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Who was the Zeeland West top athlete of the quarter century?
With the century a quarter done, the Holland Sentinel is selecting its top 25 athletes from the past quarter century. We will start with the top 25 from each school and move on to the top 25 overall male and female high school athletes from the past 25 years. Athletes must be graduated to be […]

With the century a quarter done, the Holland Sentinel is selecting its top 25 athletes from the past quarter century.
We will start with the top 25 from each school and move on to the top 25 overall male and female high school athletes from the past 25 years.
Athletes must be graduated to be eligible.
Today: Zeeland West
Merritt Alderink
Class of 2024
Was a Mr. Basketball finalist as a senior after multiple all-state seasons for the Dux. Led Zeeland West to the state semifinals as a senior, the best finish in program history. Went on to play at Indiana State.
Kaylee Bakker
Class of 2020
An elite two-sport athlete, Kaylee Bakker was a force at the net in volleyball and under the net in basketball. She earned all-state honors in volleyball as a senior, powering a Dux resurgence. Meanwhile, she was all-state honorable mention in basketball multiple years and plays basketball at Grand Valley State.
Danny Bauder
Class of 2014
One of the fastest athletes in area history, Danny Bauder made his speed known on the football field and the track. Bauder earned all-state honors as a running back, leading the Dux to the football state championship with four touchdowns in the title game. He was then all-state in multiple track and field events to lead the Dux to another team state championship.
Ethan Brooks
Class of 2021
One of the most elegant athletes in the area, Ethan Brooks soared to a state championship in the hurdles, helping the Dux dominate for a state championship. He was an all-state performer in multiple events for multiple years, continuing the dominating legacy of the Dux on the track.
Jordan Bullock
Class of 2012
One of the best water polo players in state history, Jordan Bullock claimed all-state honors three years in a row, also sweeping Sentinel Water Polo Player of the Year honors. She was also an all-state swimmer all four years and earned an NCAA Division I scholarship to swim at Bowling Green.
Morgan Bullock
Class of 2016
Swimming for Zeeland, Morgan Bullock claimed the Division 1 state championship in the 100 butterfly as a senior. She was an all-state performer all four years in swimming and earned all-state water polo honors as a senior. Bullock went on to swim at West Virginia and was an All-American honorable mention.
Micah DeJonge
Class of 2016
Continuing his family’s legacy in the pool, Micah DeJonge was a distance specialist. He won the Division 1 state championship in the 500 freestyle and was all-state all four years in multiple events. He also earned all-state honors in water polo before heading to swim at Oakland University.
Josh Geschwendt
Class of 2009
Won the Division 1 state championship in the 100 butterfly as a senior to lead Zeeland to the team championship. Went on to swim at Michigan State where he excelled at the Big Ten level.
Keaton Hendricks
Class of 2025
Broke the state record for most touchdowns in a state championship game to lead the Dux to the state title his senior year. He was first-team all-state and was also a multi-state qualifier in track and field. He will play football at Hope College next year.
Parker Holman
Class of 2023
Was first-team all-state in football as a junior running back before a knee injury cut short his senior season. Still was named honorable mention all-state and was a multiple state qualifier in track and field.
Haley Hoogenraad
Class of 2016
One of the most well-rounded athletes in history, Haley Hoogenraad made her mark in several sports. She was a state meet qualifier in both cross country and track and field. She also was one of the top basketball players in the area during her career. But her best sport was softball. She was all-state for the Dux and ended up at the University of Michigan as a starting outfielder. But her four-sport legacy at Zeeland West lives on.
Carson Gulker
Class of 2021
One of the greatest football players in area history, Carson Gulker was a sensational quarterback who led the Dux to multiple deep runs in the playoffs. He earned all-state first-team honors as a senior and was honorable mention as a junior. Gulker was also the top player on the basketball team, earning honorable mention all-state., and played baseball. He went to Ferris State to play both sports.
Jordyn Klaasen
Class of 2025
One of the most versatile and successful athletes in area history, Klaasen earned all-state honors during her career in soccer, cross country, basketball and was a state qualifier in track and field. She will play Division I soccer at Ball State next year.
Phoebe LaCroix
Class of 2017
One of the most important and magnificent leaders in Holland area history, Phoebe LaCroix became one of the top soccer players as well. She earned all-state honors because of her incredible vision and passing ability from the midfield. She went on to play at Cornerstone University where she also was a captain and an All-American.
Jill Pastunink
Class of 2009
Perhaps the best tennis player in area history, Jill Pastunink was all-state on the court for multiple years and was a two time Sentinel Player of the Year before heading to play at Western Michigan.
Darius Perisee
Class of 2016
One of the best running backs in the history of the area, Darius Perisee earned all-state honors for Zeeland West led by his speed and ability to make tacklers miss. He also ran track and was part of both programs’ state championship runs.
Sam Plaska
Class of 2015
A blue-collar worker, Sam Plaska made his mark on the track. He won the state championship in the 800 meters as a senior and as a junior, helped lead the Dux to the team state championship. He was a multiple all-state relay performer and also was a standout football player, helping both teams earn a state title.
Jeremy Sall
Class of 2008
Swimmer was a state champion and multiple state-runner-up finisher, earning multiple all-state honors each year for Zeeland. Went on to swim at Ohio State.
Rachele Schulist
Class of 2012
One of the most dominant athletes in local history, Rachele Schulist was an all-state cross country performer all four years, leading the Dux to a state title. On the track, she claimed the state championship in the 1,600 meters and was all-state in multiple events all four years for the Dux, leading them to a runner-up finish as a senior. She went on to run at Michigan State and was an All-American.
Carly Sleeman
Class of 2024
Was named Division 2 Miss Softball as a senior after setting most of the Zeeland West records. She was all-state three times and Sentinel Player of the Year twice. She went on to play at Central Michigan where she was All-MAC.
Trey Sloothaak
Class of 2025
Was named Division 3 Football Player of the Year by the Michigan sportswriters association after leading the Dux to the state title. Was two-time Sentinel Player of the Year and top safety in area history. Was also all-state in the long jump multiple times. He will play football at GVSU next year.
Rylee Smith
Class of 2024
Was the Holland Sentinel Golfer of the Year all four years and was twice the Bowler of the Year. She was a state qualifier on the golf course and led the bowling team to a state championship and was a standout soccer player.
Owen Stevens
Class of 2025
Stevens finished his stellar swimming career with five individual state championships, tied for the second-most in area history. He was a three-time Sentinel Swimmer of the Year and will swim at Louisville next year.
Jason Tran
Class of 2014
Another multi-sport star, Jason Tran won the state championship in the 110-meter hurdles as a senior, leading the Dux to the state championship. He was a multi-event all-state athlete on the track and was also a strong football player, helping the Dux win the state championship during his career as well.
Jordan VanDort
Class of 2014
Perhaps the most dominant lineman in area history, Jordan VanDort sparked multiple Zeeland West football state championships. He was an all-state lineman and ended up playing at Western Michigan, Hope and GVSU. VanDort also broke the Zeeland West career scoring record in basketball and was an all-state performer in the shot put.
Zach VanValkenburg
Class of 2016
On the football field, there was no escaping Zach VanValkenburg. He was going to bring you down. Same thing in wrestling. It added up to a spectacular career at Zeeland West where he was an all-state performer in both football and wrestling. He ended up playing football at Iowa, was All-Big Ten and signed a free agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this year.
Abby Winn
Class of 2022
The most recent stellar multi-sport star for the Dux, Abby Winn saved her best for her senior year. She was honorable mention all-state in volleyball, before earning all-area basketball honors. In the spring, she was a state qualifier in track and field all while earning first-team all-state honors in soccer, leading the Dux to their first regional final. She played soccer at GVSU.
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
Sports
Lodge Named CSC Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-American
Story Links GLASSBORO, NJ — College Sports Communicators has honored Molly Lodge with a selection to the CSC Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-American Team. 2025 CSC ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN LIST | ROWAN’S ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS Lodge, who was named to the third team, is the fourth student-athlete in program history and […]

GLASSBORO, NJ — College Sports Communicators has honored Molly Lodge with a selection to the CSC Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-American Team.
2025 CSC ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN LIST | ROWAN’S ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
Lodge, who was named to the third team, is the fourth student-athlete in program history and second in as many years to earn the distinction. Last year, Izzy Deal (2024) joined Sharon Crow (2003) and Johanna Kline (2003) to represent the Profs.
A Computer Science major, Lodge has amassed a bevy of academic and athletic honors this past season. She was also voted a CSC Academic All-District selection, named a USTFCCCA Division III All-Academic Athlete, was a member of the NJAC All-Academic Honorable Mention list and was chosen the Philly-SIDA All-Area Women’s Track & Field Performer of the Year.
On the track, the recent graduate scored an All-American accolade at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in the 400-meter hurdles. She was named a USTFCCCA Outdoor All-Region honoree in four events (200 meters, 400 meter hurdles, 4×100 relay, 4×400 relay) and earned Indoor All-Region honors in the 4×400 relay as well.
Additionally, Lodge was named the Outstanding Track Athlete at the 2025 NJAC Indoor Championships and captured the 2025 NJAC Outdoor title in the 200 meters. She also set school records in the 100 and 400 hurdles this season.
Sports
Behnke earns Academic All-America first team honors
Story Links EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women’s track and field team’s Kayla Behkne (Sr. – Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) earned first team Academic All-America honors from College Sports Communicators for the 2025 season. CSC announced the women’s track and field Academic All-America Teams Tuesday. Behnke is the […]

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women’s track and field team’s Kayla Behkne (Sr. – Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) earned first team Academic All-America honors from College Sports Communicators for the 2025 season. CSC announced the women’s track and field Academic All-America Teams Tuesday.
Behnke is the first member of the Blugolds’ women’s track and field team to earn first team Academic All-America honors since 2013. A standout in throwing events, Behnke sports a 4.0 grade-point average. Athletically, she earned three first team All-America honors this season with top-eight finishes in discus, weight throw and hammer throw at indoor or outdoor nationals.
Behnke was also the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion in weight throw this indoor season, an event she holds the UWEC school record in. She helped the Blugolds finish fourth as a team at the NCAA Outdoor Championships this spring.
In the classroom, Behnke maintains a perfect GPA despite double majoring in computer science and mathematics and statistics and applied math.
Sports
Pilot Alums Shine at FIBA Women’s Asia Cup
Story Links SHENZEN, China – Portland Pilots Women’s Basketball continues to shine internationally, with two Pilot alums – New Zealand’s Emme Shearer and Australia’s Alex Fowler – excelling at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup with their respective national teams. The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup is an international basketball tournament where […]

SHENZEN, China – Portland Pilots Women’s Basketball continues to shine internationally, with two Pilot alums – New Zealand’s Emme Shearer and Australia’s Alex Fowler – excelling at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup with their respective national teams.
The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup is an international basketball tournament where every two years national teams from both FIBA Asia and FIBA Oceania compete for a chance to qualify for the FIBA World Cup. The winner earns an automatic qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup while the next five finishers (2nd-6th) advance to the global qualifying tournaments. New Zealand and Australia are two of eight teams in the Asia Cup, with New Zealand competing in Group A and Australia in Group B.
Shearer is the leading scoring through two games for New Zealand, averaging 15 points a game along with 5.5 rebounds and three assists. She scored a team-high 22 points in the opening game against Korea, adding four rebounds and three assists as well. New Zealand is currently 1-1 in Group A, sitting in third by tiebreaker.
Fowler, meanwhile, is third in scoring for Australia at 11 points a game while adding six rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest in just 21.7 minutes per game. Australia finished first in their group, with Fowler shining in each contest. She posted 11 points, five rebounds and five assists against the Philippines and tallied 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists against Lebanon for stellar all-around performances.
Shearer and Fowler are two of the most accomplished players in Pilots history, having played crucial roles in Portland’s recent success. Shearer was with the Pilots this past season, helping lead Portland to a 31-5 record, a program-best for wins. She averaged a team-high 16.7 points per game along 4.2 rebounds and just under two steals. Shearer – who twice earned All-WCC First Team honors as well as honorable mention in the 2022-23 season – finished her Pilot career as the all-time leader in both games played (158) and games started (135), fourth all-time in steals (289) and fifth all-time in points (1,688) and field goals made (615). She was a part of two WCC Tournament Championship-winning teams in 2023 and 2024.
Fowler goes down as not just one of the best players in Pilot history, but among WCC players as well. A four-time All-WCC First Team selection, a two-time WCC Tournament champion (2020, 2023) and a two-time WCC Tournament MVP, Fowler is Portland’s all-time leader at the Division I level in points (2,132), field goals (832), field goal percentage (.550) and rebounds (882). She is second all-time among all Pilot players in all those categories. Fowler ranks third all-time in scoring average (17.5), fourth in free throws made (415), sixth in rebounding average (7.2) and 10th in blocks (89). She is the only Pilot ever to make four All-WCC First Teams.
The Pilots put together an incredible season, finishing 31-5 overall and 17-3 in WCC play. They earned a share of the WCC regular season title and also broke a program record for wins in a season. They earned their first ever two playoff wins on the road after qualifying for the WBIT, making the quarterfinals. They also advanced to their third straight WCC Tournament championship and their fourth in six years.
Group play is finished for Australia, who advance to the semifinals with six points total in Group A. New Zealand has a chance to make the semifinals of the tournament, facing off against the Chinese national team tomorrow at 4:30 a.m. PST.
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Sports
U.S. Routs Argentina for Worlds Women’s Water Polo Group Title
World Championships: U.S. Routs Argentina for Women’s Water Polo Group Title The U.S. routed Argentina, 26-3, on the third day of women’s water polo play at the 2025 World Championships to earn the Group A title on Tuesday. That allows the U.S. to skip the crossover round and head straight to the quarterfinals on Saturday. […]

World Championships: U.S. Routs Argentina for Women’s Water Polo Group Title
The U.S. routed Argentina, 26-3, on the third day of women’s water polo play at the 2025 World Championships to earn the Group A title on Tuesday. That allows the U.S. to skip the crossover round and head straight to the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Australia romped past Oceania rival New Zealand, 15-6, to win Group A. Spain polished off the Group D title with a 16-7 win over Great Britain, while Hungary’s 22-6 victory over Croatia earns it the Group C title.
Ava Stryker led the U.S. with six goals. Jovana Sekulic scored four times. Emma Lineback supplied two goals and three assists. Isabel Williams made seven saves in her first game of the tournament.
It was the first in a day of blowouts, the closest game a six-goal affair between Netherlands and China. The Chinese fought valiantly, falling 13-7 despite nine saves from Yineng Shen and three goals from Siya Yan. Sabrina van der Sloot led the Netherlands with four goals. Simone van de Kraats contributed a goal and four assists. Lieke Rogge (goal, three assists) and Kitty-Lynn Joustra (two goals, two assists) were also central for the Dutch.
Spain built a six-goal halftime lead to top Great Britain, 16-7. Bea Ortiz led the way with two goals and four assists. Elena Ruiz tallied a hat trick.
Alice Williams continued a stellar tournament with three goals and three assists to fuel Australia’s 15-6 win over New Zealand. Danijela Jackovich and Sienna Hearn each tossed home hat tricks. Bronte Halligan paired two goals with four assists, and Charlize Andrews notched two and three.
Hungary rendered Croatia winless in the group stage with a 22-6 decision powered by nine first-quarter goals. Krisztina Garda was 4-for-4 shooting. Rita Keszthelyi tallied four goals and four assists. Luca Torma was unbeatable in goal with 17 saves.
Greece overpowered Japan, 25-15, thanks to seven goals from Maria Myriokefalitaki. Stefania Santa had three goals and four assists, Vasiliki Plevritou three and three. Foteini Tricha scored four goals, and Ioanna Stamatopoulou stopped 13 shots.
All 12 Italians in the lineup scored in a 32-5 win over Singapore. Agnes Cocchiere led the way with six markers. Chiara Ranalli tossed in five goals and four assists. Sofia Giustini paired three goals with five assists, and Dafne Bettini dished five assists.
France needed three goals and two assists from Ema Vernoux to outlast a game South Africa side, 13-6. Erica Hardy and Valentine Heurtaux also scored hat trick.
The second- and third-placed teams in each group will play in Thursday’s crossover round. Italy takes on China. The Netherlands will play New Zealand. France and Greece square off, as do Japan and Great Britain. Winners reach the quarterfinals. Losers head to the 9-12 placement bracket.
Sports
Group led by Mario Lemieux ‘very interested’ in ownership of Penguins – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions
An ownership group led by Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux has expressed that it is “very interested” in buying his former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, as reported by The Athletic on Monday. Lemieux and his ownership group, comprised of former co-owner Ron Burkle and former executive David Morehouse, have reportedly informed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman […]

An ownership group led by Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux has expressed that it is “very interested” in buying his former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, as reported by The Athletic on Monday.
Lemieux and his ownership group, comprised of former co-owner Ron Burkle and former executive David Morehouse, have reportedly informed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman of their intention to pursue a purchase of the team from Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the organization that acquired the team from their group in 2021.
FSG has announced the pursuit of additional minority investors in the wake of selling just 91.4 percent of available tickets in 2024-25, the lowest amount in two decades, but hasn’t expressed publicly a desire to sell the club.
The Penguins were valued at $1.47 billion in 2024, per Sportico.
Lemieux, 59, was a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Penguins, earning three Hart Trophies among nine All-Star appearances.
His 1,723 career points and 690 career goals remain the most in franchise history, with current Penguins star Sidney Crosby second in both categories.
Since acquiring the team, FSG has presided over just one playoff appearance, including straight postseason misses. The Penguins’ recent record is in stark contrast to the team winning three league championships from 2009-17.
–Field Level Media
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