The Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team returned to the court at the National Junior College Opening Weekend Tournament and began their season with a 2-2 record.
The Raiders won against South Mountain Community College and Elgin Community College, but fell short against Johnson County Community College and Enterprise State Community College during the Aug. 23 – 24 tournament in Rockford, Illinois.
Following the success of the 2023 season, where the team ended with a 26-5 record, sophomore Sophia Ritsema of Grand Rapids, along with Rockford’s Lizzie MacIntosh, Gaylord’s Ava Schultz, Pittsburgh native Lilliana Peterson and Carle Bruggema, of Newaygo, will be back on the roster.
New additions to the team include the following freshmen: Emma Tuttle, of Grand Rapids; Sami Baker, of North Muskegon; Jersey Vanderwall, of Norton Shores; Taylor Kirk, of Lowell; Allie McGlothen, of Three Rivers; Ella Gapczynski, of Spring Lake; Cece Huizingh, of Zeeland; Mady Jessee, of Grand Rapids and Ava Tarsi, of Boyne City. New sophomore recruits Joslynne Bogner, of North Muskegon, Sylvia Peterson, of Grand Rapids, and Jeanette Desser, of Byron Center, will be joining the roster, as well.
Head Coach Chip Will is returning to the team for his 18th year this season.
“I completely support what GRCC stands for academically and philosophically. As a parent, I see the huge impact that an affordable community college can have on a student’s future,” Will said in a press release. “I’ve turned down coaching jobs at four-year universities because I don’t like seeing students buried in debt. I enjoy coaching at this level. We compete against some of the best in the country and treat our athletes with many perks that Division 1 athletes receive, like travel, uniforms, and so forth. But more importantly, we also allow them to be kids.”
The Raiders will return to the Ford Fieldhouse on Sept. 11 for their first home game against Aquinas College.
