BY DAN STICKRADT
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST | WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR | DIRECTOR OF NEWS
PH: (248) 884-1051
TW/X: @msn_stickradt @LocalSportsFans @MiSoccerNetwork
HUDSONVILLE, Mich. – Kendall Aikens achieved more in four years of high school soccer than what most players dream of during their lives and that stellar prep career reached yet another summit Thursday night.
But even the talented soccer player from western Michigan was a bit surprised when she heard some exciting news Thursday – twice.
Earlier in the day she was told by a friend that she had earned Michigan Gatorade High School Girls Soccer Player of the Year over a deep lists of finalists. On campus of Grand Valley State University – her new home for academics and women’s soccer – she tuned in to watch the 2024 Dream Team Reveal on the Michigan Soccer Network’s YouTube channel, an event that she could not attend.
A Miss Soccer candidate both as a junior and senior, Aikens was named the 41st recipient of the 2024 Miss Soccer award Thursday night at the end of the Dream Team Reveal Show in conjunction with the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association, which voted her as the state’s top player in the state. The honor dates back to 1983.
“I am so honored to win that award,” said the near-speechless Aikens, who recently graduated from Hudsonville High School where she and her team enjoyed four tremendous seasons. “To even be considered for that award is amazing.”
The annual award show live on MSN’s YouTube channel honored Miss Soccer, the 11-member All-State Dream Team and the Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in each of the state’s four MHSAA divisions.
Aikens’ body of work this season and in her fine four-year varsity career says it all.
She was a key part of the Hudsonville best four-year run in school history where the Eagles were a mainstay in the top 15 state rankings in Division 1 for four consecutive seasons. The 5-foot-10 attacking midfielder, who carries a 4.06 GPA, helped Hudsonville to a 14-2-2 record this season and a noteworthy 66-7-10 overall record over four years despite playing a high-level schedule.
“We really did have a great (run),” said Aikens, who was a key player on a team that again lost only a combined seven games over four years and spent most of that period ranked in the top five in the state in Division 1. “We got to the state finals my junior year and we really wanted to get back there (this year) but we just had an off game in the district finals (against Caledonia). We came up short. But I don’t think that takes away what we were able to do. I had a lot of very close friends on my team and we had some great chemistry and we created an amazing bond.”
Hudsonville outscored the opposition 60-13 this season with 10 shutouts and outscored the opposition 258-37 with 55 shutouts during Aikens’ career. The Michigan Rangers club standout was a prized recruit for NCAA Division II national powerhouse Grand Valley State University after being courted by numerous NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III programs. She had 17 goals and six assists as a senior for a team that was ranked No. 1 all season before falling in the Division 1 district finals to Caledonia (2-1) in a shootout despite a 23-1 shots advantage.
Aikens finished her prep career with 62 goals and 34 assists and this week was also named the aforementioned Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year.
“I don’t think Hudsonville has ever had a player of the year, at least not in soccer,” said Holly Van Noord, who has been the Eagles’ head coach for the last seven seasons. “There may have been one in something like softball or baseball, but I can’t recollect that happening.”
VanNoord knew she had a special player in Aikens when she walked into Hudsonville in the fall of 2020.
“She was young and played behind some really good players, but the things she did with the ball, her vision and her abilities overall I knew she was going to be good,” said VanNoord. “Now she’s been named Miss Soccer – how exciting. She’s earned it.”
Aikens is also an accomplished player on the club circuit playing for the Rangers (formerly Michigan Fire Juniors) and is also a member for several years on the Michigan, Midwest regional and National Olympic Developmental Program in her age group since her middle school days.
Aikens grew up in Hudsonville and tried out for a select team with the Michigan Rangers at age 10 before growing into one fine player she is today.
Aikens committed to Grand Valley State University during the winter of her junior year. Although she did get some attention from other NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III programs, she had been in love with GVSU’s program for many years. Aikens had spoken to NCAA Division I schools Eastern Kentucky and Missouri State as well heard from some others over the years, but there was little doubt in her mind about where she wanted to play collegiately.
“Grand Valley is really in my own back yard,” laughed Aikens. “It’s really only 10, 15 minutes away (to the northwest). I’ve been going to watch games there for years. I love the coaches and I love the campus. I knew that is where I wanted to play a long time ago. I wasn’t recruited by a ton of (Division I) schools maybe because I didn’t play ECNL. But that’s okay. I really wanted to go to GVSU for as long as I can remember.”
Not before a stellar career at Hudsonville.
Playing behind a core of talented upperclassmen as a freshmen, Aikens only earned only All-District Honorable Mention accolades as a ninth-grader prospect. By the time she was a sophomore, Aikens developed into a rising star on the pitch and impressed coaches near and far.
Aikens earned first-team All-Ottawa Kent Conference-Red Division, All-District, All-Region and All-Area her sophomore season in 2022, where she also earned Division 1 All-State Third Team honors.
Aikens continued to climb the charts as a junior, and added All-State First Team and All-State Dream Team honors that season – becoming the first Dream Team soccer player in Hudsonville history.
As a senior, Aikens was one of the most talked about players on the high school circuit before and during the prep season and she helped Hudsonville remain at the top of the rankings all season until being upset in the district finals.
“That was hard, but it just wasn’t meant to be,” she said.
Aikens led Hudsonville to three conference championships and one league runner-up in the Ottawa Kent Conference-Red Division where the Eagles were an incredible 42-1-5 over four seasons with the sole loss being a shootout defeat to Grand Haven (1-0) in this year’s OKC-Red tournament semifinals. Aikens’ Eagles also won three districts, one regional, had one Final Four appearance, and finished as the Division 1 state runner-up in 2023. Her teams also reached at least the district finals all four years.
Now, Aikens is on campus at GVSU just a few miles from her home and set to begin a new chapter of her soccer career. But no matter what happens, she will always have a Miss Soccer title next to her name.
“Thinking about all of the great players that earned this ward in the past – it’s really amazing,” added Aikens.
“Now I have new goals,” she said. “Now the goal is to keeping playing into December.”
December. That’s when the NCAA holds its Division I, Division II and Division III National Final Four each year at various locations. Perhaps Miss Soccer Kendall Aikens will play there in the future.
ALL-TIME MICHIGAN MISS SOCCER WINNERS
Below is a list of the Michigan Miss Soccer winners, as presented by the Michigan High School Coaches Association each year to the top-ranked high school soccer player. The award debuted back in 1983. Based on research, MSN is still trying to fill in the Miss Soccer winners from 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988.
An asterisk * denotes a co-Miss Soccer Winner; a double ** asterisk denotes player was a non-senior when they earned award.
2024: Kendall Aikens, Hudsonville M
2023: Lillie Bosley, Rochester Stoney Creek M/F/D
2022: Lillie Bosley, Rochester Stoney Creek M/F **
2021: Madison Salzenstein, Birmingham-Detroit Country Day M
2020: No Winner, Season Cancelled
2019: Jesse Bandyk, Novi F
2018: Zoe Gaffney, Birmingham Seaholm M/F
2017: Danielle Stephan, DeWitt F/M
2016: Sydney Blitchok, Grandville M
2015: Taylor Mulder, Saline F
2014: Megan Buckingham, Northville M/F
2013: Madi Lewis, Plymouth F
2012: Irene Young, Troy F
2011: Olivia Brannon, Troy Athens F
2010: Annie Steinlage Spring Lake F
2009: Paige Wester, Portage Central F
2008: Laura Heyboer, Hudsonville Unity Christian F
2007: Laura Heyboer, Hudsonville Unity Christian F **
2006: Emily Esbrook, Novi F
2005: Kristi Timar, Novi F
2004: Megan Garrity, Birmingham Marian M
2003: Megan Pimpkins, Holt M
2002: Lindsay Tarpley, Portage Central F
2001: Anne Morrell, Plymouth Canton F
2000: Tiffany Laskowski, Troy Athens F*
Anne Morrell, Plymouth Canton F*
1999: Andrea Sied, Livonia Stevenson D**
1998: Allison Campbell, Livonia Stevenson F
1997: Sara Kloosterman, Farmington Harrison G
1996: Amber Berendowsky, Brighton F
1995: Heather Brown-Charron, Birmingham Seaholm M
1994: Carrie Povalaitis, Troy D
1993: Stephanie Lusiner, Troy Athens M/F**
1992: Kara Nance, Rochester Adams M**
1991: Ragen Coyne, Livonia Stevenson M
1990: Carrie Maier, Farmington F
1989: Jenny Russell, Birmingham-Detroit Country Day M
1988:
1987:
1986: Cindy Wass, Troy Athens M/F
1985:
1984:
1983:
SCHOOLS WITH THE MOST MISS SOCCER WINNERS
(This list is missing five winners from the 1980s)
4 – Troy Athens
3 – Novi
3 – Livonia Stevenson
2 – Plymouth Canton
2 – Portage Central
2 – Birmingham Detroit Country Day
2 – Rochester Stoney Creek
2 – Troy
1 – 17 schools tied with one winner apiece.
Email updates to Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com, or call 248-884-1051. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com.)
To update, email Dan Stickradt at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com or text
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer of teams or players with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com, or call 248-884-1051. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com.)
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