March 6, 2004
CALVIN CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS HONORED FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
The College Cross Country Coaches Association has released its NCAA Division
III all-academic teams and for the 10th consecutive year, the Calvin men's and
women's cross country teams have both received team all-academic honors. To
qualify for the award, a team needed a minimum cumulative team grade point
average of 3.10 on a 4.0 scale and also have competed at an NCAA III regional
meet.
The Calvin men's cross country team posted a 3.39 cumulative team grade point
average to rank 18th among the 63 NCAA III men's teams that qualified for the
team award. The Calvin women's cross country team posted a 3.289 cumulative
team grade point average to rank 71st among the 101 NCAA III women's team that
qualified for the team award.
Calvin is one of just 58 NCAA III schools nationwide to have both of its cross
country teams receive the team all-academic award from the College Cross
Country Coaches Association.
Several MIAA schools also received the honor as Albion and Hope received the
honor on the men 's side while Adrian, Albion, Hope and Olivet were so honored
on the women's side.
Calvin's men and women also had five individual honorees. To qualify for the
individual College Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic award,k an
individual needed to have placed in the top 25 percent of the finishers at a
regional meet and maintained a cumulative 3.50 grade point average on a 4.0
scale.
Senior Tim Avery (Rochester, NY) and junior Hendrik Kok (Lynden, WA) have
received the award from the Calvin men's team while seniors Jessie Lair
(Southfield Christian HS) and Tami VerMeulen (Holland Christian HS) and
sophomore Camille Medema (Grand Rapids Christian HS) have received the award
from the Calvin women's team.
Avery and Kok were among the 73 individuals to be so honored on the men's side.
Avery finished 26th with a 3.81 grade point average. At the NCAA III Great
Lakes Regional meet, he placed fourth individually with a time of 25:41. The
following week, he claimed NCAA III All-America honors with a 15th place finish
at the national meet with a time of 25:35. Kok placed 53rd on the academic
list with a 3.64 grade point average. At the NCAA III Great Lakes Regional
meet, Kok repeated as regional champion with a first place time of 25:32. He
was later named Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year for the second
straight season. At the national meet the following week, Kok landed his
second straight NCAA III All-American berth, finishing eighth with a time of
25:24.
Lair, VerMeulen and Medema were among 130 individuals to be so honored on the
women's side. Lair finished 68th with a 3.704 grade point average. At the
NCAA III Great Lakes Regional meet, she captured the individual Great Lakes
Regional crown, taking first place with a time of 22:14. .The following week
she took home NCAA III America honors for the second straight year, finishing
15th at the national meet with a time of 22:24. Medema finished 71st on the
individual academic list with a 3.70 grade point average. At the Great Lakes
Regional meet, she finished 25th in 23:41 to land a spot on the Great Lakes
All-Region team. At the national meet one week later, she placed 83rd in
23:41. VerMeulen finished 111th on the academic list with a 3.55 grade point
average. She placed 37th at the Great Lakes Regional meet with a time of 24:01
and 170th at the national meet with a time of 24:45.
Coached by Al Hoekstra and Brian Diemer, the Calvin men's cross country team
captured its second-ever national championship this past fall, posting a first
place team score of 48 points at the NCAA III Championships for the second
lowest point score in NCAA III men's cross country history. The national title
also marked Calvin's sixth consecutive top-four national finish. Under the
direction of head coach Nancy Meyer, the Calvin women's cross country team
finished tied for 15th at the NCAA III Championships with a team score of 341
points.
Both Calvin cross country teams also captured MIAA and Great Lakes Regional
crowns last fall with the men's team winning the MIAA title for a record 17th
straight year while the women won the league crown for a record 16th straight
year. The men then continued on to win their eight straight Great Lakes
Regional title including their 15th in the last 17 years.
MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
For the third consecutive year, Calvin junior Peter Boumgarden has qualified
for the NCAA III Men's Swimming and Diving Championships. A native of
Naperville, Illinois, Boumgarden is seeded eighth in the 100 butterfly. He
will also compete in the 200 butterfly and 200 IM.
Senior Brad White (Traverse City) is also listed as an individual alternate for
the national meet.
The NCAA III Championships for the men are scheduled for March 18-20 at the St.
Peter's Rec Plex in St. Peters, Missouri. Principia College (MO) will serve as
host of the meet.
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Sat Mar 6 11:27:47 2004
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