lunch we were ready to launch our boats into Lake Hartwell. Our workout consisted of steady state rowing, to get us used to being back on the water. I was rowing in the Schintz 8+ boat and we did several sets of sprints.
After practice Beka, Jo, Anna, Sawyer and I decided to take a swim! It started as a way to decompress after a long night of driving and water practice, but quickly turned into several hours of games in the water to celebrate the warm weather. Not too much happened when we finally got to the hotel around 3PM, I took a well deserved shower and nap before heading to dinner with the rest of my team around 6. Once dinner was over we returned to our hotel for some very well deserved rest before our practice tomorrow!
