College Athletic Staff Rating: Ronda Varnesdeel at Davenport University

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Eh

Date: June 16, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

"Not good."

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Davenport Truth

Date: May 26, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Someone should look into an associate athletic director that made money to help coach (wasn’t making enough money already) the jv softball team at Davenport. The jv team had a head coach leave for a full time position in the fall and then Ronda thought it best to make extra money and help the program. It’s clear, she lied to the athletic director and said the team didn’t have anyone else so she was being the hero and stepping in. That’s a complete lie. Davenport is all about spinning their own narrative but usually someone’s pocket is getting greased. The jv program was a complete disaster but shockingly and not so shockingly Ronda pulls the wool over the sheep’s eyes and take zero accountability or responsibility. Which is odd. Seeing she directly influenced every single decision made within the program. Not one thing done for the jv program was done without her direct knowledge, support or even her suggestions. In my opinion the next year for her not making extra softball money seemed to influence more of her bad decision making but in the end she ended up coaching again. This time the varsity program and guess what? She got an even bigger pay day to do that. You can silence the athletes at Davenport. You can scare them, you can manipulate them and it’s sad bc that’s already happened and will continue to happen. Davenport does a great job at deflecting, blaming and rewriting the truth. When they can’t buy you or manipulate you or scare you with threats - they then try and destroy you. This is the truth of the athletic department at DU. One small story that’s created so much hate and unkindness. That could have all been avoided if one person in leadership didn’t have an agenda. Davenport leadership had zero problem with this platform and even used many reviews to dismantle the softball program. It’s interesting they suddenly find fault in it now once actual truths about the school are being revealed. If that’s not a sign of a corrupt system and corrupt people. I don’t know what is. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Rhonda Thinks It’s Normal For Students To Be In Relationships With Full Time Staff

Date: May 16, 2026

By Athlete

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Rhonda covered up a relationship between my teammate (football) and a female facility worker. She still gets paid and does photography for the baseball team. DU allows full time employees to be in relationships with student athletes and that is normalized. The same thing happened in their women’s basketball program. Rhonda covers a lot up but we all know. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Run From This School

Date: May 5, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Should be a national news story that a head coach at this school had a pre existing relationship with an athlete in high school - disgusting- then again at this terrible school. Ronda and HR ALL COVERED THIS UP. And then they rewarded the athlete and coach. How SICK is this school. Then a facility worker dated the star football player - RONDA & Nicole did NOTHING. Truly a disgusting school. No accountability for her favorites or herself ever. If you think this is all wrong and question DU?? They get rid of you. Real great place. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Davenport University Is A Terrible Place

Date: May 4, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"This school is shameful and harmful. Some of the most manipulative and evil people are right here in the west side of Michigan. They force people to sign NDA’s to cover up their crimes. STAY AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL. You’re bound to run into some kind of trouble here and if you’re a half decent person this school will destroy you or worse turn you into how they are. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Ronda Is 100 Percent A Clown Show

Date: May 3, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

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Honest

1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"What you did to the softball program is nauseating. Probably shouldn’t have told people your plan of hiring the rec ball guy years prior to actually doing so. Now we get a guy with two left feet that has intentionally loaded the bases for the GMAC player of the year and the GLIAC freshman of the year??? He do not know ball….. CLEARLYYYYYYY"

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Du Doesn’t Believe In Student Safety

Date: April 30, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"DU is a horrible school where pedos thrive. Ronda allows this behavior and stands up for it. Sickening "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Silence Over Safety At Du

Date: April 22, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

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1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"If Davenport did their job players, coaches, and staff members wouldn’t have to post here. Ronda and Davenport is upset about people sharing their lived experiences here but instead of bringing change, she would rather try to silence voices. All the staff, parents, and athletes want is to attend Davenport without being bullied, threatened to be fired, and scholarship/playing time be threatened for reporting to mandated reporters about inappropriate behaviors and relationships of DU’s coaches. Ronda heard specifically from players and staff members and never investigated a coach who was in an inappropriate relationship for months. Thats not safe. HR knew about it and instead of investigating, tried to remove those that reported and told players they couldn’t talk about it. Ask players, coaches, and those in it and you’ll find more info. Make DU safe so we trust we won’t be retaliated against for reporting unsafe environments to keep the students that attend here safe."

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Du Could Be Made Into A Movie And Would Be A National News Story

Date: April 6, 2026

By Parent

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Just because you’re friends with coaches doesn’t make it right for you to cover up them sleeping and drinking with players on their own teams and other teams. What an absolutely terrible environment behind the scenes. The culture at DU is TOXIC and if you think it’s wrong like anyone would - you’ll be on the hit list next. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

A Lot Being Covered Up At Davenport. Do Your Research

Date: April 4, 2026

By Parent

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Ronda was aware as well as the entire athletic department that a full time facilities working was dating a player on the football team. It’s bizarre this behavior is normalized. It is at Davenport. Do your research before one of your athletes falls victim to disgusting behavior like this. It’s not right. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

What’s Going On At Du?

Date: March 28, 2026

By Parent

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"In a matter of 3 years at Davenport 2 wrestlers died. Not sure why there hasn’t been an investigation into this and Ronda, Paul and athletics. Davenport needs to be looked into. As a wrestling guy this is shameful and disgraceful to be swept under the rug. "

1

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Very Unethical School In My Opinion

Date: March 26, 2026

By Parent

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Not sure why it’s not commented on more but everyone knows Ronda planned on hiring the softball coach years prior to doing it. She bragged about it to me. That’s so wrong in itself. Not sure how these people sleep at night. He’s odd but perfect fit at DU being friends with Ronda. Terrible for those girls to be blindsided."

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Bad School. Bad Reputation. Bad Character

Date: March 23, 2026

By Parent

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Do your research before you go to Davenport. The sports administration at this school is beyond corrupt. Ronda likes to be liked by kids. She sides with everyone that does the wrong things. If you lie, set up your teammate and act a victim, sleep with your coach, steal, get black out drunk, do drugs this school will be perfect for you. Ronda is manipulative and very much toxic. There’s absolutely zero accountability for people that do the behavior listed above. If you’re a good kid that has morals you will either be forced to conform to this behavior or they will bully you out. Seriously, it’s not a joke. Beware of what you’re getting into and how much this toxic school will change your kids life for the worse. "

1

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

A Coach Sleeping With A Player Is Normal Business At Davenport

Date: March 23, 2026

By Athlete

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Let my coach continue coaching while he was sleeping with my teammate. Can’t make this stuff up. Ronda and Burt covered this up - putting us all in harm for literally no reason. They all should be fired. "

1

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Do Your Research Before Going To Du

Date: March 21, 2026

By Parent

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"My daughters play basketball and softball. Living in the Grand Rapids area for over 20 years I will tell you this - RUN AWAY from Davenport Univ. This athletic administration has created a toxic environment of entitlement. Athletes at this school lie and cheat and they are rewarded for it. I wouldn’t recommend this school to my worst enemy. If you want your child to think doing the wrong things makes them a good person, this is the place to send them. You can’t believe or imagine what they let student athletes do. Ronda is the center of this toxicity. Anyone considering sending their child to DU I would really go through and read many of these reviews. Some reviews are childish but many accurately depict the horror of this University. It’s a shame in 2026 athletic admins like this still exist. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Unprofessional, Rude And Boarder Line Incompetent

Date: March 17, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Treated me like garbage working at DU. She’s very odd. Has a gang of buddies that will team up against you. It’s like middle school bullies but in what is supposed to be a professional work setting. In most cases if you’re a male or a female graduate of DU she will treat you alright. Not sure why that should matter. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Basketball Shouldn’t Be Like This

Date: March 15, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Rec ball Ronda. Hip hip Ron fail. Hip hip Ron fail. You should be fired immediately. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Terrible Environment Built For Terrible People

Date: March 14, 2026

By Parent

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

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1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"The entire athletic department should be on the news. Scandal after scandal at DU. Rhonda has abused her power for years. Think anything will happen? No. I urge you to not send your kid here. Looks nice and it’s cool to get the stuff but you will be trading all your morals and soul to keep it. Glad my daughter is done with this place. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Greed Eventually Ruins Everyone. This Is Used As A Weapon At Du

Date: March 14, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"I worked at Davenport for seven years. The athletic administration promotes employees who do very questionable things. If you follow the rules here you will be an outcast. If you are kind and genuinely a nice person you will either be targeted because of this or they will bully you to leave. I’ve watched this happen to so many good people. Why would an athletic administration want to get rid of good people that are good role models for their athletes. Ronda isn’t a good person and moves daily with her OWN agenda. Paul isn’t good either but he plays the dumb card pretty well. If you are a bully, a narcissist, a selfish and self serving person I would say DU would be a great fit for you. Working closely with athletics for 7 years it amazes me academic advisors do not say anything. Many athletes blatantly cheat or just don’t go to class. That’s a norm at Davenport. Then when they get a bad grade their mommy is allowed to call and change it. I always felt that Ronda should not be an athletic director and a teacher at this school. Again, athletes have taken her class for the grade and because they know they could get away with doing nothing. Why is that normal at a school? It is here. Ronda is known to cover up scandals and silence people. That’s her specialty. Someone really should study her. She is a master manipulator. She is known to step in a coach sports and she does this because she gets paid more money to do this. Again, she has her own agenda and does things out of greed of money. It isn’t bc she’s trying to help or make a transition better. I wasn’t going to write on her but I think it’s important people start learning the truth about Davenport University and Ronda. I’ve worked in athletics for 16 years and what is happening here isn’t normal. It’s WRONG. A basketball coach should not be allowed to continue to have a physical relationship with his athlete and have it all be covered up. Their are so many skeletons and stories in the closet at DU. I encourage more people to come forward and share. Nothing will happen and nothing will change but if one person reads this and decides maybe they don’t want their life to be turned upside down coming to DU that would be a win for humanity. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Rec Ball Ronda Will Destroy Your Kids Lives. You Are Warned

Date: March 13, 2026

By Parent

1.0

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Caring

Motivational

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1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Maybe before dropping a bomb on the softball team to add Jv when the program lost all the players that had started for 4-5 years you should have had a conversation. You and the executive AD ruined the lives of so many kids. So easy to sit on your throne and blame coaches and players but it starts at the top. What you did to the program is sickening. My family personally heard Ronda speak negatively about many players on both the jv and varsity teams. She called players names and said both teams SUCK. I’ve personally heard her speak negatively about former coaches and staff. Players that literally graduated from DU. Ronda and the executive AD are both TOXIC. Ronda being involved made everything 50x more TOXIC. And guess what- no blame for Ronda. She got to cash in and make more money. No accountability for Ronda. Nothing. DU IS AN EMBARRASSING SCHOOL. My kid does not SUCK Ronda, you suck. People like Ronda should not be around kids. They use their positions of power to manipulate and humiliate. Rec Ball Ronda needs to be removed. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Not A Good Place For Impressionable Kids

Date: March 12, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Zero star person. Would not recommend this school or athletic administration. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Davenport Is A School Of Narcissism, Favoritism, And Unethical Behavior

Date: March 11, 2026

By Other

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

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Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"They told my husband to move on and get over it when he was WRONGFULLY fired. Fired for giving his ALL, GIVING HIS HEART AND SOUL TO THIS SCHOOL. Move on was the mantra given and followed by all the sheep. Ronda and Paul Lowden both deserve to be sued into oblivion. I’ve heard from many coaches former and present and the real favorites start with Ronda and Paul. They favor their friends and protect their characters at all costs but everyone else is disposable. Sad thing is the ones being protected are the ones doing ALL THE BAD STUFF. I still can’t wrap my hand around how backwards and insane this school is and how quickly they can rally their troops to just move on bc hey it didn’t hurt their entire lives and reputation. It didn’t take food out of their kids mouths. They don’t have to worry about finding another job with a damaged reputation for doing NOTHING wrong. In some instances they have given players jobs to shut up and abide. I honestly can’t believe it’s 2026 and schools like Davenport exist being run by criminal masterminds. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

My Experiences As A Davenport Parent

Date: March 11, 2026

By Parent

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Davenport is a terrible school. Do your research. Academic fraud committed by athletes daily. Athletes sleeping with their coaches. Athletes drinking with their coaches. All covered up by yours truly. This school silences athletes that speak out against their favorite coaches. Where’s all the investigations that should be done with the baseball, women’s and men’s basketball, wrestling, volleyball, football, stunt. The wrestling team has had multiple people die, the volleyball coach partied with her players and got promoted. The basketball programs are both terrible programs. So very unethical it’s disgusting. My daughter was silenced when she spoke of her basketball coach sleeping with her teammates. SILENCED. All Is fine and well though with Ronda and no show Paul. Both terrible people that cover up their friend’s activities. The NCAA should close this school down. The amount of fraud and violations occurring here is outrageous and yet all these terrible people keep their high paying jobs and do everything in their power for the school to pay them even more. Where’s the news team when you need them oh wait most of them went to AQ ronda and other corrupt coaches alma matter. A truly disturbing place. Biggest regret of my life is having my daughter go to this school and be fed lies about what is right and what is wrong. Stab people in the back to get ahead. Cover up wrongdoing for your own benefit. Want a higher scholarship? Keep your mouth shut. DU is a prison for the stupid, the heartless, the naive, criminals, the lazy and the not hard working. There’s no standards, ethics or morals at Davenport. The resources given to all these programs are insane. They should win in everything. Yet the people in charge of this hell hole corrupt good kids and make them think accountability is a bad thing, working hard is bad thing, adhering to rules is a bad thing. Sleeping with players is a good thing, drinking with players is a good thing, stealing money is a good things, not doing what is right is a good thing. Truthfully I can’t overly communicate this - DU is ran by TERRIBLE PEOPLE. I’d rather my kid have good values and morals then endless gear and a nice arena. Open your eyes. Don’t DUIT"

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Can’t Threaten People Forever. You Deserve To Be Gone

Date: March 10, 2026

By Athlete

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"A narcissist. A bully. Tried to silence all of my teammates when our coach was in a relationship with our teammate. I regret playing basketball at DU that’s for sure. "

0

Women's Softball

Ronda Varnesdeel

Associate Director of Athletics

Davenport University

NCAA DII • Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | GLIAC

Ronda Is A Joke. It’s A Clown Show

Date: March 8, 2026

By Athlete

1.0

Overall

Caring

Motivational

Knowledgeable

Honest

1.0

Tags

Poor Communication Disorganized Old School Mentality Dedicated To Players Creates A Great Team Culture

"Knew my bball coach was sleeping with our teammate and did absolutely nothing but cover it up. Heard she did the same with the QB and the facilities worker. Joke school "

0

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