Grand Valley State Softball Camps
Doug Woods is beginning his 21st year as head softball coach at Grand Valley State University. Woods has the longest tenure of any Laker softball coach and during his time he has compiled an overall record of 727-343-3. Woods, who inherited the team in 1991, has brought the Laker program to regional and national prominence. He has led the Lakers to the NCAA Tournament in eight out of the last twelve years, 40 plus wins in seven seasons, and 35 or more wins in 13 out of the last 16 years. In addition, GVSU was .500 or above in GLIAC action for 17 straight seasons from 1993 to 2009. In 2010, GVSU finished with a 22-24 record, including a 10-16 mark in the GLIAC. The Lakers claimed the GLIAC Freshman of the Year in third baseman/pitcher Katie Martin, who is just the second player in GVSU history (and first since 1998) to be named the league's top newcomer. Grand Valley State was the GLIAC's top-hitting team, as the Lakers hit .317 for the season. Grand Valley State finished 33-18 in 2009 with an 11-11 GLIAC mark, as it was the fifth seed in the GLIAC Tournament. The Lakers defeated GLIAC Tournament runner-up, Wayne State, in the opening round by a 4-1 score before finishing fourth in the touranment. Grand Valley State finished second in the GLIAC in fielding percentage, posting a .967 clip on the diamond. The 2009 team was also honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) as having the fourth-highest grade point average (3.525) of Division II schools in the country. The Lakers totaled a 27-16 overall record in 2008, including a 12-8 mark in conference play, entering the GLIAC Tournament with the number five seed. GVSU was unable to advance to the Great Lakes Regional Tournament, however, after losing both games in the league tournament. Grand Valley State finished the season with the highest batting average in the conference, posting a .315 mark at the plate, and was second in the league with a .966 fielding percentage. The 2008 team was honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) for having the second-highest grade point average (3.575) of Division II programs in the nation. The 2007 season saw the Lakers finish with a 36-18 record after falling to SIU-Edwardsville in the Great Lakes Regional Championship game. GVSU went into the regional tournament as the No. 4 seed after dropping a 3-2 decision in the GLIAC Tournament Championship to Gannon. In 2006, the Lakers dropped their first game in the GLIAC Tournament, 4-3 to Ashland, but came back to win six straight games to claim the GLIAC Tournament Championship. GVSU defeated Wayne State in two straight games, 5-3 (8) and 4-3, to win the title. The Lakers entered the Great Lakes Region Tournament as the #8 seed and upset #1-seed SIUE, 3-2, in eight innings. GVSU dropped its next two contests to end the season with a 35-21 overall and 12-8 GLIAC record. Woods led GVSU to their second straight GLIAC Championship and a 36-8 overall record in 2004. Grand Valley dropped a 4-0 decision to Northern Kentucky in the Great Lakes Region Championship game. His 49-6 record in 2003, marked his winningest season (.920) as Laker head coach. GVSU also captured the GLIAC regular season title with a 17-1 record and claimed the conference championship for the second time in three years. In 2002, he took the Lakers to a NCAA DII National runner-up finish. GVSU finished 49-12-1 on the year and a number-two finish in the NFCA Top 25 poll. It was Grand Valley State's first ever World Series appearance after four consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament. The Lakers swept through the NCAA Regional tournament with three straight wins and then won their first two games at the World Series. After a set back to the eventual champion St. Mary's (Tex.), GVSU won two more games, including a win over St. Mary's, to advance to the championship game. Woods also led the Lakers to a second place finish in the GLIAC after a 13-5 mark in league play. GVSU posted another outstanding season in 2001, as the Lakers tallied a 48-7-1 record overall, including a 16-4 conference record. Grand Valley State claimed the GLIAC Championship by winning the regular season and tournament titles and advanced to its third consecutive NCAA Regional appearance. Woods earned GLIAC Coach of the Year honors for the third consecutive year and fourth time in his career and was named the Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year for the second time. In addition to earning GLIAC Coach of the Year honors in 1999-2001, Woods was also recognized by his peers in 1993. The Lakers totaled a 48-12 record in 2000, winning the GLIAC regular season crown and competing in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament. GVSU was 2-2 in the NCAA Regional Tournament, reaching the title game for the first time in school history. Woods led GVSU to a record-setting season in 1999 as the Lakers posted a single-season record 58 wins and qualified for the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament for the first time in school history. In addition to qualifying for the NCAA Regional, GVSU was selected as the host institution of the four-team tournament. The Lakers finished with a 1-2 record in the regional, but finished the season with a 58-8-1 record. Woods was tabbed as the Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year following the record-setting season. Grand Valley State re-wrote the offensive record books, setting 23 school and individual records. At one point during the season, the Lakers posted a single-season record 16 consecutive wins. Prior to the 1999 season, Woods had the task of juggling both coaching and athletic training in his career. He had been the head athletic trainer at Grand Valley when he arrived on campus in 1976. Woods handled both jobs for eight years, but became the program's first full-time coach in 1999. Doug came to Grand Valley State after completing his bachelor's degree from the University of Toledo, where he served as an assistant athletic trainer from 1971-76. Upon arriving in Allendale, Woods completed his master's degree at GVSU in 1984. Doug and his wife Linda have two children and reside in Jenison.
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