Grand Valley State University Men's Golf

Bissell recently completed his second season as the head coach of the Grand Valley State men's golf team. Most recently, Bissell led the Lakers to two tournament victories as well as two runner up finishes, including a second place finish at the 2016 GLIAC Conference Championship, falling short by just one stroke. The Lakers swept the GLIAC North and South Invitationals in the fall and spring season, respectively.   Under Bissells guidance, four Lakers were named to the 2016 All-GLIAC team. Sophomore Domenic Mancinelli was a First Team selection, junior Alex Nannetti and freshman Bryce Messner earned Second Team accolades, and freshman Alex Scott was named an Honorable Mention.GVSU also made its 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance by earning a berth in the Midwest Super Regional hosted at The Meadows Golf Course in Allendale, Michigan. During his first season at the helm, the Lakers won a pair of tournaments, took runner-up honors at an NCAA regional event, and tied for fourth in a loaded field that featured six ranked clubs at the Brickyard Crossing Intercollegiate. At the GLIAC Championship, GVSU tied for third place with a 7-over-par 871, the fourth-lowest 54-hole score in program history. Moreover, the team's 7-under-par 281 on day three was the third-lowest in school history, while its 5-under-par 283 in the opening round was tied for the seventh-lowest score to par by a GVSU team. At season's end, Jack Rider, who claimed medalist honors at the Brickyard Crossing Intercollegiate, earned All-GLIAC First Team honors, Tyler Polulak was named to the All-GLIAC Second Team, and Domenic Mancinelli collected GLIAC Freshman of the Year and All-GLIAC Second Team plaudits. GVSU also made its 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance by earning a berth in the Midwest/Central Super Regional. Bissell played at Ferris State for five seasons under head coach Mike Mignano, the 2010 Midwest Region Coach of the Year. During his time with the Bulldogs, Bissell accumulated a 76.1 career scoring average and earned the Bulldog Award - given to the player who best displays work ethic and commitment - as a senior following the 2011-12 campaign. In his final collegiate season, he helped Ferris State finish second in four tournaments and earn an NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Super Regional berth. Individually, Bissell tied for fourth place at the Wisconsin-Parkside Invitational and tied for 15th place against Division I competition at the Detroit Titans Invitational. Shortly after he graduated from Ferris State in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in marketing, Bissell gave private lessons at the Rick Smith and Jason Guss Golf Academy at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan for two years. During the winter of 2013-14, he played professionally on the Florida Professional Golf Tour.  Most recently, he was an instructor for the Jason Guss Golf Academy at Hawk Hollow Golf Course in Bath, Michigan.   Prior to his time at Ferris State, Bissell earned four all-area and two all-state plaudits for the Haslett High School men's golf team. As a senior, he captained the 2006 group, which claimed the MHSAA Division 2 title.    Gary Bissell Head Coach Gary Bissell recently completed his second season as the head coach of the Grand Valley State men's golf team. Most recently, Bissell led the Lakers to two tournament victories as well as two runner up finishes, including a second place finish at the 2016 GLIAC Conference Championship, falling short by just one stroke. The Lakers swept the GLIAC North and South Invitationals in the fall and spring season, respectively.   Under Bissells guidance, four Lakers were named to the 2016 All-GLIAC team. Sophomore Domenic Mancinelli was a First Team selection, junior Alex Nannetti and freshman Bryce Messner earned Second Team accolades, and freshman Alex Scott was named an Honorable Mention.GVSU also made its 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance by earning a berth in the Midwest Super Regional hosted at The Meadows Golf Course in Allendale, Michigan. During his first season at the helm, the Lakers won a pair of tournaments, took runner-up honors at an NCAA regional event, and tied for fourth in a loaded field that featured six ranked clubs at the Brickyard Crossing Intercollegiate. At the GLIAC Championship, GVSU tied for third place with a 7-over-par 871, the fourth-lowest 54-hole score in program history. Moreover, the team's 7-under-par 281 on day three was the third-lowest in school history, while its 5-under-par 283 in the opening round was tied for the seventh-lowest score to par by a GVSU team. At season's end, Jack Rider, who claimed medalist honors at the Brickyard Crossing Intercollegiate, earned All-GLIAC First Team honors, Tyler Polulak was named to the All-GLIAC Second Team, and Domenic Mancinelli collected GLIAC Freshman of the Year and All-GLIAC Second Team plaudits. GVSU also made its 13th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance by earning a berth in the Midwest/Central Super Regional. Bissell played at Ferris State for five seasons under head coach Mike Mignano, the 2010 Midwest Region Coach of the Year. During his time with the Bulldogs, Bissell accumulated a 76.1 career scoring average and earned the Bulldog Award - given to the player who best displays work ethic and commitment - as a senior following the 2011-12 campaign. In his final collegiate season, he helped Ferris State finish second in four tournaments and earn an NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Super Regional berth. Individually, Bissell tied for fourth place at the Wisconsin-Parkside Invitational and tied for 15th place against Division I competition at the Detroit Titans Invitational. Shortly after he graduated from Ferris State in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in marketing, Bissell gave private lessons at the Rick Smith and Jason Guss Golf Academy at Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan for two years. During the winter of 2013-14, he played professionally on the Florida Professional Golf Tour.  Most recently, he was an instructor for the Jason Guss Golf Academy at Hawk Hollow Golf Course in Bath, Michigan.   Prior to his time at Ferris State, Bissell earned four all-area and two all-state plaudits for the Haslett High School men's golf team. As a senior, he captained the 2006 group, which claimed the MHSAA Division 2 title.   

Gareth Lappin was announced as the new men's head golf coach in October, 2023. He completed his second season as head coach following the 2024-25 campaign.  For the second straight season, Lappin earned GolfPride Grips Midwest Region Coach of the Year after leading the Lakers to three wins and five additional top-five finishes. Lappin coached Drew Coble, Manuel Cue, and Bryce Wheeler to All-Region status, and those three along with Charlie Cooley were all named All-GLIAC. Coble earned his second straight GLIAC Golfer of the Year award. The Lakers advanced to the postseason, placing ninth at Regionals.  Once Lappin took over as the coach, GVSU claimed five tournament victories and three more top-five finishes. Lappin coached Drew Coble to First-Team All-American honors, and Coble was one of three Lakers to be named All-Region, along with Nick Krueger and Manuel Cue. Five GVSU golfers earned First-Team All-GLIAC honors, with Coble being named Golfer of the Year. The Lakers advanced to postseason play once again, placing fourth at NCAA Regionals to qualify for the National Championships. At Nationals, GVSU placed 10th, the second best finish in program history. Lappin was named the GolfPride Grips Midwest Region Coach of the Year. Originally from Ireland, where he was a junior Irish National Champion, Lappin played collegiately at Michigan State from 2014-18, where he was a letterwinner and was named a BIG TEN player to watch. Following his playing career in East Lansing, Lappin became a graduate assistant coach for the Spartans, where he was responsible for setting practice plans, tailoring players golf swings, and aiding in the recruitment of players.   For the past five years, Lappin has been a golf pro both in Ireland and in Michigan. He was a teaching pro at Belvoir Park Golf Club in Belfast and at the StoneWater Country Club in Grand Rapids. He gave private lessons to multiple Division I golfers, among other players, ran junior development camps, guided junior golfers through the recruitment process, and conducted clinics and golf education sessions for golfers.  

Steve Milewski completed his eighth season as Assistant Coach for the Grand Valley State Men’s Golf Team following the 2024-25 eyar. Steve also serves as the PGA Head Golf Professional at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University, and is involved in all areas of managing the facility. During Milewski’s tenure as Assistant Coach, he assisted in guiding the team to GLIAC conference titles in 2018 and 2023. Steve also assisted the team to National Championship appearances in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024. As Interim Head Coach in Fall 2023, Milewski led the team to victories at The Folds of Honor Challenge and the University of Indianapolis Invitational.   Milewski played four seasons of Division I college golf at Illinois State University, in Normal, Illinois. During his collegiate career, he recorded two top 10 finishes, a 3rd place finish at the Bradley University Fall Classic, and a 10th place finish at the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate. During his time at ISU, he played for Head Coach Harland Kilborn and Assistant Coach Ray Kralis. Steve graduated in 2001 with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and Finance.   Prior to Illinois State, Milewski played four years of Varsity golf at St. Laurence High School in Burbank, Illinois under head coach Tom Gorman. During that time he won an individual state regional title, was named Chicago Catholic League MVP, and finished 8th in the IHSA State Finals as a sophomore. In 2014, Steve was inducted into the St. Laurence High School Athletic Hall of Fame.