Grace Christian University

Coach Colton Wolfe is entering this year full of hope and expectation. Wolfe is the head coach for the Grace Christian University baseball team, a new athletic offering for the school. Tigers baseball has 40 games on the schedule, uniforms and practice gear ordered, players recruited, and staff in place. With the support of assistant coaches Kyle Peets and Jamie Bristol, Wolfe is excited to not just lead the team but also serve the community in various ways. Prior to the invitation to coach the Tigers, Wolfe played baseball for Calvin University where he majored in Sports Management. At Cairn University, where he earned his MA in Organizational Leadership, Wolfe simultaneously served as Assistant Coach to the team. A short break between his Undergraduate and Graduate studies allowed Wolfe the opportunity to play independent ball in New Mexico. His return to Michigan began with a position for Springhill Camps during the summer. Shortly thereafter he was hired as a full-time Online Enrollment Advisor for Grace Christian University. Aligning the perfect path as only God can do, Wolfe's coaching opportunity was brought about by a casual conversation during a campus service opportunity. "It was really amazing. I came to campus for a blood drive where I met Coach (Gary) Bailey. He shared with me his familiarity with my athletic background which began the discussion leading to a coaching opportunity. Beginning the first week of April, I was officially the head coach for the team. It was definitely God's doing" says Wolfe. Still working full-time to enroll students into the Online program, he has done and continues to do an incredible amount of preparation for this first season ahead. This will be a year of learning, growing, and planting a firm foundation for not only the school but also the players. "We have many freshmen on the team this year. My goal is to serve this team with excellence, and to glorify God with the sport of baseball."

Kimberly Proctor, Grace Christian University Senior, has become the first ever Track & Field National Champion in the 5K, winning by 26 seconds over the next closest competitor. Less than 48 hours prior, Proctor became the first ever NCCAA All-American national runner up in the 10K for the university, with another record-breaking personal best. Before these National wins, Proctor ran a personal best at GVSU for the 5K. Teammate Sarena Overbeek finished the 10K with an amazing personal best, shaving off two minutes from an already incredible finish time. Kimberly Proctor was the first ever automatic qualifier from Grace Christian University's Track & Field for the NCCAA Outdoor Track & Field Nationals during her freshman year. Doing so again this year, she accomplished this alongside Overbeek, who was the third university athlete to qualify. These athletes not only have to succeed during the season as a D2 school, they also are required to meet the standards of D1 athletes in order to qualify for Nationals - which is a significant accomplishment. Leading up to this strong finish for the women's team, April Invitationals included Senior Nat Mercer breaking both shot put and hammer throw records. Men's events at this same competition resulted in freshmen Kent Herring and Angel Rangel shattering personal records for the 1500m (Herring) and shot put and discus (Rangel). Herring previously broke the 800M school record. Spring showcased amazing Track & Field and Cross Country athleticism but this success does not stand alone. Amiah Lake was the first ever Tiger to finish the Women's Tennis season undefeated in singles. Lake also shines on the field as a successful player for the Tigers Women's Soccer team. This year the university had their first ever Decathlete, Senior Joseph Craesmeyer, who finished 9th overall in the NCCAA Championships. Craesmeyer, along with classmates Nat Mercer and Kimberly Proctor were also named NCCAA's Scholar Athletes. Grace Christian University Women's Basketball achieved success this spring with a regional championship as well as an appearance in the NCCAA Final Four. Coach Ashley Xiong Vang officially assumed the role of Head Coach for the Women's team this year, replacing the "interim" title she held for a brief time following more than two years as the teams' assistant coach. Vang has been busy signing some strong incoming athletes for the class of 2021 and is eager to see their contributions. Character along with competence is shared throughout the season with Mindset Student-Athlete of the Month recognition. Freshman Kent Herring (Track & Field) and Senior Mikyala Reynolds (Tennis) were applauded for their leadership and dedication to their teammates. Reynolds serves as Team Captain and is a leader in student government On Campus as well as in her church community. Athletes at Grace Christian spend time throughout the season volunteering at athletic events with high schools in the community. Each athlete at Grace Christian University seeks to serve others and show the love of Christ in their community while remaining committed to their teams and academic pursuits.

As we reflect on our first semester in an unprecedented time, we praise God for the health and success of our athletes and coaches. Their perseverance and commitment to athleticism and sportsmanship has resulted in Regional and National recognition for individual athletes, teams, and Head Basketball Coach Gary Bailey as he is inducted into the NCCAA Hall of Fame.

Grace Christian University Men's Basketball caps off Kentucky trip with a win following a season pause, as the schools athletic teams continue to achieve success in a changing time.

The coaching staff for each Grace Tigers team knows that if they desire to reflect Jesus Christ, the first step is having a selfless mindset. Our talented student-athletes model servant leadership, a commitment to their teammate's wellbeing, excellent athleticism, and true love of encouraging the success of others. Each day student-athletes are challenged to wake up with a selfless mindset, and some have been recognized this fall for their "Mindset" commitment.

The Grace Christian University women's basketball team enjoyed a successful weekend in the win column, defeating Welch College on back-to-back occasions Friday night and Saturday morning. The wins move the Tigers to 2-0 on the year in the NCCAA DII and 2-3 overall. They are right back in action tonight at the Aldrich Athletic Center, taking on Cornerstone University at 7:00 pm.

A strong second half of play on senior night would result in an 83-56 win for the Tigers over regional rival Great Lakes Christian College in front of a packed crowd at the Aldrich Athletic Center. The win marks six straight for Grace, as they continue to find their stride as they approach the end of the regular season and have postseason in their near sight. The Tigers held a nine point lead after a three pointer to close out the half, but they would really blow things open in the third quarter, extending their lead to 21 and coasting to the finish in the fourth for the 27 point win. Grace overcame 24 committed turnovers with a rebounding margin that was heavily in their favor, out-rebounding the Crusaders as a team, 62-26. Ashley Hoek dominated the paint, as she so often does, recording 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Hoek is now only 10 blocks away from tying the All-Time blocks record at Grace, and she is only a sophomore! Two other Tigers recorded double-figures, as Megan George pitched in 14 points and 10 boards and Bre Harris added 12 and 10. George also had a team-high 5 assists. On senior night, every senior would find the scoring column, with Megan Scholtens scoring 12, Miranda Carlson scoring 9, Brandy Weaver with 3, and Chloe DeVries with 2. The Tigers are now 14-14 overall and 6-0 in the NCCAA DII, where they are currently ranked #4 in the nation. This weekend they will close out their regular season and attempt to remain unblemished in the NCCAA with a game against #5 Campbellsville-Harrodsburg on the road in Kentucky on Saturday at 11:00 am.

The NCCAA II #2 Grace Christian University Tigers closed out their home schedule Tuesday night with a bang, defeating the #1 Great Lakes Christian College Crusaders in front of an electric Aldrich Athletic Center crowd that was at capacity. After a very evenly played first half, the Tigers held a two point lead headed into the break. The Crusaders stormed out in the second half on a 9-0 run to quickly take the lead, but the Tigers answered with a 19-4 run to take the lead right back and they would hold on to it for the rest of the game. Great Lakes would trim it down to as many as three points, but a huge and-1 conversion from Hank Schemmel would ignite a spark in the Aldrich Athletic Center crowd and Grace's bench that seniors Austin Jackson and Adam Kregel would carry on the rest of the way. Jackson was nothing short of dominate in the paint for the remaining minutes of the game, and Kregel knocked down three of his seven three-point shots on the night during a final run that would blow the lead open to as many as 15 points and result in a 96-84 win for the Tigers. Fittingly on senior night, four seniors would lead the way for the Tigers in the box score. Jackson finished the game with a career-high 32 points on 14-16 shooting and 11 rebounds, recording his fifth straight double-double. Kregel matched a career-high with 27 points on 7-11 shooting from beyond the arc. Brandon Winchester-Jones scored 15 and dished out a team-high 9 assists. Keoante Blackamore scored 10 points to round out the Tigers in double-figures. Grace moves to 15-11 on the season and 8-1 in NCCAA DII play. They will close out their regular season with a road trip to Kentucky, with games on Thursday against Boyce College, Friday against Campbellsville-Somerset, and Saturday against Campbellsville-Harrodsburg.

Wyoming, MI - Following a tradition set by the coaching staff in years ago, the 2020-21 men's basketball team enjoyed a night of team bonding during the week leading into the teams first official practice.

Thursday afternoon's match-up would be as good as advertised between the Grace Tigers (NCCAA #9) and Bob Jones Bruins (NCCAA #10), with the Bruins controlling the first half and the Tigers dominating the second half. Bob Jones carried all the momentum into the locker room at the end of the first half, closing things out with a basket on their last possession to take a 10 point lead. However, the Tigers came out of the gates in the second half playing some inspired basketball, outscoring the Bruins 21-9 in the third quarter to capture the lead. The fourth quarter was played very closely until a late basket by Ashley Hoek and a clutch three-point shot from Miranda Carlson would give the Tigers some breathing room, concluding the game with a 62-53 victory. Ashley Hoek led the Tigers in three different categories, scoring 17 points, pulling down 12 rebounds, and blocking 6 shots. Megan George added 15 points and 5 rebounds. Allazae Lloyd distributed the ball well throughout the game, recording a team-high 8 assists from the point guard spot. After the win, Grace is now 7-13 on the year but 2-0 in the NCCAA DII thus far.

The NCCAA DII #3 Grace Christian University Tigers kicked off the competition portion of their Florida trip this past Thursday with a showdown with the #5 team in the nation, the Bob Jones University Bruins.

Lydia Peters, of Wyoming, a Human Services major victoriously passes rigorous Taekwondo testing to obtain her third-degree black belt. Peters love for Taekwondo began with her dad in Fall 2012 who had encouraged her to try just one class. "I ended up falling in love with the sport," said Peters. Dr. Scott Shaw and other instructors from the class were encouraging and made her feel comfortable, even though she was the youngest of the class. "The meaning/philosophy behind the 3rd-degree black belt is peace of mind and tranquility," according to Peters. She's dedicated years of hard work to achieve this goal. When asked what it means to her, Peters said, "I think it represents breaking through mental barriers that I didn't think I could and learning to believe in myself." Peters gives all the glory to God who has brought her through this all. "During my final testing, still working through my shoulder injury, I developed bronchitis, and had to test while sick. I was so scared and excited for that day. Through it all, I've been empowered by God, supported by my family and friends, and have seen strength and confidence develop within myself," said Peters. Grace Christian University offers an Introduction to Taekwondo class taught by Dr. Scott Shaw.

The National Christian College Athletic Association announced the DII All-Americans on November 27, consisting of three Grace Christian University Tigers on the 1st and 2nd teams.