Year in Review: Looking back at Grace Athletics 2024

Wyoming, MI - As we enter an exciting 2025 year here at Grace, we wanted to first look back at the most exciting and important times that happened in 2024. Here are some of our top moments:

January: 

• Men's Basketball kicked off the new year 4-1 with a road trip to Kentucky and Florida. Ended the month of January at 7-2
• JV Basketball's Keontae Richards dropped 45 points in a game vs Great Lakes Christian on January 24th

February:

• Men's Basketball secure "Cross Cup" with a big win over Kuyper College
• Women's Basketball picks up a regional win against Emmaus Bible College to carry momentum into 2024-25
• Softball kicks off their inaugural season with a road trip to Kentucky

March:

• Men's Basketball crowned 2024 Midwest Regional Champions
• Softball notches first win in program history against Berea College
• Baseball spends spring break in Tennessee playing at Smokies Stadium, and later at University of Cincinnati
• Ty Thiel and Parker Neu both surpass 1,000 career points for Men's Basketball
• Baseball celebrates a walk-off win at home vs Albion College

April:

• Freshman Emma Balkema fires first no-hitter in softball program history against Maranatha Baptist University
• Baseball sets school record for runs scored in a single game with 37 against Maranatha

May:

• Track & Field: Kent Herring places 6th nationally in decathlon during the NCCAA National Championship
• Baseball wins its first postseason game in program history against Ecclesia College and places 4th of 8 teams in the NCCAA (NDAG) Regional.

August: 

• Women's Soccer returns to Grace after a canceled 2023 season
• Men's Soccer starts season 2-0 after a weekend trip to Kentucky, both were shutout wins

September: 

• Esports kick off inaugural season
• Men's Soccer knocks off two NAIA opponents - Ohio Christian U and IU Northwest
• Women's Soccer secures first win of the year against Andrews University in which freshman Natalie Huerta scored a hat trick

October:

• Volleyball: Senior Morgan Martin surpasses 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs
• Cross Country: Alyssa Gennety and Mady Temrowski given All-Region honors
• Women's Soccer shuts out Mount Mary University 6-0 and also defeated Andrews again to end the regular season with 4 wins
• Baseball finishes their fall season at a 3-1 record with wins over Rochester Christian University and Delta College

November:

• Men's Soccer defeated Emmaus Bible College and Kuyper College to be crowned 2024 Midwest Regional Champions
• Women's Volleyball defeated Great Lakes Christian and Emmaus Bible College to be crowned 2024 Midwest Regional Champions
• Men's Soccer wins a game vs Kansas Christian College at the National Tournament and finishes 6th nationally
• Camden Bierling earns Midwest Player of the Year and Nate Davis is awarded the prestigious Kyle Rote Jr. Award
• Women's Basketball picks up their first win of the year in opening trip to Missouri against Manhattan Christian College
• Men's Basketball takes a trip to Hawaii, competing against two NCAA DII opponents

December:

• Men's Basketball secures a strong NAIA road win at Cleary University
• JV Basketball's Roy Fogg drops 41 points in a game vs Kuyper College on Dec 11th
• Women's Basketball picks up a win vs Central Christian College of the Bible

This year held a lot of great moments for our Tigers, and most important of all, we saw growth in our student-athletes across the board in character and faith. Our athletics mission is to do three things through our sports: Work Hard, Value Others, and Glorify God. We feel we achieved those things this year, and will continue to press on towards that goal to a higher level each year. Stay tuned for big things in 2025!