SE Grand Rapids News

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced the recipients of the Spring 2022 Commissioner's Awards, sponsored by Meijer, Inc. These awards are given to six male and six female student-athletes who excel in both academics and athletics. The awardees must be juniors, seniors, or graduate students, with grade-point averages based on a 4.0 scale.

Rachel Griffin received recognition as the GLIAC Softball Player of the Year this spring, marking her as the first Panther to achieve this honor. Griffin also earned First Team All-GLIAC and First Team All-Region by D2CCA distinctions, along with Second Team All-Region by NFCA. Her performance included a .370 batting average, 29 runs, 14 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 34 RBI, and a .644 slugging percentage. She ranked prominently in various categories within the GLIAC: fourth in doubles, eighth in RBI, fifth in total bases (87), seventh in batting average, and fourth in slugging percentage. Griffin holds records at Davenport for 620 at-bats, 211 games played, and 204 games started.

Isaiah Schafer distinguished himself during one of Davenport's most successful spring track and field seasons. He became an eight-time All-American by winning the shot put and securing sixth place in discus at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Schafer achieved a personal best that ranks as the eighth-best throw in NCAA Division II history for shot put. He repeated this feat during indoor national championships for shot put as well. Schafer was named USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Field Athlete of the Year and GLIAC Men's Field Athlete of both Meet and Year titles. Additionally, he is a two-time CoSIDA Academic Second Team All-American. During the GLIAC Outdoor Championships, Schafer finished first in discus and second in shot put.