By Natalie Hanna · Sports Editor
A variety of teams on Grove City College’s campus have already begun their fall seasons, some of which are defending champions looking for a consecutive title, and each team is deepening its roster by adding multiple freshmen.
Women’s Volleyball
Grove City College’s women’s volleyball team earned first place in the PAC preseason coaches’ poll after winning the PAC championship for the first time since 2001 last season.
Four members of the team landed on the Players to Watch list, with seniors Kendra Klusch and Sarah Hart earning First Team All-PAC last season, along with teammates Alayna Dorst and Lily Lagaras receiving All-PAC Second Team and All-PAC Honorable Mention, respectively. In addition to these four players, the team has great depth.
“Any of our players in our rotation has the ability to take over a game. … If each player can fulfill their role, the opportunity will be there for an individual to have a standout moment,” coach Leo Sayles said.
The team will start its run for a second consecutive championship title Sept. 30. The Wolverines began non-conference action by sweeping La Roche Tuesday.
Men’s Soccer
Another team that won its first championship since the early 2000s last season was the men’s soccer team. The team is looking for another title this season after taking the top spot on the PAC preseason poll.
Twenty-first-year head coach Mike Dreves, PAC Coach of the Year for the 2025 season, returns senior Noah Gray, PAC Offensive Player of the Year, and senior Colton Hudson, PAC Defensive Player of the Year. Both were All-Americans. Hudson, along with senior Jake Kimmich, received All-PAC First Team honors. Junior Luke Ladas earned All-PAC Honorable Mention recognition.
Dreves noted that the strong senior class will be looking for big roles this season. After starting the season with three home games this week, the team will continue to strengthen its game plan and fitness as conference play begins Sept. 16 on Don Lyle Field.
Women’s Soccer
Last year’s women’s soccer team secured its 10th league title and third in a row, which helped the Wolverines land the top spot in the PAC preseason poll.
The 2025 PAC Coach of the Year, Melissa Lamie, returns the PAC Offensive Player of the Year, senior Tori Stevenson, the PAC Defensive Player of the Year, senior Hannah Mitchell, and the PAC Newcomer of the Year, sophomore Lauren Muhanna. Mitchell, Stevenson and Muhanna earned First Team All-PAC recognition last season.
In addition, sophomore Ady Waters earned All-PAC Second Team honors, while senior Maddie Mills, junior Kiara White and sophomore Emily Horst earned All-PAC Honorable Mention. After opening its season with an away game on Tuesday and two home games this weekend, the team will begin PAC play Sept. 16.
The team’s goal in the two weeks leading up to its first conference game is to learn its weaknesses and strengths, so it will be ready for anything when that first PAC matchup rolls around.
Women’s Tennis
The women’s tennis team is returning to play this fall with a young but strong roster. Ranked No. 2 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) preseason coaches’ poll with five returning players who earned All-PAC recognition last season, the 2026-27 season may look promising for coach Shea Prins’s team.
As freshmen last season, sophomores Grace Stitt and Grace Yurko earned All-PAC First Team honors for singles, while fellow sophomores Emma Flanigan and Blaire Beatty received All-PAC Second Team honors. Junior Iris Kiehl earned All-PAC Honorable Mention.
In doubles, Stitt and Flanigan earned All-PAC First Team honors, while Yurko, Beatty and Kiehl received All-PAC Second Team honors. The team also welcomes senior Isabel Kleiman, first-year sophomore Mia Summers and freshman Reagan Doughtery. The Wolverines opened their season Aug. 29, and PAC play will begin Sept. 12 at Walters-Zbell Courts.
Men’s Golf
The men’s golf team welcomes back last year’s PAC Most Valuable Player, junior Luke Gronbeck, who took first at both the fall and spring championships last year and set a school record at the fall championships. Other strong members of the team this year include seniors Tyler Derstein and Nathan Young, who took the title at the Grove City “MBA” Invitational.
An experienced group of other seniors and juniors will push to make the lineup this fall, and coach Brad Isles welcomed five freshmen to the team as well as first-year senior Jake Kimmich. The team began its season on Monday and is participating in the Malone Invitational Friday and Saturday.
Cross Country
The Grove City cross country teams also return this fall for another season, with coach Paul Collier welcoming 10 male freshmen and eight female freshmen.
The women’s team placed sixth overall in last season’s league championship meet, while the men’s team placed second. Sophomore Frank Colsen individually placed fourth as a freshman and was one of two athletes on last season’s team to rank in the top 10. Both the men’s and women’s teams will head to New Wilmington Friday for the Westminster Invitational to kick off the season.
Keep an eye on these teams’ schedules, as many games, matches and meets will take place this season.
