June 12, 2001
Petersen, Sikkenga and DeWeerd Named Verizon Academic All-Americans
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Three members of the Calvin men's track and field team have
been named Verizon Academic All-Americans in the spring at-large college
division. Seniors Phil Sikkenga and Mark DeWeerd have been named second team
Verizon Academic All-Americans while senior Paul Petersen has been named a third
team Verizon Academic All-American.
It marks just the second time in Calvin athletic history that three members of
the same team have received Verizon Academic All-America accolades as the Calvin
softball trio of Melanie Bolt, Shauna Koolhaas and Melanie Harriff achieved the
feat in 1997.
The college division of the Verizon Academic All-America program includes NCAA
II, NCAA III and NAIA schools. The Verizon Academic All-District and
All-America teams are selected by the College Sports Information Director's
Association of America (CoSIDA). To be eligible for nomination by an
institution's sports information director, a player must be a starter or a key
reserve with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20. The men's spring at-large
division includes the sports of lacrosse, indoor/outdoor track and field, golf,
tennis and volleyball.
During their four-year collegiate careers, Sikkenga, DeWeerd and Petersen helped
lead Calvin to four consecutive MIAA titles including an unblemished MIAA dual
meet record of 22-0. The trio also helped lead the Knights to back-to-back
top-10 national finishes as the Knights finished sixth at the 2000 NCAA III
Championships and fifth this spring.
Sikkenga is receiving Verizon Academic All-America accolades for the third
straight year in track and field as he was named to the third team in 1999 and
2000. A native of Wheaton, Illinois and a graduate of Timothy Christian High
School, Sikkenga recently completed his Calvin career as a six-time track and
field All-American, a four-time member of the All-MIAA track and field team and
a three-time MIAA MVP. He owns Calvin records in the 100 meters, 110 high
hurdles, 200 meters and 400 meters as well as MIAA records in the 110 high
hurdles and 200 meters. During his career, Sikkenga was a 12-time MIAA champion
in individual events. This spring, he captured MIAA titles in the 110 high
hurdles and 200 meters for the fourth straight season while also winning the 100
meter title for a third straight year. Sikkenga is the only athlete in MIAA
history to win two events four straight years at the MIAA Track and Field
Championships.
At the NCAA III Championships this past May, Sikkenga earned All-America honors
in the 400 meters and in the 4 x 400 meter relay as he took third in the 400
meters and anchored Calvin's 4 x 400 meter relay team to a second place finish.
During the 400 meter prelims, Sikkenga shattered his own school record in the
event, clocking in with a time of 47.46.
A business administration major, Sikkenga was graduated from Calvin with a 3.60
grade point average. An annual member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, Sikkenga
has served in the Grand Rapids Junior Achievement program. He was also named
the recipient of the Bere' Memorial Award, given to the top senior male
student-athlete at Calvin College.
DeWeerd is receiving Verizon Academic All-America honors for the second straight
year after being named to the third team last year.. A native of Hudsonville
and a graduate of Unity Christian High School, DeWeerd wrapped up his career as
a two-time track and field All-American and a four-time member of the All-MIAA
track and field team. At the NCAA III Championships this spring, DeWeerd was
an All-American with a sixth place finish of 15-7 in the pole vault. As a
sophomore in 1999, DeWeerd earned All-America honors for the first time in his
career as he placed eighth at the national meet. This spring, he captured the
league title in the pole vault for the fourth consecutive year. He also took
third in the 200 meters at the MIAA Championships and ran a leg on Calvin's 4 x
400 meter relay team that took second.
A secondary education major with an emphasis in history and physical education,
DeWeerd was recently graduated from Calvin with a 3.85 grade point average.
Also an annual member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, DeWeerd has served as a
volunteer coach with the Grand Rapids Track Club. He also served as a personal
care attendant to former Grand Rapids Catholic Central track and field coach Jim
Gardiner who passed away in the spring of 2000 after battling paralysis for more
than 30 years.
Petersen is receiving Verizon Academic All-America honors in the spring at-large
division for the first time. Earlier this year, he was named a first team
Verizon Academic All-American in the fall/winter at-large division as a member
of the Calvin men's cross country team. Petersen hails from Crawfordsville,
Indiana and is a graduate of Southmont High School. At the NCAA III
Championships this May, Petersen finished 10th in the 10,000 meters and 13th in
the 5,000 meters. At the 2000 NCAA III Track and Field Championships, Petersen
competed in the 10,000 meters and finished 10th in the event. Petersen was a
member of the All-MIAA track and field team this spring for the second straight
year. At the MIAA Championships, Petersen captured first place in the 1,500
meter run.
A geology major, Petersen was recently graduated from Calvin with a 3.82 grade
point average. An annual member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, Petersen was a
member of a Calvin student research team in the summer of 1999 that helped
unearth a mastodon in Ada, Michigan. This past summer, he served as an
assistant on a geological research team in Arizona.
Calvin has now had its athletes recognized as Verizon Academic All-Americans 46
times including 20 times in the last three years. In addition, it marks the
third consecutive year that a member of the Calvin men's track and field team
has received Verizon Academic All-America honors.
-end-
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