ALLENDALE, Michigan – In four days, the Grand Valley football team will begin its 2024 season. After reaching the national semifinals last December, expectations are high, and this season, three homegrown players lead the Lakers.
“Growing up, I would ride in the back of city buses with the GV football player in the back seat. I thought, that’s where I want to go, and living that dream was just amazing,” said Gabe Brown.
Senior lineman Gabe Brown grew up in the heart of Grand Rapids. His college football career began in Bowling Green after playing just one season at East Kentwood. Now he’s back in Western Michigan and says he’s enjoying this one of his last years.
“I’m an emotional guy. Every day I wake up and I’m like, ‘This is the last August 31st.’ Every day I’m like, ‘This is the last.’ I just try to appreciate that. Every position meeting we joke around, try to learn everything and just really do my best,” Brown said.
Cody Tierney, also from Grand Rapids, describes his final season as bittersweet. The former Northview player led the 2023 Lakers with 35 pass catches for nearly 700 yards and six touchdowns. And he’s proud of it while wearing GV on his chest.
“GV has a special place in my heart, it always will. When you wear that on your chest, it means something deeper than the game. I love it. I’m lucky to be close enough to home that a lot of my family can come to the games,” Tierney said.
Kyle Lott literally grew up at Lubbers Stadium. His father, Tim, has been on the sports team for decades. Kyle originally planned to play college baseball at Central Michigan, but after just one season he returned home.
“I grew up playing GV football. I live 15 minutes away. It’s definitely a special place for me. To be able to play there on Saturday night at Lubbers is just an incredible feeling. And to do it with these guys makes it even better,” Nott said.
Head coach Scott Wooster says these three are not only essential members of the 2024 roster, but will also be critical in building future generations of Lakers.
“These guys mean so much to us, so much to me personally. But also so much to the future of Grand Valley State football. These guys see it in their backyard playing great high school football in West Michigan, and that opens the door for a continuation of the pipeline,” Wooster said.
GVSU will host Central State on Thursday, September 5, to kick off the 2024 season.
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