MAY 24, 2002
SEVEN CALVIN ATHLETES RECEIVE VERIZON ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT IV HONORS IN TRACK &
FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY
The Verizon Academic All-District IV teams have been announced in the college
track & field/cross country college division and seven Calvin athletes have been
so honored. This is the first year that the Verizon Academic All-America
program has selected a separate team for track and field and cross country
athletes. Previously, athletes from the two sports were placed in at-large
divisions that included several other Olympic sports.
Named to the first team on the men's side are seniors Joel Klooster, Dan
Hoekstra and David Ritsema while seniors Erinn Boot and Rachel Veltkamp have
recieved first team recognition on the women's side.
As members of the first team, all five individuals advance to the national
ballot and are eligible for Verizon Academic All-America consideration.
A pair of sophomores have also received second team all-district honors as Tim
Avery has been named to the men's all-district second team while Jessie Lair has
been named to the women's all-district second team.
Klooster is from Chatham, Ontario, and is a graduate of Chatham Christian High
School. A two-time All-American in cross country and a two-time All-American in
track and field, Klooster carries a 3.98 grade point average with a major of
electrical engineering and a minor in computer science.
Hoekstra is from Kalamazoo and is a graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High School.
Hoekstra is also a two-time All-America in cross country and a four-time
All-American in track and field. He recently graduated with a degree in
secondary education with an emphasis in chemistry. At Calvin, he carried a 3.43
grade point average and was recently named the recipient of Calvin's highest
honor in men's athletics - the Bere' Memorial Award.
Ritsema is a Denver, Colorado, native and a graduate of Denver Christian High
School. Ritsema was a 1st team All-MIAA selection in cross country this past
fall and also a member of the 2001 All-MIAA track and field team. He was part
of Calvin's top-seven in cross country this past fall and helped the Knights
finish second at the NCAA III Championships.
He recently graduated from Calvin with a degree in biochemistry while carrying a
3.95 grade point average. He will attend medical school at the University of
Colorado next fall.
Avery is from Rochester, New York, and is a graduate of Gates-Chilli High
School. He has also been a member of Calvin's top seven in cross country the
past two years and received 1st team All-MIAA honors in cross country in 2000.
He has also been one of the top 10,000 meter runners on the Calvin track team
over the last two years. He is majoring in education with an emphasis in art.
He carries a 3.79 grade point average.
Boot is also from Kalamazoo and is a graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High
School. Boot was named the MIAA's Most Valuable Runner in women's cross country
this past fall and earned a spot on the All-MIAA 1st team for the third straight
year. This spring, she was named to the All-MIAA track and field team and just
missed qualifying for the NCAA III Track and Field Championships in the 10,000
and 5,000 meter runs.
Boot recently graduated from Calvin with a degree in biochemistry and a minor in
psychology. She carried a 3.88 grade point average at Calvin and plans to
attend medical school.
Veltkamp is from Grand Rapids and is a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High
School. She recently received Calvin's highest female athletic honor -- the Kay
Tiemersma Award. A nursing major, Veltkamp recently graduated from Calvin
while carrying a 3.73 grade point average. Veltkamp is a two-time track and
field All-American and was named the MIAA's Most Outstanding Field Event
Performer this spring in track and field. She recently finished 12th in the
pole vault at the NCAA III Championships and will run in the 4 x 100 meter
championship finals Saturday afternoon at the national meet.
Lair is from West Bloomfield and is a graduate of Southfield Christian High
School. She is also an education major with an emphasis in art. She carries a
3.83 grade point average and was recently named to the All-MIAA track and field
team for the second straight year. At the league championships this spring, she
captured the MIAA title in the 5,000 meters for the second straight year. She
also finished 15th in the 10,000 meter run at the NCAA III Championships this
past Thursday night and is scheduled to run in the 5,000 meters Saturday
afternoon. In addition, she is a two-time 1st team All-MIAA selection in cross
country and was part of Calvin's national qualifying women's cross country team
in 2000 and in 2001.
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