At the varsity status, the Lakers had wrestling from the 1967-1968 season to the 1992-1993 season. They were tremendously successful at both the NAIA & NCAA Division II levels. Two runner-up finishes & three fourth places finishes in the NAIA throughout the mid 1970's into the early 1980's. Three top 10 finishes in NCAA Division II. During their time in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Association (GLIAC) they won five titles, finishing as the runner up on ten occasions & one third place showing.
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| Mike Abrams 158, 167 lbs |
A five time All American, Abrams earned medals at the NAIA, NCAA Division II & NCAA Division I levels. The graduate of Pontiac North high school, Abrams earned his first All American honor with a fourth place finish at the 1977 NAIA nationals. He'd follow that up by winning a NAIA title in 1978. In 1979 he'd finish third in the NAIA, winning a NCAA Division II title & finishing his career with a sixth place finish at the NCAA Division I tournament. His record 88-15. He later went on to coach & teach physical education at Roy Martin junior high in Las Vegas.
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| Ron Essink HWT |
It's safe to say that former Seattle Seahawk/Dallas Cowboy Ron Essink learned the sport of wrestling fairly quickly. He decided to give it a try his senior year at Zeeland high school & he went undefeated winning the state title! In doing so he became Zeeland's first state champion in any sport. At Grand Valley State despite only having one year of high school wrestling under his belt he made the NAIA finals in 1978, winning a title in 1980 & adding to it an NCAA Division II title as well. At the NCAA Division I level he finished seventh in the nation. After a career in the NFL Essink returned to Zeeland to coach both football & wrestling.
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| Roger Singleton 118 lbs |
Singleton had an outstanding career for the Lakers winning three GLIAC titles & earning All American status at both the NCAA Division II & Division I levels. As a sophomore in 1986 he took fifth in DII. He followed that up with a runner-up finish in 1987, taking sixth in Division I. He'd end his career with an NCAA Division II title in 1988.
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| Mark Mangianti 126 lbs |
A graduate of Mt. Clemens High School, Mangianti won four GLIAC titles, earning All American status three times with a 138-12 career record. He won an NAIA title in 1974, finishing third at both the NAIA & NCAA Division II championships in 1976.
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| Ed King 190 lbs |
King earned All American status twice for the Lakers in 1979. He placed fifth at the NAIA level & sixth at the NCAA Division II level.
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| Mike Gohn HWT |
A state champion of Sparta High School, Mike Gohn took third place All American honors at the NCAA Division II tournament in 1989.
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| Steve Bolleback HWT |
Bolleback was third at the 1975 NAIA championships.
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| Dorr Granger 142 lbs |
A four time GLIAC champion, Granger put together a 99-38 career record with twenty-eight falls earning All American status on four occasions. He placed sixth at the 1980 NAIA championships, following it up with an eighth place finish in 1981, which also included a third place showing at the NCAA Division II championships. He'd end his career placing fifth in NCAA Division II in 1982.
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| Jamie Hosford 177, 190 lbs |
If you're looking for a multi-sport athlete, here you go. Hosford not only wrestled at Grand Valley State, he also played football, golf, baseball & participated in track & field. All in all he earned twelve varsity letters. An All American on the gridiron he rushed for 1,313 yards in a single season, rushing for 3,157 during his career. As a wrestler he put together a record of 113-12 with nearly all of his losses being at the national tournaments. At the NAIA level he placed fourth his freshman & sophomore seasons of 1974 & 1975. As a junior in 1976 he took third, capping his career off with a NAIA title in 1977.
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| Paul Neumann 150 lbs |
Neumann was an NAIA runner up in 1979.
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| Tim Horn 142 lbs |
Horn who to this day still has an invitational named in his honor, placed third for the Lakers in the 1980 NAIA championships.
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| Jim Shutich 134 lbs |
A graduate of nearby Grand Rapids West Catholic, Shutich began his career at the NJCAA level competing for Grand Rapids Community College (a program we no longer have). Wrestling for the Lakers, Shutich won the NAIA crown in 1977.
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| Bill Roersma 142 lbs |
Putting together a career record of 66-10, Roersma won the NAIA title in 1977.
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| John Harris 134 lbs |
A graduate of Battle Creek Central high school, Harris put together an impressive career at Grand Valley State. A record of 117-19, he won three GLIAC titles twice finishing as the NAIA runner up in 1976 & 1977.
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