CALVIN SPORTS REPORT (PART TWO) FOR MAY 9, 2007
Track and Field Teams Compete at Aquinas Twilight Invitational;
Ruth Diemer Named to ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Second Team in
softball
MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
(written by Colin McWhertor ’08)
Grand Rapids - The Aquinas College Twilight Open Wednesday evening presented
another opportunity for a few members of the Calvin men's Track and Field team
to qualify for Nationals. After tonight’s open competition at Housman Field,
athletes have three more opportunities to improve on their times and distances.
The last chance meets as they have become known as take place at North Central
College in Naperville, Illinois beginning this week already.
One Calvin athlete making his case for the national meet was junior Ryan Jensen
(Zeeland) who had a career best throw in the Discus and a season best mark in
the Hammer Throw. In the discus, Jensen ripped off a throw of 157 feet 6
inches to gain a provisional qualifying mark. In the hammer, Jensen recorded a
distance of 172 feet 8 inches, also a provisional qualifying mark. Jensen was
pleased with his throws and knows he needs a little more to assure himself a
spot in the national meet in Wisconsin May 24-26. "I keep improving and with a
few more chances left I believe I have a good shot at making it," he said. "If
I get the wind at my back I think that can give me enough to move up a couple
spots."
Another notable performance from Housman Field came from senior Josh Meckes
(Bay City) who competed in the long jump, reaching a season best height of 23
feet 10 inches, good for a provisional qualifying mark. Meckes' jump was one
and a half inches short of an automatic qualifying mark as he tries to return
to the national meet for a fourth consecutive year.
Two Calvin sophomores ran for personal best times in the 1500 Meter Run
Wednesday evening as Mike O'Shaghnessey (Elk Rapids) and Eric Van Kampen
(Elmhurst, IL) finished first and third respectively for Calvin.
O'Shaughnessey came in with a time of 4:00.04 and Van Kampen close behind at
4:01.52. The time by O’Shaughnessey was a personal-best by nearly 10 seconds.
Calvin also had several runners in the 5000 Meter Run as Freshman Aaron Goodman
(Milwaukee, WI) took first with a time of 15:40.52 while junior Matt Logan
(Fort Wayne, IN) was in third at 15:45.46 and sophomore Andrew Stutzman
(Kutztown, PA) took fifth with a time of 15:47.88.
Finally, the Calvin 4X400Meter Relay team of sophomore Brad Stroner (Woodland),
senior Todd Schuster (Denver, CO) and juniors Jared Cok (Bozeman, MT) and Joel
Baker (Kalamazoo) ran a strong time of 3:17.06, still not enough for a
provisional qualifier though.
WOMEN’s TRACK AND FIELD
(written by Bruce VanBaren ’09)
Senior Katie Bolt (Grand Rapids/ Grand Rapids Christian) reached a NCAA
automatic qualifying mark and Senior Megann Vander Vliet (Oakville, ON,
Canada/Oakville Trafalgar) recorded a provisional mark as several members of
the women’s track and field team participated in the Aquinas College Twilight
Invitational at Houseman Field today. The event was set up individually and
not as a team event as athletes looked to reach the NCAA qualifying marks.
Bolt was the highlight of the event for the Knights. In the high jump, she
reached a NCAA automatic qualifying height of 5’7 ¼.” The height was also
Bolt’s personal best by ¼.” Bolt also ran in the 400 meter dash with a time
of 58.63, just shy of an NCAA provisional qualifying time and good for a second
place finish. Freshman Heather Koning (Kalamazoo/ Kalamazoo Christian) ran a
time of 58.83 and Junior Sarah Weller ran a time of 1:03.21 (Wyoming/Calvin
Christian) in that same event.
The provisional qualifying mark for the Knights was Vander Vliet in the discus.
Vander Vliet threw 150-5 feet for a second place finish. The automatic
qualifying distance is 152-2 feet.
Other Calvin athletes participating, but not qualifying were as follows:
In the track events, Calvin was led CT/Nedyard). Johnson finished fifth in the 200 meter dash (26.17) and sixth in
the 100 meter dash (13.00). Calvin’s relay teams did not participate and
neither did several individuals including senior Lisa Winkle and juniors Lauren
Bergstrom and Sarah Wittigen who have already reached qualifying marks.
In long distance, sophomore Jesi Hale (Gallup, NM/Gallup) won the 5000 meter
race with a time of 18:39.49. In the 1500 meter dash Anne Fennema and freshman
Libby Howell (Holland/ Holland Christian) finished second and third with times
of 5:03.21 and 5:08.72 respectively.
In the field events, Junior Rachel VanderWiele (Saugatuck/ Holland Christian)
finished behind VanderVliet in sixth in the discus with a distance of 131-2 and
Freshman Leigha Oberle (Grand Rapids/ Grand Rapids Christian) finished eight
with a distance of 129-8. Sophomore Julie Bratt (Lynden, WA/ Lynden Christain)
led the Knights in the long jump with a 16-11 ¼ mark and in the triple jump
with a distance of 34-7 feet. Sophomore Ashley Glover (Grand Rapids/
Northview) threw 131-3 feet in the hammer toss. VanderVliet threw 41-01 in the
shot put to finish second and Glover threw 39.01 to finish fifth. In the pole
vault, freshman Carla Lindemulder (Lansing/ Illiana Christain) marked her
personal best with a height of 10-3 feet. Senior Kristin Kalb (Stow, OH/ Stow
Munroe Falls) finished fourth in the javelin with a distance of 127-03 feet
SOFTBALL
Calvin junior Ruth Diemer has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic
All-District IV second team in softball in the college division.
A native of McBain and a graduate of Northern Michigan McBain Christian High
School, Diemer carries a 3.96 grade point average while majoring in business
administration.
An outfielder, Diemer batted a team-leading .374 at the plate this year,
collecting 34 hits in 91 trips to the plate. She also scored 11 runs and drove
in 15. In addition, she was 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts.
To be eligible for Academic All-District honors, a candidate must meet a
minimum grade point average of 3.20 and must be a starter or an important
reserve. The college division includes schools from the NCAA III, II and NAIA
ranks. District IV includes schools from the states of Michigan, Ohio, Alabama,
Kentucky and Tennessee.
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Wed May 9 23:48:45 2007
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