November 7, 2001
Ahrenholz & Pell named to All-MIAA 1st -
Christopher and DeGroot named to All-MIAA 2nd Team
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The All-MIAA volleyball teams have been announced and four
Calvin players have been so honored. Named to the All-MIAA 1st team from Calvin
are senior Sara Ahrenholz and junior Melissa Pell. Named to the All-MIAA 2nd
team are junior Cassie Christopher and freshman Kristin DeGroot.
A setter, Ahrenholz is making her third straight appearance on the All-MIAA 1st
team. A two-time MIAA Player of the Week this year for the Knights, Ahrenholz
hails from Prinsburg, Minnesota and is a graduate of Central Minnesota Christian
High School. In overall play, Ahrenholz ranks among the nation's leaders in
assist-per-game average with an average of 11.90 assists-per-game. She is also
averaging 2.45 digs and 0.4 service aces per-game. In conference play this
fall, Ahrenholz led the MIAA with an average of 11.64 assists-per-game.
Pell is making her first appearance on the All-MIAA 1st team after earning 2nd
team honors last fall. A middle-hitter from Fremont who prepped at Fremont High
School, Pell was among the MIAA's leaders in kills, hitting percentage, service
aces and blocks-per-game. In conference play, Pell led the MIAA in
blocks-per-game (1.38) and was fourth in hitting percentage (.351); sixth in
service aces-per-game (0.55) and seventh in kills-per-game (3.21). In overall
matches, Pell is averaging 3.05 kills-per-game, 1.29 blocks-per-game and carries
a hitting percentage of .302.
Christopher and DeGroot are both outside hitters with Christopher hailing from
Fruitport and DeGroot from Tulare, California. A graduate of Fruitport High
School, Christopher was fourth in the MIAA in kills-per-game (3.39); seventh in
service aces-per-game (0.53) and eighth in digs-per-game (3.29). DeGroot is
averaging 2.83 digs and 2.19 kills-per-game. In conference play, she averaged
2.35 digs and 1.91 kills-per-game and also recorded 21 service aces.
In addition, sophomore outside hitter Tricia Balkema received honorable mention
recognition from the MIAA coaches. A native of Highland, Indiana and a graduate
of Illiana Christian High School, Balkema finished fifth in the MIAA with an
average of 3.65 digs-per-game.
Calvin finished third in the final MIAA regular season standings with a 10-4
conference record, one victory behind league co-champs Alma and Hope. Calvin
then captured the MIAA Tournament last week including victories over Alma and
Hope last weekend to earn its 13th NCAA III Tournament bid.
Calvin will face 20th-ranked Carnegie Mellon (PA) Thursday at 5:00 pm in a Great
Lakes Regional first round match at the College of Mount St. Joseph in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
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