REPORT FOR MAY 22, 2001
TRACK AND FIELD TEAMS TO SEND 20 TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Calvin men's and women's track and field teams will send a combined 20 athletes to the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week. The Calvin men will send 10 individuals as will the Calvin women. The national meet will be hosted by Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois with the first day of competition slated for Thursday, May 24. The final day of competition will be held on Saturday, May 26.
A year ago, the Calvin women finished fifth as a team with 30 points while the Calvin men finished 9th with 28.5 points.
Following is a list of Calvin's qualifiers with biographical information:
Calvin's 2001 National Meet Track Teams
Calvin men
CAMERON BARON--A native of Lake Stevens, Washington (Lake Stevens High School) who is a sophomore, Baron will compete in the high jump and will be making his first appearance at nationals. Baron was a member of the All-MIAA track and field team this spring. He is seeded 18th with a jump of 6-9.
DEREK KLEINHEKSEL--A native of Hamilton (Hamilton High School) who is a junior, Kleinheksel will compete in the high jump and will be making his third appearance at nationals. A year ago, Kleinheksel earned All-America honors in the high jump for the second straight year as he finished fifth with a leap of 6-8 3/4. As a sophomore, he placed seventh at the national meet, joining Dan Owen as the only two All-American high jumpers in Calvin men's track and field history. Kleinheksel was named to the All-MIAA track and field team for a second straight time this spring after winning the high jump at the league championships for the third consecutive year. Kleinheksel is seeded 4th with his mark of 6-9 1/2.
MARK DeWEERD--A native of Hudsonville (Unity Christian High School) who is a senior, DeWeerd will compete in the pole vault and will be making his third appearance at nationals. A year ago, DeWeerd finished 10th at nationals. As a sophomore, DeWeerd finished eighth at nationals to earn All-America honors as he joined Rick Lubbers as the only two pole vault All-Americans in Calvin track and field history. DeWeerd repeated as MIAA champion in the pole vault for a fourth straight year this spring to earn a spot on the All-MIAA track and field for a fourth straight season. DeWeerd is seeded fifth with a mark of 16-4.
PHIL SIKKENGA--A native of Wheaton, Illinois (Timothy Christian High School) who is a senior, Sikkenga will compete in the 200 meters, 400 meters and in the 4 X 400 meter relay. He is making his fourth trip to the NCAA III Track and Field Championships. Sikkenga is seeded fifth in the 400 meters (47.63)) and 8th in the 200 meters (21.38) while Calvin's 4 X 400 meter relay is seeded fifth (3:13.35). A year ago, Sikkenga was a three-time All-American as he finished third in the 110 high hurdles and in the 200 meters while anchoring Calvin's 4 x 400 meter relay team to a second pace finish in a school record time of 3:09.53. As a sophomore in 1999, he finished fourth in the 110 high hurdles to become Calvin's first All-American in the event. Sikkenga was an All-MIAA honoree this spring for a fourth straight year and was named the MIAA's MVP for a third straight season after winning the 100 meters, 110 high hurdles and 200 meter dash at the league meet. Sikkenga captured his fourth consecutive MIAA title in both the 110 high hurdles and in the 200 meters, becoming the first athlete in MIAA history to win two events at the league championships four straight years.
PAUL PETERSEN--A senior from Crawfordsville, Indiana (Southmont High School), Petersen will compete in the 10,000 meters for the second straight year and also compete in the 5,000 meters for the first time. This is Petersen's second trip to the NCAA III Track and Field Championships as he finished 10th in the 10,000 last year. Petersen was a member of the All-MIAA track and field team for the second time this spring after winning the 1,500 meters. An All-American in cross country this past fall, Petersen is seeded sixth in the 10,000 with a time of 30:45.90 and seeded 14th in the 5,000 with a time of 14:48.04.
DAVID RITSEMA-A junior from Denver, Colorado (Denver Christian High School), Ritsema will compete in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and will be making his first trip to the national meet. Ritsema earned a spot on the All-MIAA track and field team this spring after winning the 3,000 meter steeplechase with an MIAA record time of 9:26.01. He is seeded 13th with a time of 9:17.29.
ERIC HANSEN--A senior from Big Rapids (Big Rapids High School), Hansen will compete in the 4 X 400 meter relay for the fourth consecutive year. A year ago, Hansen helped Calvin's 4 X 400 meter relay team earn All-America honors with a second place finish in a school record time of 3:09.53 at nationals. As a sophomore, he was part of Calvin's 4 x 400 meter relay team that took third with a time of 3:10.75 at the national meet.
STEVE ABBRING--A sophomore from Highland, Indiana (Illiana Christian Christian High School), Abbring will compete in the 4 X 400 meter relay. Abbring is making his second appearance at nationals as he was a part of Calvin's national runner-up 4 x 400 meter relay team last year.
KEITH VAN GOOR--A native of Midland Park, New Jersey (Midland Park High School) who is a junior, Van Goor will compete in the 4 X 400 meter relay and in the 400 meters. He is making his third trip to the NCAA III Track and Field Championships. As a freshman, he was part of Calvin's relay team that took third and was then a member of Calvin's national runner-up squad last year as a sophomore.
JUSTIN MOMANY-PFRUENDER--A junior from Midland (Midland High School), Momany-Pfruender is making his second appearance at nationals. He will compete in the 5,000 meters where he is seeded 15th with a time of 14:51.07. Momany-Pfruender was an All-MIAA track and field selection for the second time this spring. Momany-Pfruender was an All-American in cross country this past fall as he finished 14th at the NCAA III Championships.
Calvin women
LINDSAY CARRIER-A native of Wyoming (Tri-unity Christian High School) who is a junior, Carrier will compete in the 10,000 meter run and in the 5,000 meter run. A member of Calvin's national championship women's cross country teams in 1998 and 1999, Carrier will be making her first appearance at the NCAA III Track and Field Championships. Carrier earned a spot on the All-MIAA track and field team this year as she captured the 10,000 meter crown with an MIAA record time of 37:09.45. Carrier is seeded 17th in the 5,000 (17:43.37) and 13th in the 10,000 (37:09.45).
LINDSAY MULDER--A senior from Wyoming (Calvin Christian High School), Mulder will compete in the long jump, 400 meters and in the 4 x 400 meter relay and 4 x 100 meter relay. She is seeded 10th in the 400 meters (56.54) and 4th in the long jump (19-3 ½). Calvin's 4 x 400 meter relay team is the top seed in the field (3:46.64 while its 4 x 100 meter relay team is seeded fourth (47.30). Mulder is making her third trip to nationals. A year ago, she finished fourth in the long jump and ran a leg on Calvin's national championship 4 X 400 meter relay team. She is seeded fiffh in the long jump (18-11 ¾) while the 4 x 400 meter relay team is seeded first (3:47.06). Mulder was named to the All-MIAA track and field team for the third consecutive year this spring after winning the long jump, 100 meters and 200 meters at the conference championships. Mulder established new MIAA records in the 100 and 200 meters with respective times of 12.29 and 24.83. She was then named the MIAA's Most Outfield Field Performer for her efforts in the long jump.
ANDREA RIP-A senior from Bothell, Washington (Bellevue Christian High School), Rip will compete in the javelin and is making her second appearance at nationals. Rip is seeded 9th in the javelin (137-2). A year ago, Rip finished 13th at the NCAA III Championships. She was named to the All-MIAA track and field team for the second time this year as she captured first place in the javelin at the league meet.
RACHEL VELTKAMP--A junior from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian High School), Veltkamp will compete in the pole vault and in the 4 x 100 meter relay. This is her third trip to nationals as she competed in the 400 meter relay and in the long jump in 1999 and competed in the pole vault in 2000 where she finished ninth in the event. She is the top seed in the pole vault with a mark of 12-6 established at the Len Paddock Invitational May 11. Veltkamp also earned a spot on the All-MIAA track and field team for the third consecutive year this spring as she took first place in the pole vault at the league championships with an MIAA record height of 11-6.
MEGAN PIERCE--A senior from Fort Wayne, Indiana (Concordia Lutheran High School), Pierce will compete in the 400 meter run and run the anchor leg on Calvin's 4 x 100 and 4 X 400 meter relay teams. She is making her fourth straight appearance at nationals. Her time of 54.15 at the Hillsdale Relays this year is the fastest time run this spring in Division III. She is the two-time defending national champion in the 400 meters and a three-time All-American in the event. She won the 400 meter national championship last year with a time of 53.97 which ranks as the second fastest time in the history of Division III women's track and field. Pierce was the MIAA champ in 400 meters for the fourth time this year, becoming the first four-time MIAA champion in the 400 meters in women's track and field. She then earned a spot on the All-MIAA track and field team for a fourth straight year and was named MIAA MVP for a third straight year. Calvin's 4 X 400 meter relay team is also seeded first as Pierce anchored the relay to a school record time of 3:47.06 last weekend at a last-chance meet hosted by North Central.
SARA VELTKAMP--A senior from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian High School), Veltkamp is making her fourth straight trip to nationals. She will compete in the 400 meters and in the 4 X 400 meter relay which has the fastest time in Division III this spring. She will be competing in her first-ever individual event at nationals when she competes in the 400 meters where she is seeded third with a time of 56.09 established last weekend at the North Central Invitational. As a freshman, Veltkamp earned All-America honors with Calvin's 4 X 400 meter relay team as it finished sixth at nationals. She then ran the second leg on Calvin's national championship 4 X 400 relay teams in 1999 and in 2000. Veltkamp also earned a spot on the All-MIAA track and field team for the fourth consecutive year this spring.
MINDY WORST--A junior from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian High School), Worst is making her second trip to nationals. She will compete in the top-seeded 4 X 400 meter relay. Worst finished second in the 400 meters and third in the 200 meters at the MIAA Championships while also running a leg on Calvin's 4 x 400 meter relay team that took first with an MIAA record time of 3:50.63. Her efforts landed her a spot on the All-MIAA team for the second straight year. She recently clocked in with a personal-best time of 57.71 in the 400 meters at a last-chance meet hosted by North Central last week. Worst is expected to run Calvin's lead-off leg in the 4 X 400 meter relay this weekend.
JESSIE LAIR-A freshman from West Bloomfield (Southfield Christian High School), Lair is making her first trip to nationals. She will compete in the 10,000 meters where she is seeded 17th with a time of 37:12.92. Lair took first place in the 5,000 meters at the MIAA Championships this spring and earned a spot on the All-MIAA team.
DANA HAAN-A freshman from Lynden, Washington (Lynden Christian High School), Haan is making her first trip to nationals. She will compete in the 4 x 100 meter relay. Haan earned a spot on the All-MIAA track and field team this spring after finishing second in the 200 and 400 meters at the league championships while also running on Calvin's MIAA champion 4 x 100 meter relay team.
ANNIE VANDERLAAN-A sophomore from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian High School), VanderLaan is making her first trip to nationals. She will compete in the two-day heptathlon competition where she is seeded 13th with 4,334 points. VanderLaan earned a spot on the All-MIAA track and field team this spring after winning the 100 meter and 400 meter hurdles while also finishing second in the high jump. In the preliminaries of the 100 meter hurdles, VanderLaan established a new Calvin and MIAA record with a time of 14.96.
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