CSR (Calvin Softball Players Receive All-MIAA Honors)

May 5, 2004

Calvin Softball Players Receive All-MIAA Accolades

GRAND RAPIDS - Three members of the Calvin softball team have received
All-MIAA honors. Named to the All-MIAA first team from Calvin is sophomore
Jeanne Cole. Receiving All-MIAA second team honors are junior Kara VanKooten
and sophomore Laurel Sands.

A native of Ludington and a graduate of Mason County Eastern High School, Cole
is making her second straight appearance on the All-MIAA first team. A
shortstop, Cole batted .353 in 14 league games this spring and finished 10th in
the league batting race. She also finished second in the MIAA in hits (18),
runs scored (12), doubles (5) and sixth in total bases (23). In the field, she
commited just three errors in league play and compiled a .941 fielding
percentage.

VanKooten and Sands are both receiving All-MIAA second team honors for the
first time. VanKooten is from Anchorage, Alaska and is a graduate of Grace
Christian High School. In league play this spring, she fashioned a 3-0 record
with a 1.01 ERA. She was also voted MIAA Pitcher of the Week once during the
year.

A third baseman, Sands is from Rockford and is a graduate of Rockford High
School. Sands batted .318 in league games this year and collected six
extra-base hits on the strength of four doubles and two triples. She led the
MIAA in triples, was tied for second in runs scored (12), eighth in slugging
percentage (.500) and 13th in batting average.

Also receiving honorable mention recognition from the MIAA coaches were Calvin
seniors Rachel Dyksterhouse (Kalamazoo Christian HS), Keri Cole (Mason County
Eastern High School) and juniors Angie Sietsema (Grandville High School) and
Rachelle Heyboer (Fremont High School). Dyksterhouse and Cole batted .304 and
.286 in league games respectively. Heyboer was 5-2 on the mound with a 1.86
ERA. Forming the battery with Heyboer and the rest of the Calvin pitching
staff was Sietsema who stepped into a full-time starter's role at catcher.
Sietsema finished tied for 13th in the league batting race with a .318 average
and finished second in the league in sacrifice bunts with six.

Calvin finished the year with a 19-15 overall record including an 11-3 mark in
the regular season conference standings. Calvin then qualified for the
four-team MIAA Tournament but was bounced from the double-elimination
tournament with losses to St. Mary's and Hope. Calvin's fourth place
tournament finish left the Knights in third place in the final league
standings.

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Wed May 5 12:53:07 2004