2024: The 2024 campaign showed continued success for the Tigers, who finished with a 17-13 overall record. They were dominant at home, going 9-1 at the Aldrich Athletic Center. Entering the postseason as the reigning Regional Champions, the Tigers traveled to Watertown, WI, and faced strong competition in the tournament in which they overcame 2 games that used all 5 sets to get the win.
In the championship match against Emmaus University, the Tigers mounted a dramatic rally to take the third set and never looked back, ultimately securing a 3-2 win and their second consecutive NCCAA Midwest Regional Championship. Grace also closed the season with several individual and collective accomplishments. The 2024 Tigers were named an NCCAA Scholar team (3.4 team GPA or higher), Morgan Martin recorded 1,000 career kills and digs, Lily Hulst recorded 1,000 career assists, and Morgan Martin was named the 2024 NCCAA Midwest Regional Player of the Year.
2023: With momentum from previous seasons, the Tigers posted a 13-4 record against conference opponents and an 18-11 overall mark; their strongest since 2018.
The Tigers swept Moody Bible College to earn a berth in the Regional Championship match against Maranatha Baptist University; a team they had not defeated in nearly a decade. Grace delivered a commanding 3-0 victory to claim the 2023 Midwest Regional Championship, marking the second regional title under Coach Shultz and the second for the program since 1996.
At Nationals in Joplin, MO, the Tigers advanced to the Final Four with dramatic 3-2 wins over Randall University and Calvary Bible. Their postseason run concluded with a single-elimination loss to Manhattan Christian, capping off the program’s most successful season in nearly 30 years.
2022: The 2022 season saw the Tigers return to the familiar Midwest Region after a national realignment, introducing a fresh slate of competition. Despite facing several strong opponents, Grace held their own in the regular season. However the year ended in a surprising first-round upset at the hands of Welch College during the regional tournament. The Tigers overall record for 2022 was 11-15 with one player named to the All-Region 1st team, and two players named to the 2nd team.
2021: As defending regional champions, the Tigers entered the 2021 season with high expectations. Facing a more competitive schedule, Grace posted a 10-16 overall record but remained strong in conference play at 8-2. They opened regional play with a 3-0 sweep over Appalachian Bible College but fell 1-3 in the semifinals to Johnson University–Tennessee. The 2021 Tigers saw two players named to the All-Region 1st team, and one player named to the 2nd team.
2020: In a year defined by uncertainty, the Tigers played well with a pandemic-shortened schedule. The Tigers finished the season at 10-6, including seven victories against NCCAA DII opponents. The postseason featured a semifinal sweep over Alice Lloyd College, setting up a championship match against Johnson University–Tennessee, who had just defeated Grace earlier in the season. After dropping the first set, the Tigers responded with three straight set wins to capture the program’s first NCCAA Regional Championship since 1996. Although they earned a trip to Nationals, a COVID-19 outbreak forced the team to withdraw, ending an incredible season that left the program in an upward climb.
2019: In Kerri’s debut season as head coach, the Tigers posted a 12-13 record and showed strong potential, highlighted by competitive play within their conference. One of the season’s high points came on Senior Night, as Grace rallied to defeat Jackson Community College 3-2 after having been swept earlier in the year. The season concluded with a narrow 2-3 loss to Welch College in the first round of regional play.
Prior to coaching: Kerri began her collegiate volleyball career at Grace Christian University, playing for the Tigers during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. She led the team in both kill average and total kills each year and was named to the Regional All-Tournament Team in 2013. After sustaining injuries, Kerri transitioned into a team manager role, which she held during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Kerri continues to pour into the lives of her athletes with the same passion she had as a player.
Kerri earned her Associate Degree in Human Services from Grace Christian University in the spring of 2016 and went on to manage a group home before becoming a stay-at-home mom. Outside of coaching, she volunteers with Homeschool Performing Arts, a local homeschool theater company. Kerri lives in Kalamazoo with her husband, Adam, and their daughter, Rylee.
