From: Jeff Febus (jfebus@calvin.edu)
Date: Mon Nov 11 2002 - 23:38:46 EST
NOVEMBER 12, 2002
Calvin Lands Four on All-MIAA Volleyball Teams
GRAND RAPIDS -- The All-MIAA volleyball teams have been released and four Calvin
players have been so honored. Named to the All-MIAA first team from Calvin are
seniors Laura Tucker and Melissa Pell while senior Cassie Christopher and junior
Trisha Balkema have been named to the All-MIAA second team.
In addition, Balkema has been named the MIAA's Defensive Player of the Year.
This is the first year the MIAA has presented the award in volleyball.
Pell is from Fremont and is a graduate of Fremont High School. She is making
her second straight appearance on the All-MIAA first team. A middle-hitter,
Pell averaged 4.26 kills and 1.36 blocks-per-game along with a hitting
percentage of .285. She was named MIAA Player of the Week during the first week
of the season. In conference matches, Pell led the MIAA in blocks-per-game for
the second straight year, averaging 1.31 blocks-per-game. She was also third in
kills-per-game (3.88) and sixth in hitting percentage (.265).
Tucker is from Zeeland and is a graduate of Holland Christian School. A setter,
Tucker led the MIAA in assists-per-game average at 12.70 assists-per-game.
Overall, Tucker is among the nation's leaders with an average of 13.68
assists-per-game. Tucker is making her first appearance on the All-MIAA first
team.
Christopher is making her second straight appearance on the All-MIAA second
team. She hails from Fruitport and is a graduate of Fruitport High School. An
outside hitter, Christopher 3.28 kills, 3.18 digs and 0.72 service aces-per-game
this year. In conference matches, she finished second in the MIAA in service
aces-per-game (0.69) and eighth in kills-per-game (2.98).
Balkema is from Highland, Indiana. She is a graduate of Illiana Christian High
School. Formerly an outsider hitter, Balkema stepped into the newly created
libero position this fall and thrived, amassing 607 digs for an average of 5.84
digs-per-game that ranks her among the nation's leaders. In conference matches,
she led the MIAA in digs-per-game with an average of 5.67 digs-per-game.
Calvin sophomore middle-hitter Kara Kuipers also received honorable mention
recognition from the MIAA coaches. A Hudsonville native and a graduate of Unity
Christian High School, Kuipers compiled a team-leading .298 hitting percentage
and averaged 3.17 kills, 1.02 blocks and 0.56 service aces per-game. In
conference matches, she finished third in the MIAA in hitting percentage (.284),
ninth in kills-per-game (2.90) and sixth in service aces-per-game (0.56).
Calvin finished the year with a 26-7 overall record and a 12-2 MIAA mark that
was good for a second place league finish. With its 26 victories, Calvin
reached the 20-win plateau for the eighth straight year.
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