Dec. 17, 2009

Bay City, Mich. - Two Grand Valley State female student-athletes were named winners of the Fall 2009 GLIAC Commissioner's Award, given to six male and six female student-athletes that excel both in the classroom and on the field of play. Senior defender Natalja Stanski of the women's soccer team and junior middle blocker Rebeccah Rapin of the volleyball team were two of the six female athletes to earn the award, while Laker football players Alex Gilde and Danny Richard won the award on the men's side.

Stanski was a vital part of the GVSU soccer team that won the program's first-ever Division II National Championship with a 1-0 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Dec. 5 in Tampa, Fla. Rapin was the volleyball team's best all-around player, as the Lakers finished the year with a 16-13 record and a 10th straight berth in the NCAA Tournament.

A junior from Saginaw, Mich., Rapin led Grand Valley State in kills (327), hitting percentage (.275), total blocks (115), and solo blocks (22) during the 2009 season. She earned Fist Team All-GLIAC honors for the second straight season and is the 14th GVSU player to be named First Team All-GLIAC twice during her career. Rapin was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Midwest Region Team and earned AVCA honorable mention All-America laurels. She is a marketing major, with a minor in advertising and public relations and owns a 3.897 grade point average. Rapin ranks seventh all-time in Laker history in block assists (323), ninth in total blocks (385), and ninth in hitting percentage (.307), while totaling 984 kills in her three-year career.

Stanski, a senior from Tecumseh, Ont., was a key force on an impressive Laker backline that allowed only 12 goals all season and recorded 16 shutout wins en route to the program's first Division II Championship. She was named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year, while also garnering First Team All-Midwest Region and Second Team All-GLIAC plaudits. Stanski was also named to the Daktronics, Inc. All-America First Team and was honored with the NCAA Elite 88 Award for her outstanding academic and athletic achievements. Last season, Stanski earned the 2008 GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year award and was a GLIAC Commissioner's Award winner, as well. The biomedical science major with a 4.00 grade point average posted an incredible 84-4-6 record (.926) at GVSU, becoming part of the most successful senior class in the program's history.

The other female student-athletes that earned the award are Tina Muir (cross country) of Ferris State, Sydney Dow (volleyball) from Hillsdale, Cassie Osiecki (volleyball) of Northern Michigan, and Kait Harris (volleyball) from Saginaw Valley State.