Jan. 13, 2003

Grand Valley State University volleyball head coach Deanne Scanlon announced the commitments of five players to attend and play volleyball for the Lakers. Megan Helsen (Ravenna, Mich./Ravenna), Kelsey Schuiteman (Freemont, Mich./Freemont), Jennifer Selgo (Grand Rapids, Mich./West Catholic), Erica Vande Kopple (Pellston, Mich./Pellston), and Molly Young (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern) will begin their Grand Valley State careers in the 2003 season.

Helsen, a 5-11 outside hitter, played three years for the Bulldogs of Ravenna High School. In the 2002 season, she tallied 780 kills on 1,562 total attacks (.366 hitting percentage), 127 service aces, and 98 total blocks to lead the team to the Class C State Runner-up finish. Megan earned all-state honors as a junior, all-conference and all-area plaudits in both her sophomore and junior seasons, and was an all-conference scholar athlete as a sophomore and junior.

Schuiteman, a 6-1 middle hitter, led the Freemont Packers to a 54-13-2 record en route to a Western Waterways Conference title and District Championship in 2002. Kelsey recorded 543 kills, 271 blocks, and 114 digs during the 2002 season. She was named to the Newaygo Country Dream Team and earned First Team WWC All-Conference plaudits in 2001 and 2002. Schuiteman holds the record for most kills in a match (21), most kills in a season (543), most blocks in a season (271), and most blocks in a career (517) at Freemont.

Selgo, a 5-10 outside hitter and defensive specialist, is entering her fourth year on the varsity for the Falcons of West Catholic. Jennifer earned second team all-state, all-city, and team MVP honors her junior season as team captain. She led the team to two City Conference championships (2000-01), a District Championship in 2000, and nine tournament championships in the last three years.

Young, a 5-8 outside hitter, led the Huskies of Forest Hills Northern to a Class A State Championship title in 2002 with a record of 62-12-1. Molly received first team all-state honors as a junior and her current team is ranked number one in Class A with a record of 28-0. She participated in AAU volleyball as a member of the Elite 18's Far Out Volleyball Club in 2002. Molly's brother, Matt, is a senior at GVSU and is a member of the tennis team, while her father, John, is a GVSU alum and former football player for the Lakers.

Vande Kopple, a 5-11 outside hitter, was a three-year participant at Pellston High School. Vande Kopple led the Hornets to a District title her junior season. Erica earned first team all-state, all-region dream team, and first team all-conference honors as a sophomore and junior. She also received all-state honorable mention, first team all-conference, and all-region plaudits as a freshman. Vande Kopple was named to the second team all-conference in basketball as a sophomore and junior, as well as attaining all-region recognition as a junior. She was named to the first team all-conference in track and field, where she holds the school records in the long jump and 400m dash.