CSR (Track Teams Wrap Up Dual Meet Campaign with Victories/Baseball falls at Spring Arbor)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR APRIL 21, 2004

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD

ALMA -- The Calvin men's and women's track and field teams closed out their MIAA dual meet campaigns with victories over Adrian and Alma Wednesday afternoon. In the men's competition, Calvin defeated Adrian 127-59 and Alma 131-53. Calvin finishes the MIAA dual meet season with a 4-1 record. In the women's competition, Calvin defeated Adrian 107-79 and Alma 121-67. The Calvin women finish the MIAA dual meet season with a 5-0 record. The Calvin women have now won 6*.consecutive MIAA dual meets.

In the women's competition, Calvin junior Lisa Nanninga (Grand Rapids Christian HS) had another sensational day as she shattered the school record in the shot put with a strong NCAA III provisional qualifying throw of 44-11, shattering the previous school mark of 44-9 3/4 established by 2003 Calvin graduate Mandy VanDenBosch last spring. Nanninga was part of a 1-2-3 Calvin finish in the shot put as senior Katie Corner (Grand Rapids Catholic Central HS) took second with an NCAA III provisional qualifying throw of 42-7 while freshman Megan VanderVliet () took third (38-3). Corner also captured the discus competition with a throw of 150-0.

Field events were a strength for the Calvin women as sophomore Missy Smith (Grand Rapids Christian HS) won the pole vault competition with a career-best and NCAA III provisional qualifying performance of 12-1. Smith's vault allowed her to edge Adrian sophomore Amanda Haines who finished second at 11-6. Haines captured the national title in the pole vault at the 2004 NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships this past March. The pole vault competition is expected to be one of the most hotly contested events at the MIAA Track and Field Championships April 30 and May 1 at Calvin as it will feature three pole vaulters who have vaulted 12 feet or higher this spring as Hope freshman Jen VanderMeer has also vaulted 12 feet during the outdoor season this year.

Junior Laura Hamilton (Downers Grove, IL) also had a good day for the Knights as she won the 200 meters (25.60) and 100 meter hurdles (15.45). Other winners for the Calvin women included junior Sue Abbring (Highland, IN) in the 400 meters (57.97), senior Sarah Hastings (Traverse City Central HS) in the 1,500 meters (5:02.84) and senior Sarah Weeda (Manhattan, MT) in the triple jump (33-9). Calvin also won both relays as its 4x100 meter team clocked in at 50.97 while its 4x400 meter team clocked in at 4:10.21.

In the men's competition, junior Reubel Sportel (South Christian HS) was a double-winner, capturing the 110 high hurdles (15.13) and 400 meter hurdles (57.10). His winning time in the 110 high hurdles was a career-best. Sophomore Chris Friebel (Shelby, OH) was also a double-winner claiming victories in the 100 meters (11.00) and 200 meters (22.47). Joining the daily double list for the Knights was freshman Josh Meckes (Saginaw Lutheran HS) as he won the long jump with a season-best effort of 21-9 ¾ and the shot put (46-9). Other winners for the Calvin men included senior Hendrik Kok (Lynden, WA) in the 5,000 meters (16:43.57), senior David Haagsma (South Christian HS) in the 3,000 meters (9:16.93), junior Andy Yazzie (Rehoboth, NM) in the 800 meters (2:05.28), senior Kyle Carrick (Tokyo, Japan) in the 1,500 meters (4:29.83), sophomore Brian VanDyken (Grand Rapids Christian HS) in the 400 meters (51.89) and sophomore Justin Grasmeyer (Norwalk, CA) in the discus (158-3 ½).!
  Calvin also won the 4x100 meter relay (43.93) and 4x400 meter relay (3:39.15).

Both Calvin teams will now prepare for the Hillsdale "Gina" Relays this weekend. The relays actually begin on Thursday with the first day of the heptathlon and decathlon competition. Calvin sophomore Christine Hendricks (Cincinnati, OH) and freshmen Lorilyn Vogel (Orange City, IA) and Lisa Winkle (South Christian HS) are scheduled to compete in the heptathlon while junior Paul Wagner (Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills HS) is scheduled to compete in the decathlon.

FINAL MIAA MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD DUAL MEET STANDINGS

Albion 5-0
Calvin 4-1
Hope 3-2
Alma 2-3
Adrian 1-4
Olivet 0-5

FINAL MIAA WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD DUAL MEET STANDINGS

Calvin 5-0
Hope 4-1
Albion 3-2
Adrian 2-3
Alma 1-4
Olivet 0-5

BASEBALL

SPRING ARBOR * Calvin's four-game win streak came to an end as the Knights suffered a 10-3 non-conference defeat at Spring Arbor University Wednesday afternoon.

Spring Arbor (19-11) capitalized on four Calvin errors to score six unearned runs in the contest. The host Cougars broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to build a seven-run cushion.

Calvin scored two runs in the second and one in the fourth and collected eight hits on the afternoon. Three of Calvin's hits were doubles with sophomores Kyle Hollemans (East Kentwood HS), Mark Tigchelaar (Grand Rapids Christian HS) and Tyler VanEps (Denver, CO) picking up two-base hits.

Sophomore Ben Buikema (Lakewood-Lake Odessa HS) took the loss for the Knights to fall to 0-2 on the year. Junior Joel Bont (Calvin Christian HS) and senior Dean Thompson (Ogemaw Heights HS) also saw time on the mound for Calvin.

Calvin returns to action on Friday when it opens up a three-game conference series at Alma with the game scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m..

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Wed Apr 21 23:21:03 2004