MICHIGAN GIRLS SOCCER: Ava’s Way: Unity Christian star Lutke about to exit stage left with incredible resume
- Dan Stickradt
- Jun 13
- 6 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
MICHIGAN GIRLS SOCCER: Ava’s Way: Unity Christian star Lutke about to exit stage left with incredible resume
HUDSONVILLE, Mich. – There was a time when Ava Lutke thought about trying to play somewhere in the Elite Clubs National League or Girls Academy system of youth soccer.
As a high-level and nationally ranked soccer player, the ‘thoughts’ never became action.
Lutke, a recent graduate of Hudsonville Unity Christian and a four-year star soccer player at the school, has still put together quite an impressive resume – in both high school and club soccer. And while many of her in-state colleagues often opt-out of prep soccer to travel the country and only play club soccer, she never really gave it too much attention.
“I thought about it a few times, but never really looked into it all that much,” she said. “I was happy playing for Unity Christian and with the Michigan Rangers."
Lutke, a Michigan State University-signee despite not playing in the ECNL or GA is telling of her overall and versatile abilities. And with the NCAA lowering roster spots in a multitude of sports going forward, a new rule which forced MSU to rescind scholarship offers to four would-be signees from the Class of 2025, MSU did not pull its offer from Lutke.
Lutke still remained faithful to her Michigan Rangers club team that competes in various leagues under the US Youth Soccer banner and most recently in the Elite 64. She still performed at an extraordinary high level and is just one of a small handful of recruits in the Class of 2025 ranked in the top 100 nationally and not playing in the aforementioned ECNL and GA ecosystems.
At the high school level, Lutke’s Unity Christian moved up to Division 2 this season enrollment-wise in the MHSAA after competing in Division 3 dating back to the 1990s. That hasn’t slowed Lutke and her teammates down.
The heavy favorite for the 2025 Miss Soccer award, given annually to the state’s top high school soccer player by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association, Lutke’s prep resume is far more than what most players could ever dream of while growing up. She finished second in the Miss Soccer voting last year as a junior to fellow Michigan Rangers player Kendall Aikens of Hudsonville.
Lutke has earned All-Ottawa Kent Conference, All-District, All-Region and All-State First Team each year. She’s been on the All-State Dream Team as a sophomore and junior and is a lock for a spot this year as well.
Even on the club circuit, she has earned a ton of accolades. In 2024, she earned both the Golden Boot and the Tournament MVP for the Michigan Rangers while at the USYS U18/U19 National Championships after racking up wins, goals, game-winning goals and assists in every single game. Oh, and that’s right, her side won their first national championship last July.
She's a really good soccer player, humble, team player and leader who always puts her team first and has an interior drive to help her team win and succeed no matter the circumstances.
“We’ve always had a lot of very good players at our school and I just do whatever it takes to help my team win,” said Lutke. “I love playing for Unity Christian. I really didn’t want to give that up.”
Randy Heethuis, Unity Christian’s head coach since 1990, has had a ton of talent come through his program over 36 years. Lutke ranks near the top of that stellar list that includes one Miss Soccer and several Dream Team players and even some future professional players.
“We’ve had good ones over the years,” said Heethuis. “We’ve had a lot of all-staters and girls that went on to play in college. But what can I say about Ava Lutke. She’s a very talented young lady, a very good student, very humble and we’re happy she decided to stick with us all four years.
“I think Michigan State is getting a very good player this summer,” added Heethuis.
At 5-foot-11 with exceptional speed, field awareness and vision, athletic ability, and the knack for scoring clutch goals or setting the table for teammates’ scoring opportunities, Lutke does it all which is why she was such a highly-sought after player on the recruiting circuit the last few years even though she committed to MSU early in her junior year.
Playing mostly attacking midfielder and forward throughout her high school career, Lutke has also spent some time playing center or outside back in various games for the Michigan Rangers. MSU plans on converting Lutke to play outside marking back in college to take advantage of all of her attributes.
“I started playing some games back there last fall for the Michigan Rangers,” she said. “That’s where MSU thinks I can help them most. It’s a change from where I have been playing most of my life.”
Lutke grew up in Allendale, Mich., about 10-15 miles west of Grand Rapids and northwest of Hudsonville. She attended Allendale Christian School through the eighth grade, a feeder school into Unity Christian, and even grew up playing in Unity’s soccer camps and watching older kids play for the Crusaders.
“I already knew Coach Heethuis. I used to go there all the time (to watch games), especially in middle school and watch them play,” said Lutke. “I knew I wanted to go to school there a long time ago.”
That would be Unity Christian’s gain.
This season Lutke has scored 29 goals with 27 assists to lead her talented 21-0-2 team which is seeking an unbeaten season. The top-ranked Crusaders will play at 4 p.m. June 13 at Michigan State against No. 4 -ranked New Boston Huron at DeMartin Stadium in the Division 2 state finals.
Lutke will get to play her final high school game on her future college field.
She had 27 goals and 19 assists as a freshman, 28 goals and 17 assists as a sophomore and 21 goals and 18 assists as a junior to cement herself into Unity Christian lore as one of the top players to ever play at the school. That doesn’t even include all of the game-winning goals and assists, total points, and performances in the state tournament.
Lutke’s Unity team has not allowed a goal in the postseason since the 2022 state finals, which was a 3-2 loss to Williamston. That’s 17 straight postseason shutouts turned in by unity Christian.
The former volleyball and basketball player, is also one of the more accomplished prep players in a long time to come through Michigan.
Lutke has 105 career goals and 81 career assists entering the state finals.
Teamwise, she’ll play in her fourth state finals, losing her freshman year to Williamston in 2022 before defeating Grosse Ile in both the 2023 and 2024 Division 3 state finals. Her side has also won conference, district and regional titles all four years while compiling a 85-4-6 record, a .895 win percentage, recorded 57 shutouts all while posting a 428-40 scoring edge in that span with Lutke helping lead the charge.
Lutke’s high school career will end with either a win or a loss and she’s okay with that because she has left all she can out on the pitch and has remained faithful to her high school.
“It’s sad that it will be coming to an end,” she said. “It’s been an incredible four years.”
After this weekend, Lutke will rejoin her Michigan Rangers one last time for the USYS Midwest Regionals in Kansas City area. If her team advances to the USYS National Finals next month, she will be unable to attend as she must report to MSU by July 12 to begin training for the 2025 fall collegiate season.
“I am ready and looking forward to playing in college. It’s been a dream of mine for a long time,” said Lutke. “If my club team qualifies for nationals, I won’t be able to go with them. I have requirements at Michigan State. But that’s okay. It's been an incredible time. I wouldn’t change anything.”
Neither would Hudsonville Unity Christian, the Michigan Rangers or the state of Michigan.
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