The Open Mat presents awards annually in three categories for each division of college wrestling at the conclusion of the season. Awards are presented for Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year and Wrestler of the Year.

Jake Short led the Grand Valley State women's wrestling team to a top-four finish at the 2025 NCWWC National Championships in the program's inaugural season of competition.

On Thursday, Short was named 2025 NCAA Women's Coach of the Year by the Open Mat.

Short, a former Division I wrestler at the University of Minnesota, has assembled a talented roster of wrestlers. Short, along with assistant coach Marlynne Deede, developed GVSU into a national women's college wrestling power in the program's first season.

It was a season filled with firsts for the Grand Valley State women's wrestling program. The program competed in its first open tournament on Nov. 2 at the Pointer Open, with Rayana Sahagun winning the title at 103 pounds over a past national champion.

On Nov. 6, GSVU picked up its first dual meet win, a 44-6 victory over Northern Michigan in front of a home crowd of 587.

The Lakers wrestled a very competitive schedule in their first season, facing NCAA women's wrestling powers Iowa, North Central and McKendree, among others.

Short guided GVSU to a runner-up finish at the regional (Region 5). The Lakers finished just 1.5 points behind team champion North Central. Five GVSU wrestlers won regional titles and 11 qualified for the national tournament.

Two weeks later, GVSU put the finishing touches on extremely successful inaugural season with a strong performance at the 2025 NCWCC National Championships in Coralville, Iowa. The Lakers finished fourth in the team standings on the strength of two national champions, Sage Mortimer (110) and Katie Lange (138), and five All-Americans.