Culver’s Gordon signs with Lake Michigan College

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Culver senior Meredith Gordon signed with Lake Michigan College to continue her academic and volleyball careers. From left – Tracy Gordon, Meredith’s mother; Meredith; Adam Gordon, Meredith’s father; Gavin Gordon, Meredith’s brother.

CULVER — Culver senior Meredith Gordon has signed with Lake Michigan College to continue her academic and volleyball careers.

Lake Michigan College is a community college located in Benton Harbor, Mich. It is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

“It’s really close to home, and I really loved the atmosphere when I visited," Gordon said. “And the coaches are super welcoming and super nice. They just made me feel like home.”

Gordon said she emailed coach Rob Elliott-Schafnitz, and he got back to her quickly. Elliott-Schafnitz and Gordon quickly set up a virtual meeting, and Gordon agreed to tour the campus in July.

She decided on Lake Michigan in October.

“After I got back from nationals for volleyball, I went and toured and then I had a little practice with the team, and the girls were super nice,” Gordon said. “And so it just made everything so smoothly. He just gave me an offer then and there, so it was great.”

Gordon was asked to describe Benton Harbor.

“It’s kind of like Culver, I’d say,” Gordon said. “It’s a small town, but it’s surrounded with other big towns like St. Joe, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, South Bend. It really feels like Culver.”

Gordon had 128 kills, 29 aces, nine blocks, 136 digs and 103 serves received for the Lady Cavaliers this fall. Culver won its first sectional title since 2011 and then followed that with its first regional title ever. The season ended with a loss to South Newton in the semistate semifinals.

Gordon said she has always loved volleyball.

“I’ve been playing since we started intramurals in fifth grade at Plymouth,” Gordon said. “I’ve just loved the sport. It’s grown over the years. … I just love the friendships I’ve made along the way and just the aggression with everything. I just love volleyball.”

Gordon’s Culver teammates dropped by for her signing ceremony.

“It was very special, the bond I have with these girls,” Gordon said. “They are literally my sisters. And I just appreciate them so much and everything they’ve done for me. They helped me on and off the court. And even going to semistate with these girls, it was like a dream come true. We really wanted this.”

Gordon said she wants to major in diagnostic medical stenography. She wants to be an ultrasound tech.