Nov. 16, 2023, CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa. – It might not have been the ending that the Grand Rapids Community College volleyball team had hoped for after losing to Wallace State in nationals on Thursday, but the Raiders (26-5) have no reason to hang their heads after a phenomenal season that included three championships, a 24-match winning streak, a top-10 national ranking and eight players that received post season awards.

GRCC battled a tough Wallace State team (46-6) that just one year ago was an NJCAA Division I team. The Raiders even had an 18-9 lead in the first set and a set point, but Wallace State proved too tough, winning 28-26 and then the final two sets, 25-18, 25-20.

Sophomore Braelyn Berry led the Raiders with 10 kills and two aces in the loss, which was just the fifth all season, and four coming to teams that were in the national tournament.

Sophomore's Autumn Cole and Vienna Koenigsknecht also ended their Raider careers on a good note.  Cole led the team with 14 assists and Koenigsknecht led the team with 24 digs, which was her fourth match in a row with 20 or more digs.

Freshman setter Carle Bruggema topped 700 career assists and her and Cole helped the Raider team to average the second most assists in the nation; 12.28 per set.

The 2023 season included the teams 12th conference title, 10th MCCAA title and 12th regional title.  It also included a final NJCAA DII ranking of 6th, and eight players that received post season awards.

Berry was named the Conference Player of the Year after leading the team in kills, aces and was second in digs.

Berry, Lizzie MacIntosh, and Lilly Peterson were all named First Team All-Conference and to the All-MCCAA team. Sophomore libero, Vienna Koenigsknecht received First Team All-Conference honors.  Sophia Ritsema was named Second Team All-Conference.  Cole, Bruggema and Ava Schultz were named All-Conference Honorable Mention.  MacIntosh and Peterson were also named to the Northern Conference All-Freshman team.  And after a great performance at regionals, MacIntosh was named the tournament's most valuable player, while Berry and Koenigsknecht joined her on the All-Tournament team.

If you are interested in joining the volleyball team or any of the 10 sports that GRCC has to offer fill out a questionnaire here. 

FINAL MCCAA VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS

  
Interested in supporting GRCC Athletics?  All donations can be done through GRCC Athletic's Scholarship Fund and can specify what scholarship fund the gift is going to, such as the Hofmann scholarship. If you have any questions on how to support Athletics at Grand Rapids Community College, contact the Athletic Department via phone at (616) 234-3883 or email grccathletics@grcc.edu. Any support is appreciated and goes towards assisting our student-athlete scholarship funds.