The YEAR in SPORTS • 2025

Topping 2025’s Year in Review for sports in the Great Lakes Bay Region is the talent-laden Delta College women's soccer team.

The Pioneers captured the 2025 NJCAA Division III National Championship, securing its second consecutive title and third overall, when they defeated Dallas College Brookhaven 1-0 in overtime in frigid conditions in Herkimer, New York, finishing an undefeated season. Sophomore Isabella Workman potted the game’s only goal for the game-winner.

The Pioneers (18-0-1) earned back-to-back titles for the second time in program history, once again edging Brookhaven (16-2-2) in a tightly contested match. Workman’s goal came in the 97th minute of play, drilling a goal into the net for the lone goal of the match. Both squads had opportunities to score in the overtime period, but Delta goalkeeper Mia Warner was pivotal throughout the contest, making seven saves to preserve the shutout.

The Pioneers generated consistent pressure offensively as well, forcing Brookhaven keeper Miranda Estrada into nine saves. Brookhaven outshot Delta 6–2 in the first half, but the Pioneers responded by controlling the second half with a 6–3 shot advantage before carrying that momentum into overtime. With the win, Delta concludes a dominant season in which they outscored opponents 106–5 and remained unbeaten.

The Pioneers were also well-represented in postseason awards: Abigail Hendy, Brooke Swartz, and Alahna Beckett were named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Workman earned Offensive MVP honors and Warner was honored as the tournament's Overall MVP. Delta’s head coach is Damon Amey and Blair Wright is the associate coach. Volunteer coaches included Jenna Dost, Fran MacMillan, Kaylee Raymond, and Bri Redmond.

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Local football fans will have an opportunity to watch their favorite sport in the offseason as the Michigan Arsenal, Saginaw’s new professional Arena Football League team will be debuting in April of 2026. 

The Arsenal’s season will consist of 12 games – six home and six away – and the team will be playing its home contests at the Dow Event Center. According to Jerry Kurz, CEO of Arena Football 1 (AF1), the Michigan Arsenal is the league’s newest member team, expanding the league’s nationwide footprint. “We are excited to bring arena football to fans across Michigan while strengthening the League mission to deliver fast-paced, high-energy entertainment rooted in community pride,” said Kurz.

Other AF1 teams currently include the Albany Firebirds, Billings Outlaws, Kentucky Barrels, Minnesota Monsters, Nashville Kats, Oregon Lightning, and the Washington Wolfpack. Arena Football 1 was founded in September 2024 and completed its first season in 2025.

With eight founding members, AF1 features all the exciting and fast-paced action that fans have come to know and love from Arena Football. "We’re thrilled to welcome the Michigan Arsenal to the AF1 family," said Commissioner Jeff Fisher, who formerly was head coach of the National Football League’s Tennessee Titans. "Michigan has a deep and passionate football culture, and the Arsenal brings a powerful new presence to our league. This franchise is going to be something special for fans across the state."

Michigan Arsenal Owner/CEO George Bradford said he is excited to bring the team to Saginaw and the Dow Event Center. “This is an exciting time with a great city that was built and founded on the industrial labor and the automotive industry,” said Bradford. “This is absolutely fantastic, but more importantly, the AF1 is one of the best leagues in the industry, so I'm looking forward to a great year, a fantastic season, and bringing a championship to the city of Saginaw.”

Bradford, who worked in the automotive industry, vowed that the Michigan Arsenal will be imbedded in the community. “We want to work closely with the local Chamber (Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce) and the local businesses. We want to be out and about in the community. If civic organization’s want us at their meeting, we’ll be there.”

Season ticket deposits are now being accepted by telephone by calling the Dow Event Center Box Office at (989) 759-1320.

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The feel-good story during the high school football season would undoubtedly be Valley Lutheran High School. The Chargers, coached by Paul Reid, rolled to its first undefeated season in school history (9-0), including victories over rivals Michigan Lutheran Seminary and Nouvel Catholic Central, and an exciting one-point victory over perennial powerhouse Ithaca.

VLHS won the Tri-Valley Conference Blue Division title with a perfect 5-0 slate. Cole Strieter and Colt Jolin were two key performers for the Chargers. Valley Lutheran was upended by those same Ithaca Yellowjackets in the first round of the Division 7 playoffs.

Reid earned recognition as the Detroit Lions Coach of the Week in 2025, despite facing personal health challenges. Reid is known for his dedication, Christian coaching philosophy, and building a strong team culture focused on faith, physicality, and development. 

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In a move which caught many Saginaw Valley State University alumni by surprise, John Lewandowski, the school’s vice president of Athletics, announced on December 3rd that head football coach Ryan Brady had been relieved of his duties.

Brady recently completed his sixth full season leading the program. The Cardinals were 6-5 overall and 5-2 in GLIAC play this fall. The season was highlighted by a victory over Grand Valley State University in the Battle of the Valleys. SVSU also battled perennial power Ferris State University to a pair of overtimes before losing. Brady led the program to five straight winning seasons, however, Lewandowski stated that the program was not meeting expectations.

In the University's press release Lewandowski commented that "Winning seasons are no longer the standard of excellence for SVSU football. While our teams finished 7-4 in 2024 and 6-5 in 2025, the Cardinals failed to meet our expectation of participating in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, and in my judgment, the program was not moving in that direction." SVSU will conduct a national search for new leadership.

Saginaw Valley State University also replaced its men's basketball coach, announcing Chris Fowler as their new head coach on May 9^th. Fowler, a former Central Michigan University player and Michigan State University assistant, took over the program after coaching at Western Michigan University. The 32-year-old Fowler, a four-time captain while at CMU, is just the ninth head coach in program history. As of this writing, SVSU has started strong in their 2025-26 season holding an impressive 4-1 record, with wins over Alma, Ashland, Lewis, and Hillsdale. The Cardinals recently lost to Davenport University for their only blemish on the season thus far.

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The 7th annual Harry Hawkins Award was presented to standout lineman Tristan Comer of Freeland High School, who has already committed to play football at Michigan State University for next season. The other two finalists were Nouvel Catholic Central fullback/linebacker John Carlson and Freeland linebacker Zander Wheatley. It marked the first time in the seven-year history of the award that two players from the same school were finalists. The historic Saginaw Club sponsors the Heisman Trophy-like award. The ultimate winner receives $4,000 in scholarship money with the two others receiving $2,000 each. The award is named after former Arthur Hill High School and University of Michigan football and track standout; becoming the first gridder from Saginaw County to earn All-America honors.

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The Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame celebrated its 23^rd induction class in November. Making the grade in 2025 were Saginaw Spirit owner Richard J. Garber Jr., former Saginaw High School football coach Don Durrett, Heritage High School/Michigan State University basketball standout Katrina Grantham (Masters), Heritage High School/Grand Valley State University football standout Mike McFadden, St. Stephen High School/University of Dayton football player and Nouvel coach Greg Meter, Saginaw High School and NBA basketball player Anthony Roberson, Arthur Hill/Purdue University basketball standout Lakisha Freeman (Parker), and Carrollton High School’s 1992 Class C Girl’s State Champion basketball team.

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Bay County Sports Hall of Fame’s 2025 induction class included seven individuals and three teams. The 34^th annual banquet honored Jim Skrocki (Bay City St. James and Central Michigan University football), Dave Schwartz (Essexville Garber football coach/Athletic Director), Jim Eurick (Bay City Western football coach), Dinah DuRussel (Bay City All Saints booster/fundraiser), Tom Herek (Bay City All Saints football coach), Christie Gruszynski Konieczny (Pinconning High School/Central Michigan University volleyball), Trenton Robinson (Bay City Central/MSU and pro football player), the 1999 Delta College women’s softball team, 1989 Pinconning High School volleyball team, and 1991 Bay City All Saints baseball team.

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Saginaw Valley State University’s Cardinal Athletic Hall of Fame grew by seven as six individuals and one team was inducted in 2025. The Hall of Fame class included student-athletes Andrea (Kieser) Bergdolt (track and field), Tim Goheen (baseball), Todd Herremans (football) and Lydia Mattar (swimming & diving); along with contributors Dr. James Jesko, D.O., and Jim Dwyer, and SVSU’s 1983 women’s indoor track & field team. It should be noted that Dr. Jesko and Dwyer have provided a combined 70 years of dedicated service to Saginaw Valley as well the local community. 

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Former Heritage High School baseball standout Spencer Schwellenbach, now a starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, jumped out to a tremendous start of the 2025 campaign until an arm injury halted his season. Schwellenbach, who played his college ball at Nebraska, posted solid numbers with a 7-4 record, a strong 3.09 ERA, 108 strikeouts, and a low 0.97 WHIP over 110.2 innings pitched. The strong-armed right-hander notched a career-high 12 strikeouts in one game along with a complete game victory. 

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The Saginaw Public School District unveiled its new Fieldhouse and adjoining football field at Saginaw United High School (The U) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony October 3^rd. It coincided with the school’s first homecoming football game and the Phoenix were up the challenge by knocking off Bay City Central 28-6. Roughly two months later, Saginaw United debuted its first home boys’ basketball game against Detroit Catholic Central in front of a packed house. The Phoenix crashed the boards in the second half and strolled to a 67-57 victory.

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Individual athletes who captured state championships in 2025 included Nouvel Catholic Central’s Alex McCarthy (bowling), Saginaw United’s Michael Baldwin (wrestling), and Freeland’s Fabian Facundo (wrestling). It should be noted that Baldwin’s state championship is the school’s first-ever title. Only one school nabbed a state championship in ’25 as Chesaning, under coach Dylan Harrington, captured the Division 3 girl’s state soccer crown.