CSR (Track and Field Teams Capture MIAA Titles)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR May 6, 2005 (PART TWO)

WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
(Written by Colin McWhertor)

HOLLAND-- For the 14th consecutive year, the Calvin College Women's Track and Field team has won the MIAA league meet. The championship streak is the longest active championship streak in MIAA women's athletics. Calvin collected a total of 327 points, outdistancing host Hope College, which placed second with 203 points with Albion College finishing third with 103 points.

In the field events in the morning, junior Christine Hendricks (Cincinnati, OH) won the javelin throw with a throw of 121 feet and 8 inches and freshmen Rachel VanderWiele (Holland Christian) took fifth place with a throw of 91 feet and 9 inches. In the shot put, senior Lisa Nanninga (Grand Rapids Christian) took first and set an MIAA league record with a throw of 46-0 ¾. Sophomore Megann VanderVliet (Oakville, ON) placed second with a career-best throw of 45-0 ½.

In the triple jump, sophomore Lorilyn Vogel (Orange City, IA) took first place by jumping 36-10 ¾ and she was followed by junior Kim Vanderzee (Shoreline, WA) in second place by jumping 34-7 ½.

Coach Norm Zylstra was happy with the performance of his throwers on the day. "We did well; I can't say enough about Lisa Nanninga, she is one of the top shot throwers in Division III. Combining this with yesterday's performance was great."

Early in the day in a race run at the Calvin Track, sophomore Lydia Singer (Wilmington, DE) won the steeplechase with a time of 11:26.02. Freshman Jenny Zylstra (Lombard, IL) finished in seventh place with a time of 12:58.40.

Calvin women proved tough in other distance events also. In the 1500 meter run, junior Camille Medema (GR Christian) dominated, winning the race with a time of 4:48.81. Right behind Medema was junior Joanna Schmit (Minneapolis, MN) coming in at 4:58.49. Also placing for Calvin was Nikki Reckman (Sarnia, ON) in fifth at 5:03.46 and Lynn Marsh (North Vernon, IN) in eighth at 5:15.24.

In the 5000 meter run, sophomore Laura Holtrop (Derwood, MD) took second place behind Hope's Tina Pike, with a time of 18:54.76. Sophomore Bethany Hofman (Holland Christian) finished in fifth place with a time of 19:44.02.

In the 800 meter run, Medema again took first place, with a time of 2:18.87. Calvin also placed Schmit in sixth at 2:34.12 and Marsh in seventh at 2:39.12.

Coach Al Hoekstra was pleased with the performances. "Camille looked great today, and we accomplished what we wanted to. We have a lot of women who have improved and are ready to take the next steps."

In the sprints, Calvin senior Sue Abbring (Highland, IN) won her fourth consecutive 100 dash with a time of 12.57. She was followed by sophomore Kelly Zwier (Kalamazoo Christian) in second at 13.48 and also sophomore Lisa Geelhoed (GR Christian), who placed sixth with a time of 13.60. Abbring also won her fourth consecutive 200 meter dash title, coming in at 25.17 seconds. Sophomore Katie VanderLaan (GR Christian) was second for Calvin with a time of 26.84, while Geelhoed finished fifth at 27.97 and freshman Sararh Weller (Calvin Christian) seventh at 28.14 seconds

In the 400 meter dash, Hope's Lindsay Lange took first while Calvin took the next three spots. Sophomore Lisa Winkle (South Christian) was second at 57.74 seconds, a career best; VanderLaan was third with a time of 58.38 seconds, and sophomore Kaylin Bolt (GR Christian) was fourth at 1:00.17. Also placing for Calvin was Weller, who came in seventh with a time of 1:03.21.

In the 400 meter hurdles, senior Laura Hamilton (Downers Grove, IL) defended her title by winning for her fourth consecutive year. She finished with a time of 1:03.10, while freshman Sarah Wittingen (East Grand Rapids) was right on her heels with a second place finish and a time of 1:03.40. The 100 meter hurdles belonged to Hope and Lindsay Lange, but Calvin took the next three spots with Wittingen in second at 14.81 seconds, Hendricks in third at 15.34, and Vogel in fourth with a time of 15.61.

The relays both went to Calvin. In the 4x100, the team of VaderLaan, Wittingen, Winkle and Abbring won with a time of 48.13, beating out second place hope by just over a second. The 4x400 win belonged to the same foursome with a time of 3:53.85.

Abbring was named the most outstanding runner in the MIAA for the second year in a row. Hendricks was named the most outstanding field event performer.

Select Calvin athletes will compete this Wednesday at the Aquinas College Twilight Invitation at Houseman Field.

2005 FINAL MIAA WOMEN'S FIELD DAY STANDINGS

Calvin 327
Hope 203
Albion 103
Alma 36
Olivet 25
Adrian 22
Tri-State 17

Men's Track and Field
(Written by Annalise VenHuizen)

For the 12th straight year, the Calvin College Men's Track and Field team finished the MIAA season in first place. Calvin did so by defeating the MIAA conference opponents at the MIAA Field Day, held this year at Hope. Calvin had 255 points over the course of the two-day meet, while holding second place Albion at 191.5 points. The championship streak in the longest in MIAA men's track and field history, surpassing the previous record of 11 originally established by Michigan State University from 1897-1907.

Calvin had two top-5 finishers in each field event completed today. In the high jump, freshman Jason VandeKopple (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian) placed third and freshman Luke Allison (Lakeville, MN) placed fifth. Allison also placed 5th in the triple jump competition, in which event Tim Zwiers captured the 2005 MIAA Champion spot with a jump of 46'1.5". Calvin went one-two in the discus, with junior Nate Meckes (Bay City/Lutheran Westland) taking first on a 173'7" effort setting a new league record, and junior Justin Grasmeyer (Norwalk, CA) following with a 156'8" throw. "It was great because we worked hard as a team and everybody led by example. It was great to see Justin throw so well because he's struggled with injuries this season," said Coach Norm Zylstra.

Freshman Joel Baker (Kalamazoo/Kalamazoo Christian) competed well today, placing 4th in the 200 meters, second in the 400 meters (49.50 sec.), and held spots on the 1st place 4x400 meter relay team and the 3rd place 4x100 meter relay team. Also in the 400 meters, junior Brian VanDyken (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian) placed 3rd. Sophomore Todd Schuster (Denver, CO) had a big 3rd place finish for Calvin in the 800 meter run.

In the 110 meter hurdles, Calvin had another one-two finish, with senior Reuben Sportel (Caledonia/South Christian) placed first (15.76 sec.) and freshman Kelby McClelland (Mercer, PA) followed (15.78 sec.). Sportel also grabbed first place in the 400 meter hurdles, with McClelland in 3rd.

In today's distance events, Calvin sparkled by taking the top four spots in the 3000 meter steeplechase. In first with a season best and provisional qualifying time of 9:18.20 was senior Aaron Iverson (Radnor, OH), followed by junior Harrison Jorritsma (Beamsville, ON), senior Joel Alberts (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian) and freshman Peter Clemo (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian).

Calvin also took 2nd, 4th and 6th in the 1500 meters as senior Jeff Engbers (Whitinsville, MA), Schuster, and junior Tyler Zwagerman (Holland/Holland Christian) all ran sub 4:00 times. Finally, in the 5000 meter run, senior Kris Koster (Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Christian) placed first with a time of 15:01.95, freshman Dan MacKay (Whitinsville, MA) followed in second, sophomore Ben Hammer (Williamsburg/Elk Rapids) placed sixth. "The men did what they had planned to do. Koster and MacKay ran the 5000 at the tempo they wanted to," said Coach Al Hoekstra.
Sportel was named League MVP in the running events, and Nate Meckes earned the League MVP spot in the field events.

FINAL MIAA FIELD DAY TEAM SCORES

Calvin 255
Albion 191.5
Hope 169
Alma 55
Olivet 28.5
Tri-State 26
Adrian 10

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Fri May 6 21:34:02 2005