Riepma is a former football coach at Northwood University
GLIAC — Lake Superior State’s Andy Soma and Michigan Tech’s Grace Hoeppner have been named the recipients of the 2024-25 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship. The honor, which awards each recipient, one male and one female, $5,000 in aid to the graduate school of their choice, was voted on by the Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) of the GLIAC member institutions.
Soma, a starting guard on the 2025 NCAA Midwest Regional champion LSSU men’s basketball team, aims to attain a Ph.D. in mathematics with the ultimate goal of teaching at the college level.
Hoeppner, a key defender on the Michigan Tech soccer team for the last two seasons, plans to pursue a Master of Science in biomedical engineering at the University of Minnesota, focusing on cardiovascular health and medical device development.
The GLIAC Postgraduate Scholarship is named after former Northwood University Athletic Director and head football coach Pat Riepma who passed away in July of 2015 after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. Pat spent over 21 years at Northwood and was the all-time winningest coach in football history as well as the long time Athletic Director. While his achievements on the field and on behalf of the athletic department are impressive, Pat will be forever remembered for the person he was. Pat was a passionate, spiritual man who inspired thousands of people even before he became sick. While Pat is gone, his mantra of “Go MAD”- Go Make a Difference, will live on.
Andy Soma, Lake Superior State
Andy Soma, after completing his fifth season with the Lake Superior State (LSSU) men’s basketball program, became the program’s career record holder in games played with 139, including a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2024 and a Midwest Regional Championship and NCAA DII Elite Eight appearance in 2025. On the court, Soma was well known by his peers for his defensive tenacity, almost always matching up against his opponent’s top guard. Academically, he continued to excel off the court, earning a double major as well as the top ranking among all graduating math majors at LSSU.
Soma has also been recognized by the GLIAC as a member of the GLIAC Academic Excellence Team three times, and he is currently qualified to be recognized a fourth time with a GPA of 3.79. He was also named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team as well.
Beyond his own success, he has continued to make a difference throughout his career, devoting countless hours tutoring fellow students on campus, including providing tutoring service and support to LSSU STEP UP Program students in the Michigan State Prison System, demonstrating his commitment to academic leadership and peer development.
The Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship will assist Soma in his future endeavors as he takes the next step in his education at North Carolina State University.
Grace Hoeppner, Michigan Tech
Michigan Tech soccer defender Grace Hoeppner has been named the 2024-25 Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient, the GLIAC office announced Friday. This is the second consecutive year a member of the soccer program has earned the Postgraduate Scholarship Award as Gracie VanLangevelde won it a season ago.
The honor, which awards each recipient, one male and one female, $5,000 in aid to the graduate school of their choice, is voted on by the Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) of the GLIAC member institutions.
Hoeppner, a native of Burnsville, Minnesota, appeared in 53 games over three seasons as a defender for the Huskies making 39 starts. The captain started 20 games in the 2023 campaign which saw Michigan Tech make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014, scoring her first career goal and adding three assists. She followed that season up with 17 starts and a season-high 21 shots in the 2024 season, once again reaching three assists for the year.
Her success extends past the soccer field as Hoeppner is also a member of the National SAAC Committee, representing both the GLIAC and Michigan Tech. Academically, she is a two-time GLIAC Academic Excellence team member pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering
