Carson Gulker picks up yardage for Ferris State University during a 2025 game against Grand Valley State University. Gulker is transferring to Michigan State University for his final year of college football eligibility after helping lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Division II national championship last month.
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
For the past four seasons, Carson Gulker has played a central role in Ferris State University’s domination of NCAA Division II football, accounting for an eye-popping 73 career touchdowns.
Now, the 2022 Zeeland West High School graduate is exchanging his red-and-gold Bulldog uniform for a green-and-white Spartan jersey.
Gulker announced Jan. 7 that he will play his final season of college football for Michigan State University and its new head coach, Pat Fitzgerald. The decision capped a whirlwind 48-hour period that began when he informed his coach at Ferris, Tony Annese, of his decision to enter the transfer portal – a decision he said did not come easily for him.
“Seven days ago, I probably would have told you I’m not even going to mess with (the portal),” Gulker said in an interview with the Zeeland Record on Jan. 8, one day after committing to MSU. “After thinking about it, talking about it, praying about it, it was one of those things I felt I had to do for myself. Talking to Coach Annese was very difficult, and leaving Ferris State was very difficult. It’s hard to leave a place you absolutely love.”
At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Gulker’s ability to play multiple positions attracted attention from some Division I programs. Within hours, he was contacted by “upwards of 20” schools, including MSU, LSU, Texas Tech, Duke, West Virginia and Liberty.
“I was the phone from the very minute I woke up (the next day) until I left to go visit Michigan State that night,” Gulker said.
Gulker got a call the morning of Jan. 6 from MSU tight ends coach Brian Wozniak. Not long after, he spoke to offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan. Between 2 and 3 p.m. that afternoon, Wozniak called Gulker back and invited him to come to campus for a visit that night.
Gulker and his parents hopped into the car and drove 90 miles to East Lansing, arriving at 6:30 p.m. to meet and have dinner with the MSU coaching staff.
The next morning, Gulker met with Fitzgerald. As Gulker entered the new coach’s office, Fitzgerald was speaking to someone who wanted to talk to Gulker – Holland Christian High School graduate, former MSU quarterback and current Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins.
“He had a lot of really cool things to say, a lot of perspective, coming from the same area as me,” Gulker said of his conversation with Cousins, who graduated from MSU in 2012 and recently completed his 14th NFL season.
Gulker’s versatility has attracted attention from pro scouts as well. Jeff Risdon, a Zeeland-area resident who covers the NFL for a variety of outlets, draws a comparison between Gulker and Taysom Hill of the New Orleans Saints, who just finished his ninth NFL season as a multi-position player – running back, tight end and quarterback.
“(Gulker) will be on NFL Draft watchlists next year no matter where he winds up,” Risdon tweeted on his X account last week, shortly before Gulker decided he would attend MSU.
Gulker called the comparisons with Hill “pretty sweet.”
“To me, that just says they think I’m a football player (regardless of position),” he said. “Taysom Hill can do it all. I’ve been watching him for years. I’ve had him on my fantasy teams in past years, so to get that comparison is pretty unique and special.”
This past season, Gulker saw action at running back, tight end, H-back and quarterback for the Bulldogs as they rolled over 16 consecutive opponents in winning their fourth national championship in five years.
After not having caught a pass in his first three seasons at Ferris, Gulker emerged as a favorite pass-catching target for the Bulldogs in 2025, hauling in 34 receptions, second-most on the team, for 548 yards (16.1-yard average) and seven touchdowns. He grabbed a season-high six receptions for 85 yards Oct. 25 in a 38-31 win over archrival Grand Valley State.
As a rusher, Gulker averaged 6.7 yards per carry, rushing for 541 yards on 81 carries and scoring five touchdowns. Twice during Ferris’ playoff run, he rushed for at least 100 yards in a game - 100 yards on 15 carries in an opening-round win over Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Northwood Nov. 22, then 115 yards on 17 carries Dec. 13 in a semifinal victory over Newberry (S.C.).
And on occasion, Gulker threw the ball, too. He completed 8 of 15 passes for 141 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown pass in the romp over Newberry.
And this was all during a bounce-back year for Gulker, after he missed nearly the entire 2024 season when he broke his fibula and tibia in a game against Lake Erie. He was a first-team All-GLIAC selection as an H-back and was named second-team All-Region by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association.
For his career, Gulker rushed for 2,228 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and scoring 50 touchdowns on the ground. He also completed 61 percent of his pass attempts (107 of 176) for 1,591 yards and 16 touchdowns, throwing only four interceptions.
Gulker graduated cum laude from Ferris State in December 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the school’s College of Business. He has enrolled at MSU for this semester and is getting ready for the Spartans’ spring football workouts.
Zeeland Record
For the past four seasons, Carson Gulker has played a central role in Ferris State University’s domination of NCAA Division II football, accounting for an eye-popping 73 career touchdowns.
Now, the 2022 Zeeland West High School graduate is exchanging his red-and-gold Bulldog uniform for a green-and-white Spartan jersey.
Gulker announced Jan. 7 that he will play his final season of college football for Michigan State University and its new head coach, Pat Fitzgerald. The decision capped a whirlwind 48-hour period that began when he informed his coach at Ferris, Tony Annese, of his decision to enter the transfer portal – a decision he said did not come easily for him.
“Seven days ago, I probably would have told you I’m not even going to mess with (the portal),” Gulker said in an interview with the Zeeland Record on Jan. 8, one day after committing to MSU. “After thinking about it, talking about it, praying about it, it was one of those things I felt I had to do for myself. Talking to Coach Annese was very difficult, and leaving Ferris State was very difficult. It’s hard to leave a place you absolutely love.”
At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Gulker’s ability to play multiple positions attracted attention from some Division I programs. Within hours, he was contacted by “upwards of 20” schools, including MSU, LSU, Texas Tech, Duke, West Virginia and Liberty.
“I was the phone from the very minute I woke up (the next day) until I left to go visit Michigan State that night,” Gulker said.
Gulker got a call the morning of Jan. 6 from MSU tight ends coach Brian Wozniak. Not long after, he spoke to offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan. Between 2 and 3 p.m. that afternoon, Wozniak called Gulker back and invited him to come to campus for a visit that night.
Gulker and his parents hopped into the car and drove 90 miles to East Lansing, arriving at 6:30 p.m. to meet and have dinner with the MSU coaching staff.
The next morning, Gulker met with Fitzgerald. As Gulker entered the new coach’s office, Fitzgerald was speaking to someone who wanted to talk to Gulker – Holland Christian High School graduate, former MSU quarterback and current Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins.
“He had a lot of really cool things to say, a lot of perspective, coming from the same area as me,” Gulker said of his conversation with Cousins, who graduated from MSU in 2012 and recently completed his 14th NFL season.
Gulker’s versatility has attracted attention from pro scouts as well. Jeff Risdon, a Zeeland-area resident who covers the NFL for a variety of outlets, draws a comparison between Gulker and Taysom Hill of the New Orleans Saints, who just finished his ninth NFL season as a multi-position player – running back, tight end and quarterback.
“(Gulker) will be on NFL Draft watchlists next year no matter where he winds up,” Risdon tweeted on his X account last week, shortly before Gulker decided he would attend MSU.
Gulker called the comparisons with Hill “pretty sweet.”
“To me, that just says they think I’m a football player (regardless of position),” he said. “Taysom Hill can do it all. I’ve been watching him for years. I’ve had him on my fantasy teams in past years, so to get that comparison is pretty unique and special.”
This past season, Gulker saw action at running back, tight end, H-back and quarterback for the Bulldogs as they rolled over 16 consecutive opponents in winning their fourth national championship in five years.
After not having caught a pass in his first three seasons at Ferris, Gulker emerged as a favorite pass-catching target for the Bulldogs in 2025, hauling in 34 receptions, second-most on the team, for 548 yards (16.1-yard average) and seven touchdowns. He grabbed a season-high six receptions for 85 yards Oct. 25 in a 38-31 win over archrival Grand Valley State.
As a rusher, Gulker averaged 6.7 yards per carry, rushing for 541 yards on 81 carries and scoring five touchdowns. Twice during Ferris’ playoff run, he rushed for at least 100 yards in a game - 100 yards on 15 carries in an opening-round win over Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Northwood Nov. 22, then 115 yards on 17 carries Dec. 13 in a semifinal victory over Newberry (S.C.).
And on occasion, Gulker threw the ball, too. He completed 8 of 15 passes for 141 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown pass in the romp over Newberry.
And this was all during a bounce-back year for Gulker, after he missed nearly the entire 2024 season when he broke his fibula and tibia in a game against Lake Erie. He was a first-team All-GLIAC selection as an H-back and was named second-team All-Region by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association.
For his career, Gulker rushed for 2,228 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and scoring 50 touchdowns on the ground. He also completed 61 percent of his pass attempts (107 of 176) for 1,591 yards and 16 touchdowns, throwing only four interceptions.
Gulker graduated cum laude from Ferris State in December 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the school’s College of Business. He has enrolled at MSU for this semester and is getting ready for the Spartans’ spring football workouts.
Dux Overcome Foul Trouble, Stay Unbeaten
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The fast start to the season for the unbeaten Zeeland West varsity girls basketball team continued last Friday as the Dux defeated Zeeland East 38-25 for their seventh straight victory.
The Dux battled through foul trouble all night long, but led from start to finish in improving to 3-0 in O-K Black Conference play. East dropped to 0-2 in the Black and 3-6 overall.
With junior guard Sadie Kragt scoring seven points in the game’s first four minutes, West took an early 9-3 lead. The Dux led 14-9 after one quarter and 20-13 at halftime, despite Kragt sitting on the bench for the last five-and-a-half minutes of the half with three personal fouls.
Kragt picked up where she left off in the second half, scoring West’s first seven points as the Dux took their biggest lead at 27-15 just seconds into the fourth quarter.
A full-court press by East resulted in several turnovers, and the Chix were able to make a quick six-point run, highlighted by a 3-point basket by senior CC Kuras, cutting the West lead to 27-21.
Then, the Dux lost their leading scorer when Kragt fouled out with 5:13 remaining.
Despite the absence of its leader, West was able to stave off East’s comeback, outscoring the Chix 8-1 over the game’s final four minutes.
Kragt led the Dux with 15 points, giving her 63 in West’s last three games. Junior center Bri Kamer added eight points. CC Kuras led the Chix with nine points, while her sister, freshman guard Skyla Kuras, added seven.
On Jan. 6, West pulled out its second overtime victory in four days, defeating Hamilton 40-33.
Once again, the Dux came up with a last-minute basket to force overtime. This time it was junior Sam Koppenol, who scored on a layup with a little more than a minute left in regulation to tie the game at 32-all and send the contest to overtime.
The Dux then held the Hawkeyes to a single point in the extra period, putting up eight points of their own on the board to take the win.
Kragt led West with 20 points while junior Jenna Hendricks added eight.
Meanwhile, East fell to Spring Lake 43-38 in its Black opener. Lily Huizenga led the Chix with 10 points, while Lizzie Risdon, Fenna Gruppen and CC Kuras each added seven.
Zeeland Record
The fast start to the season for the unbeaten Zeeland West varsity girls basketball team continued last Friday as the Dux defeated Zeeland East 38-25 for their seventh straight victory.
The Dux battled through foul trouble all night long, but led from start to finish in improving to 3-0 in O-K Black Conference play. East dropped to 0-2 in the Black and 3-6 overall.
With junior guard Sadie Kragt scoring seven points in the game’s first four minutes, West took an early 9-3 lead. The Dux led 14-9 after one quarter and 20-13 at halftime, despite Kragt sitting on the bench for the last five-and-a-half minutes of the half with three personal fouls.
Kragt picked up where she left off in the second half, scoring West’s first seven points as the Dux took their biggest lead at 27-15 just seconds into the fourth quarter.
A full-court press by East resulted in several turnovers, and the Chix were able to make a quick six-point run, highlighted by a 3-point basket by senior CC Kuras, cutting the West lead to 27-21.
Then, the Dux lost their leading scorer when Kragt fouled out with 5:13 remaining.
Despite the absence of its leader, West was able to stave off East’s comeback, outscoring the Chix 8-1 over the game’s final four minutes.
Kragt led the Dux with 15 points, giving her 63 in West’s last three games. Junior center Bri Kamer added eight points. CC Kuras led the Chix with nine points, while her sister, freshman guard Skyla Kuras, added seven.
On Jan. 6, West pulled out its second overtime victory in four days, defeating Hamilton 40-33.
Once again, the Dux came up with a last-minute basket to force overtime. This time it was junior Sam Koppenol, who scored on a layup with a little more than a minute left in regulation to tie the game at 32-all and send the contest to overtime.
The Dux then held the Hawkeyes to a single point in the extra period, putting up eight points of their own on the board to take the win.
Kragt led West with 20 points while junior Jenna Hendricks added eight.
Meanwhile, East fell to Spring Lake 43-38 in its Black opener. Lily Huizenga led the Chix with 10 points, while Lizzie Risdon, Fenna Gruppen and CC Kuras each added seven.
Down 10 in 3rd, East Boys Rally Nips West
Zeeland East senior Caleb Claerbaut (2) blocks a shot attempt by Zeeland West junior Logan Nash (5) from behind during last Friday’s varsity boys basketball game.
Photo courtesy Geskus Photo
Photo courtesy Geskus Photo
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
For three quarters last Friday night, the Zeeland West varsity boys basketball team controlled the tempo against rival Zeeland East on the Chix home court.
Using a deliberate half-court offense and a suffocating defense that kept the Chix from penetrating to the basket, the Dux built a 10-point lead late in the third quarter.
But suddenly, the momentum swung. A combination of a pressing defense and a flurry of 3-point baskets led to a 15-0 East run that swept the Chix into a five-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. East then held on for dear life at the end, as West missed a last-second shot, and the Chix prevailed, 32-31.
East improved to 2-0 in the O-K Black Conference and 7-2 overall with its sixth straight victory, while West dropped to 0-3 in league play and 5-5 overall.
Despite not being able to score for more than six minutes to start the game, West hung around throughout the first half. East led 5-4 after one quarter.
A pair of baskets by senior Gabe Bouwens, one of them a 3-pointer, gave the Dux a 10-6 lead midway through the second quarter. East responded with six unanswered points, capped off by a hoop by junior Isaiah Boonstra, to go in front 12-10.
Bouwens scored another basket, then fed junior Logan Nash in the lane for a layup in the final seconds of the half, giving the Dux a 15-12 halftime lead.
West threatened to pull away in the third quarter, going on an 8-0 run during a span of more than four minutes. A pair of free throws by sophomore Matthew Wolf capped the run as the Dux opened up their biggest lead at 25-15 with 1:43 to play in the quarter.
But the Chix weren’t done. They were just getting started.
Senior reserve Isaiah Jones nailed a 3-pointer from the corner to start the comeback. Moments later, junior Will Drnek hit another triple, then stole the ball and got fouled at midcourt with 0.9 seconds left, a foul that put East in the bonus. Drnek sank one of two free throws to cut the lead to 25-22 at the end of the quarter.
The Chix rally continued in the fourth quarter. Drnek got a rare open look from the right wing and hit nothing but net on a 3-pointer, putting East ahead 27-25 with 4:12 remaining.
Senior Caleb Claerbaut finished off the 15-0 Chix run with his only basket of the game, a 3-pointer from the left corner, and East led 30-25 with three minutes left.
West battled back. Bouwens hit a contested 3-pointer to pull the Dux within one at 32-31 with 29.1 seconds to play. Then pressure in the backcourt led to a traveling violation on East, giving West one last shot to pull it out.
However, a 3-point try at the buzzer was off the mark, and the Chix held on for the win.
Drnek led East with 13 points, seven of them in that pivotal 15-0 run. Claerbaut led the Chix in rebounding with seven. Bouwens scored 15 to lead West.
Earlier last week, East set a school record for most 3-point baskets in a game, hitting 16 shots from beyond the arc in a 72-56 win over Spring Lake on Jan. 6 to open O-K Black Conference play.
The Chix connected on 10 3-pointers in the first half in building a 40-26 halftime lead, then added six more in the second half. Six different players hit at least one 3-pointer.
Sophomore Isaiah Beckum had the hot hand, hitting 6 of 8 from 3-point land as he scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Junior center Josiah Norman added 16 points, seven boards and five blocked shots. Drnek made three 3-pointers as he tallied 15 points, and added seven assists and six boards.
West, meanwhile, fell to Hamilton on Jan. 6, 56-47. Bouwens led the Dux with 20 points and Jipping added 15.
Zeeland Record
For three quarters last Friday night, the Zeeland West varsity boys basketball team controlled the tempo against rival Zeeland East on the Chix home court.
Using a deliberate half-court offense and a suffocating defense that kept the Chix from penetrating to the basket, the Dux built a 10-point lead late in the third quarter.
But suddenly, the momentum swung. A combination of a pressing defense and a flurry of 3-point baskets led to a 15-0 East run that swept the Chix into a five-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. East then held on for dear life at the end, as West missed a last-second shot, and the Chix prevailed, 32-31.
East improved to 2-0 in the O-K Black Conference and 7-2 overall with its sixth straight victory, while West dropped to 0-3 in league play and 5-5 overall.
Despite not being able to score for more than six minutes to start the game, West hung around throughout the first half. East led 5-4 after one quarter.
A pair of baskets by senior Gabe Bouwens, one of them a 3-pointer, gave the Dux a 10-6 lead midway through the second quarter. East responded with six unanswered points, capped off by a hoop by junior Isaiah Boonstra, to go in front 12-10.
Bouwens scored another basket, then fed junior Logan Nash in the lane for a layup in the final seconds of the half, giving the Dux a 15-12 halftime lead.
West threatened to pull away in the third quarter, going on an 8-0 run during a span of more than four minutes. A pair of free throws by sophomore Matthew Wolf capped the run as the Dux opened up their biggest lead at 25-15 with 1:43 to play in the quarter.
But the Chix weren’t done. They were just getting started.
Senior reserve Isaiah Jones nailed a 3-pointer from the corner to start the comeback. Moments later, junior Will Drnek hit another triple, then stole the ball and got fouled at midcourt with 0.9 seconds left, a foul that put East in the bonus. Drnek sank one of two free throws to cut the lead to 25-22 at the end of the quarter.
The Chix rally continued in the fourth quarter. Drnek got a rare open look from the right wing and hit nothing but net on a 3-pointer, putting East ahead 27-25 with 4:12 remaining.
Senior Caleb Claerbaut finished off the 15-0 Chix run with his only basket of the game, a 3-pointer from the left corner, and East led 30-25 with three minutes left.
West battled back. Bouwens hit a contested 3-pointer to pull the Dux within one at 32-31 with 29.1 seconds to play. Then pressure in the backcourt led to a traveling violation on East, giving West one last shot to pull it out.
However, a 3-point try at the buzzer was off the mark, and the Chix held on for the win.
Drnek led East with 13 points, seven of them in that pivotal 15-0 run. Claerbaut led the Chix in rebounding with seven. Bouwens scored 15 to lead West.
Earlier last week, East set a school record for most 3-point baskets in a game, hitting 16 shots from beyond the arc in a 72-56 win over Spring Lake on Jan. 6 to open O-K Black Conference play.
The Chix connected on 10 3-pointers in the first half in building a 40-26 halftime lead, then added six more in the second half. Six different players hit at least one 3-pointer.
Sophomore Isaiah Beckum had the hot hand, hitting 6 of 8 from 3-point land as he scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Junior center Josiah Norman added 16 points, seven boards and five blocked shots. Drnek made three 3-pointers as he tallied 15 points, and added seven assists and six boards.
West, meanwhile, fell to Hamilton on Jan. 6, 56-47. Bouwens led the Dux with 20 points and Jipping added 15.
East Wrestlers Go 2-3 at Rockford Invite
The Zeeland East wrestling team competed at the Rockford Tournament on Saturday, finishing the day 2-3 against tough competition. The tournament featured strong teams and challenging matchups, and the Chix battled hard throughout the day.
There were several strong individual performances, highlighted by Tanner Hofman going 5-0, Zach Westrate finishing 4-1, and Zeek Ramadhani also going 4-1.
There were several strong individual performances, highlighted by Tanner Hofman going 5-0, Zach Westrate finishing 4-1, and Zeek Ramadhani also going 4-1.
Chavez, Ulberg Perfect for Dux at Horn Invitational
Zeeland West wrestlers Aiden Chavez and Austin Ulberg posted perfect 5-0 records for the Dux on Saturday at the Tim Horn Invitational hosted by Holland High School.
The Dux finished in seventh place at the meet with a 1-4 record, defeating Kalamazoo Central in the seventh-place match 51-21.
Earlier, West battled valiantly in losses to West Ottawa (47-35), Otsego (48-28), Forest Hills Northern (52-27) and Holland (43-33).
Tyson Touch and Damian Calderon posted 4-1 records for the meet. Kye Chayer, Nolan Overway and Lachlan Thoreson went 3-2 for the day.
The Dux finished in seventh place at the meet with a 1-4 record, defeating Kalamazoo Central in the seventh-place match 51-21.
Earlier, West battled valiantly in losses to West Ottawa (47-35), Otsego (48-28), Forest Hills Northern (52-27) and Holland (43-33).
Tyson Touch and Damian Calderon posted 4-1 records for the meet. Kye Chayer, Nolan Overway and Lachlan Thoreson went 3-2 for the day.
