Calvin Sports Report for May 17, 2005
Calvin announces its highest athletic awards
GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan -- Calvin College has announced the 2005 recipients of its highest athletic honors: the Ber� Memorial Award and the Kay Tiemersma Athletic Award.
Peter Boumgarden of Naperville, Illinois, is this year's Ber� Memorial Award winner, while Sue Abbring of Schereville, Indiana, is the winner of the Tiemersma Award.
The Ber� Memorial Award has been presented annually by Calvin since 1951. The Ber� honors the top senior male student-athlete, based on athletic ability, scholastic rank, character and leadership, and is selected by the school's male coaches and the members of the Athletics Committee. It is given in memory of Joe Ber�, a Calvin student who was killed in a 1949 auto accident on his way to watch a Calvin basketball game. The winner is selected by the coaches of the school's men's sports and an Athletics Committee made up of students and non-physical education department faculty members.
This is the 31st year that Calvin has given the Tiemersma award--presented annually to the top senior female student-athlete. The award honors Kay Tiemersma, the first woman physical education teacher in the member schools of the Christian Schools International organization, and a pioneer in women's sports. Its presentation is based on athletic ability, scholastic standing, and character and leadership. The winner is selected by the coaches of the school's women's sports and an Athletics Committee made up of students and non-physical education department faculty members.
PETER BOUMGARDEN
Peter Boumgarden hails from Naperville, Illinois, and is a graduate of Naperville North High School. At Calvin, Boumgarden has been a four-year member of the men's swimming and diving team. Boumgarden was a part of 10 NCAA III All-America finishes including five in individual events. He was also a part of seven honorable mention All-America performances as he completed his collegiate career as the most decorated swimmer in Calvin men's swimming and diving history.
A four-time All-MIAA selection, Boumgarden was a four-time MIAA champion in the 100 and 200 butterfly, becoming the first Calvin swimmer to win two events four straight years at the MIAA Championships. Boumgarden also captured a league title in the 200 IM this past February to bring his final career total of individual MIAA championships to nine. He holds the MIAA record in the 100 butterfly (49.65 in 2003) and was a member of Calvin's MIAA record-setting 800 freestyle relay team that clocked in with a time of 6:49.95 in 2003.
His specialty event was the 100 butterfly as he posted four consecutive All-America finishes in the event including a national runner-up berth in 2002 with a school record time of 49.25. His national runner-up finish in the 100 butterfly helped Calvin post its highest national team finish as the Knights took ninth at the NCAA III Championships with 136.5 points. He also gained an All-America berth in the 200 butterfly (2003) and as a member of Calvin's 200 medley (2002), 400 medley (2002), 400 freestyle (2003) and 800 freestyle (2002 & 2003) relay teams. Boumgarden currently holds Calvin records in the 100 butterfly (49.25), 200 butterfly (1:52.62) and 200 IM (1:54.92). He was also a member of all five (200 medley, 400 medley, 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle & 800 freestyle) of Calvin's record-setting relay teams. As a freshman in 2002, he was named the Division Three National Swimmer of the Week by CollegeSwimming.com, becoming the first Calvin swimmer to receive the awar!
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This past summer, Boumgarden qualified for the U.S. Senior Nationals and missed qualifying for the U.S Summer Olympic trials by two-tenths of a second in the 100 butterfly.
Away from the pool, Boumgarden has been heavily involved in volunteer service work. A gifted guitar player, Boumgarden participated in Calvin's Chapel Praise Band. He was also involved in musical groups at Eastminster Presbyterian Church and Cross Community Church. He also served as a Young Life Leader at East Grand Rapids High School the past four years as well as an age-group swim coach with the East Grand Rapids Rays swim program.
In the classroom, Boumgarden carries a 3.55 grade point average and will graduate this Saturday with a degree in business communications. He has accepted a fellowship from Washington University of St. Louis where he will pursue a Ph.D in organizational behavior and business strategy.
Boumgarden is the son of David and Jane Boumgarden of Naperville, Illinois.
SUE ABBRING
Sue Abbring is from Schereville, Indiana, and is a graduate of Illiana Christian High School. Over the last four years, Abbring has made her mark as one of the finest sprinters in NCAA III women's track and field. A four-year member of the Calvin women's track and field team Abbring has landed a spot on the All-MIAA team four consecutive years and was named the MIAA's Most Outstanding Runner in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, she was named the Division III Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field Coaches Association.
During her collegiate career, Abbring went undefeated in MIAA dual meets and at the MIAA Championships as she was a four-time league champion in the 100 and 200 meter dashes and a member of Calvin's 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams that captured MIAA titles four straight years. Abbring is the only individual in MIAA women's track and field history to win two events four straight years at the MIAA Championships and she is the only individual to do so in the 100 meters. Abbring is the MIAA record holder in the 100 meters (12.17) and 200 meters (24.52) and ran a leg on Calvin's MIAA record-setting 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams in 2002.
A four-time national qualifier, Abbring has been a part of eight All-America finishes including three in individual events. Her specialty has been the 200 meters as she was fourth at the national meet in 2003 and third in 2004. She also took seventh in the 100 meters in 2004. In addition, she has been a part of five All-America relay efforts * doing so three times in the 4x100 meter relay and twice in the 4x400 meter relay. Her efforts helped Calvin finish 12th as a team at the 2002 national meet, tied for sixth at the 2003 national meet and second in 2004.
Abbring has qualified automatically in the 200 and 400 meters for the 2005 NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships scheduled to be held May 26-28 at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Her time of 24.38 in the 200 meters is currently the top time on the current NCAA III qualifier list while her time of 55.80 in the 400 meters is the second-best. She has also qualified provisionally in the 100 meters but is expected to run just the 200 and 400 meters at nationals. She is also a part of Calvin's 4x400 meter relay team that has qualified automatically for the national meet and its 4x100 meter relay team that has qualified provisionally. Calvin's 4x400 meter relay team currently holds the best time on the national list at 3:46.14.
This year, Abbring has served as a tri-captain on a Calvin women's track and field team that is currently ranked second in the latest Division III power rankings and recently captured its 16th straight MIAA title. She owns Calvin records in the 100 meters (12.08) and 200 meters (24.38).
Abbring has also been active in the community, serving as a volunteer pianist at her church and a local nursing home.
A nursing major at Calvin, Abbring will graduate this Saturday and has already accepted a nursing position at Spectrum Health-Butterwoth Campus.
Abbring is the daughter of Tim and Deb Abbring of Schereville, Indiana.
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Sue Abbring
Sue Abbring is from Schereville, Indiana, and is a graduate of Illiana Christian High School. Over the last four years, Abbring has made her mark as one of the finest sprinters in NCAA III women's track and field. A four-year member of the Calvin women's track and field team Abbring has landed a spot on the All-MIAA team four consecutive years and was named the MIAA's Most Outstanding Runner in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, she was named the Division III Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field Coaches Association.
During her collegiate career, Abbring went undefeated in MIAA dual meets and at the MIAA Championships as she was a four-time league champion in the 100 and 200 meter dashes and a member of Calvin's 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams that captured MIAA titles four straight years. Abbring is the only individual in MIAA women's track and field history to win two events four straight years at the MIAA Championships and she is the only individual to do so in the 100 meters. Abbring is the MIAA record holder in the 100 meters (12.17) and 200 meters (24.52) and ran a leg on Calvin's MIAA record-setting 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams in 2002.
A four-time national qualifier, Abbring has been a part of eight All-America finishes including three in individual events. Her specialty has been the 200 meters as she was fourth at the national meet in 2003 and third in 2004. She also took seventh in the 100 meters in 2004. In addition, she has been a part of five All-America relay efforts * doing so three times in the 4x100 meter relay and twice in the 4x400 meter relay. Her efforts helped Calvin finish 12th as a team at the 2002 national meet, tied for sixth at the 2003 national meet and second in 2004.
Abbring has qualified automatically in the 200 and 400 meters for the 2005 NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships scheduled to be held May 26-28 at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Her time of 24.38 in the 200 meters is currently the top time on the current NCAA III qualifier list while her time of 55.80 in the 400 meters is the second-best. She has also qualified provisionally in the 100 meters but is expected to run just the 200 and 400 meters at nationals. She is also a part of Calvin's 4x400 meter relay team that has qualified automatically for the national meet and its 4x100 meter relay team that has qualified provisionally. Calvin's 4x400 meter relay team currently holds the best time on the national list at 3:46.14.
This year, Abbring has served as a tri-captain on a Calvin women's track and field team that is currently ranked second in the latest Division III power rankings and recently captured its 16th straight MIAA title. She owns Calvin records in the 100 meters (12.08) and 200 meters (24.38).
Abbring has also been active in the community, serving as a volunteer pianist at her church and a local nursing home.
A nursing major at Calvin, Abbring will graduate this Saturday and has already accepted a nursing position at Spectrum Health-Butterwoth Campus.
Abbring is the daughter of Tim and Deb Abbring of Schereville, Indiana.
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Tue May 17 13:46:53 2005
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