by Leah Twilley
photos by Amanda Pitts

They may be new to Grand Valley, but they’re not new to the game. Of the 452 students who play a Laker varsity sport, a handful are international students who are bringing their athletic talents to Grand Valley.

These students bring a fresh perspective and a lot of motivation to the game.

Alex Van De Steenoven

Rowville, Victoria, Australia
Exercise Science major

PROUD MOMENTS
Winning the state championship in high school and being selected to play and be the team captain for the Victorian State Team.

FUN FACT
This is my first time in the U.S. and the first time I’ve ever seen snow. My mom and dad wanted me to send them a photo of the snow because they’ve never seen it either. It’s hot and dry in Australia.

CHOOSING GRAND VALLEY
I looked at other schools, like Michigan State and Virginia Tech, but guys on the tennis team from Grand Valley reached out to me on Facebook and told me about the university and how great it is, and they were right. That caught my attention.

Ernijs 'Ernie' Ansons

Riga, Latvia
International Business and Marketing Major

PROUD MOMENTS
I was selected to play on the National Latvian Basketball Team when I was 16, 18 and 20 years old. I was also selected for the Canarian Basketball Academy in Spain, where I got to play with basketball players from all over Europe for a year.

FUN FACT
I speak three languages: Russian, Latvian and English.

LAKER FAMILY
I’ve played on many teams, but this one has become my family. We’re all really close and that means a lot, especially living so far away from home.

Carola Orna

Vernoa, Italy
International Business and Supply Chain Management Major

PROUD MOMENTS
Making it to nationals and being ranked No. 2 in the country when I attended William Carey University. Another proud moment was when I came to Grand Valley and we beat Northwood University during the GLIAC finals last season.

FUN FACT
I have played tennis since I was 4 years old. My parents are both tennis players.

SOUTH, THEN NORTH
When I came to the U.S. two years ago, I decided I wanted to experience as many cultures as I could. So I attended a university in the South, then found out about Grand Valley by doing some research online.