Mark Vermette (1985-88 ice hockey) and Kelly Gerritsen-Michano (1985-89 volleyball) will be inducted into the Lake Superior State Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 14 at the annual alumni awards reception beginning at noon in the Walker Cisler Center as part of Great Lake State Weekend.
All recipients will also be recognized on-ice during the first intermission of the Saturday, Oct. 14 hockey game vs. Alaska Anchorage.
Mark Vermette
Vermette attended LSSU from 1985-88 with a hockey playing career that culminated in one of, if not the greatest, individual ice hockey seasons in program history.
“I am so very excited and grateful to be recognized by Lake Superior State University by being inducted into the LSSU Athletic Hall of Fame,” said Vermette.
Vermette led the Lakers to the program’s first NCAA championship in 1988 with a 45-goal season, which is still a single-season program record. Vermette tallied 75 points during the 1987-88 season, ranking him third all-time in single-season points. However, the 1988 U.S. College Hockey Player of the Year’s final goal as a Laker would go down as one of the most storied goals in program history, slotting home the game-winner in overtime during the 1988 NCAA title game against St. Lawrence. Vermette finished his career with 116 points (65G, 51A). He was named an NCAA First Team All-American, CCHA Player of the Year, Hobey Baker Award runner-up, and U.S. College Hockey Player of the year in 1988.
Vermette was selected 134th overall in the 1986 NHL entry draft (Round 7, Pick 8) by the Quebec Nordiques (now Colorado Avalanche), and he would go on to play 67 games in the National Hockey League.
“I have so many fond memories of LSSU and Laker Hockey, but in particular, it was my amazing teammates and those who supported Laker Hockey that made my time wearing the anchor an amazing and forever-lasting experience,” Vermette said.
Kelly Gerritsen-Michano
Kelly Gerritsen-Michano attended LSSU from 1985-89 where she was a member of both the volleyball and softball programs.
“Being inducted is a true honor, and I am very proud,” said Gerritsen-Michano. “Attending Lake State, I was coached by Deb McPherson and was blessed to have Maureen Shaheen-Fitzpatrick as a teammate and roommate for four years.”
Gerritsen-Michano began to leave her mark on the LSSU volleyball program early on in her career, leading the Lakers in kills (125), attack percentage (2.92), service aces (9), and blocks (29) as a freshman. However, she would go on to save her best for last. During her senior season in 1988, Gerritsen-Michano would leave it all on the court with a GLIAC-leading 454 kills, which ranks second in program history for single season kills. She would also lead the conference in kills per set (4.63) and attack percentage (.374) to earn First Team All-GLIAC recognition while leading her team to a second place finish in the conference.
Gerritsen-Michano currently sits eighth in program history in kills for a career (946), and her 33 kills against Grand Valley State on Oct. 22, 1988 are the second-most kills in a single match in school history.
In addition to her volleyball career, Gerritsen-Michano would also start at first base for Laker softball where she was named the Most Improved Softball Player in 1986 after posting a batting average of .250 while also recording a base-fielding average of .961.
After LSSU, Gerritsen-Michano would go on to coach multiple different volleyball teams at both the public and high school levels.
“[LSSU] helped me mature, and it gave me the opportunity to find myself,” said Gerritsen-Michano. “I enjoyed it tremendously, education and lifetime friendships.”
