No. 2 GVSU women's basketball tops rival Ferris State for fifth straight GLIAC title

Lakers earn homecourt advantage for GVSU Tournament as their postseason march to defend their NCAA title begins.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The No. 2 ranked Grand Valley State women's basketball team defeated No. 13 Ferris State 70-44 on Thursday, February 26th, to clinch the outright GLIAC title for the fifth consecutive year. The win ensures the Lakers will host the upcoming GLIAC Tournament at their home court, the Grand Valley Field House, which saw over 1,300 fans in attendance.

Why it matters

Protecting homecourt advantage is crucial for the Lakers, who have won 62 of their last 63 games at home over the past four seasons. Hosting the GLIAC Tournament and potentially the first three rounds of the NCAA Division II tournament will be a significant advantage as GVSU looks to defend their national championship.

The details

The Lakers jumped out to a 12-0 lead to start the game, fueled by 3-pointers from MacKenzie Bisballe and Paige VanStee. VanStee finished with a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Bisballe led the team with 18 points and two steals. Nicole Kamin added 11 points, five assists, three steals and three blocks for GVSU. Ferris State was led by Mia Riley's 16 points and 10 rebounds, but the Bulldogs couldn't overcome the Lakers' fast start.

  • The Lakers' last home loss was in the NCAA Division II regional final on March 18, 2024, to rival Ferris State (49-46).
  • The game was played on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

The players

Paige VanStee

A senior on the GVSU women's basketball team who finished with a double-double of 17 points and 14 rebounds in the win over Ferris State.

MacKenzie Bisballe

A player for the GVSU women's basketball team who led the team with 18 points and two steals in the victory.

Nicole Kamin

A senior on the GVSU women's basketball team who contributed 11 points, five assists, three steals and three blocks in the game.

Mia Riley

A player for the Ferris State women's basketball team who led her team with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Kurt Westendorp

The head coach of the Ferris State women's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“It is cool to see how we have grown, our class especially, from scout team to now being starters. It has been a big change, and we put a lot of time into it and this (title) shows that.”

— Paige VanStee, GVSU Senior (Yahoo Sports)

“It is just special because of all the work we have put in over the years. It is so cool to get more chances to play at home, staying in the area, sleeping in your own bed and practicing on this court every day. It is definitely and advantage, especially with our fans.”

— Nicole Kamin, GVSU Senior (Yahoo Sports)

“They are all special and they are all different. The cool thing about this one is last year, we lost five really good seniors and to come back and do it again in one of the best years of the conference is special. We have persevered and stayed the course.”

— Mike Williams, GVSU Head Coach (Yahoo Sports)

“We knew we had to get ahead of the physicality and handle ourselves in the paint. We have to do that a lot better than we did. Offensively, we have to get into a better flow. This one stings, but we might have a chance at them the next two weeks. That is a deserving championship team that will take an A-plus effort to beat.”

— Kurt Westendorp, Ferris State Head Coach (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

The Lakers (27-1, 19-1 GLIAC) will host the GLIAC Tournament next week at Grand Valley Field House. If they win that, they will almost assuredly host the first three rounds of the NCAA Division II tournament as they look to defend their national championship.

The takeaway

GVSU's dominance at home has been a key factor in their sustained success, including winning five straight GLIAC titles. Protecting homecourt advantage will be crucial as the Lakers aim to repeat as national champions and cement their status as one of the top women's basketball programs in Division II.