As GovState heads into December, the campus may be slowing down for holidays and final exams, but Athletics is doing the opposite. Several teams are still in full swing through winter break, a few are winding down before the new year, and others are opening their 2025–26 indoor seasons right as students pack up to leave campus.
To help everyone keep track during finals, travel, and the winter break shuffle, here’s what’s ahead for the Jaguars as December rolls into January.
Women’s & Men’s Basketball: Full Holiday Slate
Basketball is the heartbeat of the winter schedule, and both GovState programs are set for a busy stretch that runs straight through December and deep into January.
The women open the month on Dec. 3 at Olivet Nazarene, the final game before most students start shifting into exam mode. From there, both teams hit the road for a doubleheader at Viterbo on Dec. 6, and the women return home for a matchup against IU Columbus on Dec. 9 at the ARC.
After finals week wraps up, basketball picks up again with a steady run of nonconference and CCAC games:
- Dec. 13: WBB at Indiana South Bend, MBB vs Calumet
- Dec. 18–21: Men’s Basketball hosts Bethel and plays in multiple holiday-week matchups
- Dec. 29–31: Both teams return with Midway, Freed-Hardeman, Vermont State Randolph, and Concordia on the schedule
- Jan. 3: Men’s Basketball opens January with a home CCAC matchup vs St. Francis
January brings the transition back into the conference grind. The next stretch includes league games against Trinity Christian, Judson, Indiana Northwest, Saint Xavier, Holy Cross, Olivet Nazarene, St. Ambrose, and more. Students coming back from break will be walking straight into one of the busiest parts of the season, perfect timing to catch a few games before spring classes begin.
Women’s Bowling: A Packed Season Into January
Of all GovState teams, Women’s Bowling has the heaviest winter slate. Their postseason push begins early and doesn’t ease up.
The Jaguars start with the Ebonite Warhawk Open on Dec. 6–7, then head straight into a string of major tournaments as the rest of the campus powers down for the holidays:
- Dec. 18–19: Glen Carlson Invitational
- Dec. 20–21: Collegiate Classic
- Jan. 17–18: Kegel/ISBPA Midwest Collegiate Classic
- Jan. 23: Lynne Jordan Memorial
- Jan. 25: Thomas N. Burris Memorial
Bowling is one of the few teams competing nearly every weekend of the break, meaning even while campus is quiet, the Jaguars will have some of their biggest meets of the year.
Indoor Track & Field: Season Opens as Finals Begin
Both GovState indoor track & field teams launch their seasons during exam week and continue once students are home for break.
Their first appearances come on:
- Dec. 5: GVSU Indoor Season Opener
- Dec. 6: ONU Indoor Opener
After a short pause during the mid-December holiday stretch, both teams return to competition on Jan. 30 at the Olivet Nazarene University Indoor Invitational, right as students settle back onto campus for the spring semester.
Indoor track isn’t as constant through December as basketball or bowling, but they officially begin their season during the busiest academic week of the year and hit full stride as January begins.
December and January are shaping up to be one of the busiest winter calendars GovState has had in recent years. While the rest of campus focuses on final papers, holiday travel, and the upcoming spring semester, GovState athletes will be competing across Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and beyond.