Pioneer grad Lauren King wins national title with Grand Valley State
Cartwright had a simple request: “When you win a national championship, come back and see me.”
Cartwright better clear her schedule.
On December 5, the Lakers defeated Cal State Dominguez 1-0 to claim the first NCAA Division II National Championship in program history.
“It was amazing,” said King, a senior defender for GVSU. “It was really a team win and a final hoorah for all us seniors.”
The GVSU soccer team has been on the cusp of winning the title for the past 3 years.Â
Ranked eighth, the Lakers ended an unlikely run to the finals with an overtime loss in 2006. The next two seasons, GVSU went into the tournament top-ranked and undefeated. But it couldn’t quite find the magic it harnessed in the underdog role, losing in the Final Four in 2007 and in the Regional Championship in 2008.
“It was a really good feeling to know we went through all the hardships and able to pull it off,” said King.
Coach Dave DiIanni believes it was those hardships that enabled the team to achieve its ultimate goal this season.
“I think losing those years created personal character and determination within our program,” DiIanni said. “This year was a learning experience for our kids to learn that you don’t just get a national championship, you’ve got to take it from somebody.”
King was never a superstar with the Lakers, in fact, her minutes were sparse and she rarely started. Despite this, according to DiIanni, she was a consummate team player.
“Lauren’s the epitome of what we’ve tried to do and build here at Grand Valley,” said DiIanni. “She was important in terms of our depth, which was one of the most important factors in our success.
“Everybody comes in with aspirations to be the star, but everybody needs to play a role for betterment of the team,” DiIanni added. “We didn’t even talk about the national championship. We made it a goal in August, went a about our business every day and then didn’t even mention it again until the Final Four. Leaders like Lauren made that possible.”
King said it was difficult not getting playing time.
“It was hard for me, obviously coming from high school when I was playing a lot, but it is what it is,” she said. “I’ve never been a quitter, never given up on things. Physically, emotionally, psychologically, it made me bigger as a person, I learned a lot through not playing. I never wanted to quit.”
King will graduate in the spring and plans to eventually become a physician’s assistant. In the meantime, she plans on making good on her scheduled meeting with Cartwright.
“We’re ordering national championship T-shirts, and I’m planning on getting her one.”
OTHER NOTES
- Pioneer alum Courtney Kaplan scored a career-high 18 points and Gabriel Richard alum Nyemade Cooper scored 8 points and grabbed 8 rebounds as the Kalamazoo College women’s basketball team lost its Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Association opener on Saturday to Albion 56-52. Kaplan was the game’s leading scorer.
- Michigan freshman Eso Akunne, a Gabriel Richard grad, received extensive playing time and scored 3 points in Michigan’s 68-52 loss to Utah on Wednesday.
- Pioneer alum Margaret Kelly continued her early season dominance in the pool, winning the 50-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley as the University of Michigan women’s swimming and diving team took first place at the Eastern Michigan University Invitational on Saturday. Kelly was also a member of the first place 800-yard freestyle relay team along with fellow Pioneer alum Liz Koselka.
- Pioneer grad Katie Bolling was recently named captain of the Yale field hockey team. Bolling, a goalkeeper, is the 40th captain in school history and led Yale to a school record 6 Ivy League wins in 2009.
- The Eastern Michigan women’s soccer team recently had 3 players receive All-Region honors. Ashley Rodrigues was a first-team selection, Katie Lozar was a second-team selection, and Dexter grad Katie Marsh was a third-team selection.