From: Jeff Febus (jfebus@calvin.edu)
Date: Thu Nov 13 2003 - 22:12:48 EST
NOVEMBER 13, 2003
Sarah Weesies Named MIAA Women's Soccer MVP
GRAND RAPIDS * For the first time in MIAA women's soccer history, a freshman has received league MVP honors. On Thursday, Calvin freshman striker Sarah Weesies of Kalamazoo was voted the league's Most Valuable Player in a vote of MIAA women's soccer coaches.
A native of Kalamazoo and a graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High School, Weesies led the MIAA in goals (16), assists (13) and points (45) in league play. Of her 16 goals, three proved to be game-winners. Her assist total is the fourth-best single-season total in MIAA women's soccer history. A two-time MIAA Offensive Player of the Week this fall, Weesies finished with 20 goals and 14 assists overall to lead the Knights in scoring. Her season assist total matched the Calvin single-season record also held by Tracy Veurink (1991) and Larissa Onderlinde (2001). Like Weesies, Onderlinde is also a graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High School. Weesies is currently ranked 15th in the latest NCAA III statistics in points-per-game (2.84), 14th in assists-per-game (0.74) and 29th in goals-per-game (1.05). She also helped spark a Calvin offense that led the MIAA in scoring this year with 51 goals in 14 conference games.
Weesies is the fourth individual in Calvin women's soccer history to receive the award and the second from Kalamazoo Christian High School. Kristin Penzotti, a 1991 graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High School and a 1995 Calvin College graduate was the first MIAA MVP for the Knights as she was so honored in 1994. Sisters Tara and Tricia Dyk were next for Calvin with Tara Dyk receiving the award in 1997 and Tricia Dyk in 2001 and 2002.
Weesies also landed a spot on the All-MIAA first team. She is the second member of her family to achieve the feat as her father Jerry Weesies was a first team All-MIAA selection on defense for the Calvin men's soccer team in 1973 and 1974. Jerry Weesies currently serves as the head athletic trainer at Kalamazoo Christian High School.
Also named to the All-MIAA first team from Calvin were freshman striker Jill Capel and sophomore midfielder Noell Berghuis. Capel and Berghuis are both natives of Hudsonville and graduates of Unity Christian High School.
Capel is the first member of her family to collect first team All-MIAA honors in soccer but not the first member to post All-MIAA honors overall. Her father Barry Capel was a member of the All-MIAA first team in men's basketball in 1977 while her uncle Bruce Capel was a first team All-MIAA men's basketball selection in 1982. This past fall, Jill Capel finished second in the MIAA in goals and points as she collected 14 goals and 36 points while also finishing tied for second in the league in assists with eight. Of her 14 goals in conference games, two were game-winners. During the year, she received MIAA Offensive Player of the Week honors once
Berghuis finished the year with five goals, three assists and 13 points in conference play as she finished tied for 10th in the MIAA in goals and tied for ninth in assists and points. During the year she received MIAA Offensive Player of the Week honors once.
Named to the All-MIAA second team from Calvin were defensive backs Linnea Butler and Tricia DeVries. A stopper back from Shelton, Washington, Butler is making her second straight appearance on the All-MIAA second team. She is a graduate of Capital High School. DeVries is from Grand Rapids and is a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School. A sweeper back, she received MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors once during the season.
Also receiving honorable mention recognition from the MIAA coaches were senior midfielder Dana Haan, sophomore marking back Karla Van Beveren and freshman marking back Leah Scholten. Haan is from Lynden, Washington and is a graduate of Lynden Christian High School. She was named MIAA Offensive Player of the Week during the 2003 season once. Van Beveren is from Ancaster, Ontario and is a graduate of Hamilton District Christian High School. Scholten is from Hudsonville and is a graduate of Unity Christian High School. Both Van Beveren and Scholten shared MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors once during the season.
Calvin finished the season with a 12-5-2 overall record and second in the MIAA with a 10-2-2 league mark. Calvin opened the year 0-4-1 overall and 0-2-1 in the MIAA but won 12 of its final 14 games including 10 of its last 11 in conference play to finish second in the final MIAA standings, one point behind league champion Hope. With its 12 victories, Calvin also reached the double-digit plateau in victories for the 15th straight year.
In 16 years of collegiate soccer, Calvin has a won-loss-tie record of 211-75-9 for a winning percentage of .731.
Calvin College MIAA Women's Soccer MVP's
Kristin Penzotti * 1994
Tara Dyk * 1997
Tricia Dyk * 2001
Tricia Dyk * 2002
Sarah Weesies -- 2003
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
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