June 5, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Community College Athletic Department earned the Michigan Community College Athletic Association’s most prestigious honor after all eight of the department’s programs had successful seasons.
The Charlie Chanter All-Sports Trophy, named after the former GRCC coach and professor, is presented annually to the college with the most successful programs.
GRCC's athletic programs had a banner year with five teams - men's and women's cross country, volleyball, women's basketball, and golf -- making national tournament appearances.
"I'm so proud of all our student-athletes and coaches for their tremendous year," Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo said. "I'm honored to lead such an amazing group of coaches and look forward to many more great years to come."
The trophy is awarded to one of the 23 MCCAA colleges based on where each team finishes within the association. Points are awarded to each member college based on each team's rank in an MCCAA sponsored sport with bonus points added for teams who finish as an MCCAA champion or runner-up.
GRCC has won the award 16 times, second only to Lansing Community College, which has claimed the award 19 total wins since it was first presented in 1958.
Both cross country teams finished runner-up in the MCCAA and NJCAA Region XII championships and the women's team finished in seventh in nationals and the men finished in 12th.
Kaylee Scott, Audrey Meyering and Rose Meyer all were named to All-Region and All-MCCAA teams. Scott also earned All-American honors for the second time and Meyering became GRCC's first-ever three-time All-American. Three men received postseason honors including Coleman Clark and Mason Kolhoff who earned All-Region and All-MCCAA honors.
The volleyball team won its 11th conference title, ninth MCCAA title, and 11th district title. The team tied for its second-best finish ever in the national tournament, finishing fifth. Eight players earned postseason honors, led by Audrey Torres and Eliza Thelen who were named to All-Region, All-MCCAA and First Team All-Conference teams.
The women's basketball team finished third in the conference, won the district title and participated in the national tournament for the second time in three years. Six players received postseason honors including sophomores Sally Merrill and Grace Lodes, who were named All-Region, All-MCCAA and First Team All-Conference.
The golf team earned its 14th straight conference championship and won the NJCAA Region XII championship for the ninth time and third time in its past four seasons. The team placed 19th in the national tournament and was led by Drew Harrington who was the team’s most consistent golfer of the year earning All-Conference, All-Region and was named the Conference Freshman of the Year. Three other golfers earned postseason honors.
The men's basketball team, the softball team and the baseball team didn't make it to the national tournament, but all had successful years.
The men's basketball team won its first 11 games of the season and finished in third place in the conference with a 21-8 overall record. Five players earned postseason honors including point guard Danyel Bibbs who earned Second Team All-Conference.
The baseball and softball teams each won the first ever Northern Conference Championship and the baseball team won the MCCAA title with a 35-14 overall record. The softball team finished runner-up in the regional tournament – its best finish since advancing to the national tournament in 1998.
Eight players earned postseason honors for the baseball team, including Jerad Berkenpas, the Conference Player of the Year.
Berkenpas, Fernando Rivera-Calderon and Xander Reisbig were the top three vote getters for All-Conference honors. They also all were named to All-Region and All-MCCAA teams.
Seven players from the softball team earned honors, led by Izzy Regner and Jaye Guichelaar who were also named All-Region, All-MCCAA and First Team All-Conference.
Chanter was the MCCAA executive secretary for 42 years, and served in the MCCAA from the 1950s until 2008.
Chanter began teaching at what was then Grand Rapids Junior College in 1954 and retired from full-time work in 1994. He taught in the Business Department and was its chair at one point. He continued teaching as an adjunct and remained golf coach until 2007.
This story was reported by Ben Brown.