PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The Grand Valley State Lakers women’s basketball team is officially a dynasty in the making.
For the second year in a row — and exactly one year to the day since their last title — the Lakers have captured the Division II National Championship, defeating Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) 72–49 in dominant fashion.
It’s the program’s third national crown, with previous wins coming in 2006 and 2025.
GVSU came out firing, opening with an 8–0 run that forced an early Crimson Hawk timeout. IUP clawed back to within four, but a three-pointer from Molly Anderson and two free throws from Paige VanStee stretched the lead to 17–8 after the first quarter. The second quarter saw both teams trading baskets — until the Lakers went on an 11–0 scoring burst, pushing the margin to 20. At halftime, GVSU commanded a 41–24 advantage.
IUP’s last gasp came early in the third when they scored five of the first seven points. VanStee responded with a triple, then scored eight straight herself — ending any hopes of a comeback. From there, the lead never dipped below 20. GVSU reached a 28-point cushion with five and a half minutes to go, cruising to the championship.
GVSU's Paige VanStee put up a game-high 25 points (9-for-11 shooting), to go along with 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Nicole Kamin, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, finished wtih 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. Mackenzie Bisballe also recorded 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks. GVSU's defense held the Crimson Hawks to just 31.1% shooting from the field and blocked 13 shots in total.
GVSU says the graduating core of Paige VanStee, Nicole Kamin, Molly Anderson, Lexi Plitzuweit and Avery Zeinstra leaves behind an incredible legacy — 5 GLIAC regular season titles, 4 GLIAC Tournament championships, 3 Midwest Regional crowns, 3 trips to the Final Four and 2 National Championships.
GVSU ended their season with a record of 36-1, winning their final 15 games and adding another championship banner to Allendale's rafters.
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