CSR (Calvin Sending 13 to NCAA III Track and Field Championships)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR May 18,
2008
Calvin Sending 13 to NCAA III Track & Field Championships

The Calvin men's and women's track and field teams will send a combined 13
athletes to the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field championships this weekend.
The Calvin women will send nine individuals while the Calvin men will send
four.

The national meet will be hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The
first day of competition is slated for Thursday, May 22.

The final day of competition will be held on Saturday, May 24.
A year ago, the Calvin women finished second as a team with 44.5 points,
marking its third national runner-up finish in the last four years.

Meanwhile the Calvin men finished 26th with 11 points. The Calvin women have
posted 15 consecutive top-20 national finishes and have seven top-four national
finishes during the span. The Calvin men have posted 11 top-10 national
finishes overall..

Both Calvin track and field teams captured MIAA titles this spring with the
men winning their 15th straight league crown and the women their 19th straight
league title.

A full schedule of this week's NCAA III Track and Field Championships can be
found on the Wisconsin-Oshkosh web site at:.
http://www.titans.uwosh.edu/2008NCAATFChampionships/Schedule.html.

Up-to-date meet results will be posted at: www.Raceberryjam.com.

The following is a biographical breakdown of the 13 individuals that will
represent Calvin at the national meet this week.

Calvin's National Meet Track Teams

Calvin Men

JED CHRISTIANSEN-A junior from Greenville, Pennsylvania (Greenville High
School), Christiansen will be making his third consecutive trip to the NCAA III
Championships in track and field. He will compete in the 10,000 meters where he
is seeded 10th (30:30.89) and in the 5,000 meters where he is seeded 15th
(14:33.30). A year ago, Christiansen took 14th in the 5,000 meters. In 2006,
he was 16th in the 10,000 meters and 10th in the 5,000 meters. Christiansen was
the MIAA champion in the 5,000 meters this spring and earned a spot on the
All-MIAA track and field team for the third straight year.

JARED COK-A senior from Bozeman, Montana (Manhattan Christian High School),
Cok is making his second trip to the NCAA III Championships including his first
as an individual. As a sophomore in 2006, he was part of Calvin’s 4x400 meter
relay team that qualified for the national meet. A member of the All-MIAA track
and field team this spring, Cok will compete in the 400 meters where he is
seeded 10th (48.00).

RYAN JENSEN-A senior from Grand Rapids (Northview High School), Jensen will be
making his first trip to the national meet. The MIAA’s Most Outstanding Field
Event Performer this spring, Jensen will compete in the hammer throw where he
is seeded 11th (179-2). Jensen holds the Calvin record in the hammer throw and
has broken the record three times this spring.

NATE DEHAAN-A junior from Byron Center (South Christian High School), DeHaan
will be making his first trip to the national meet. DeHaan will compete in the
3,000 meter steeplechase where he is seeded fourth (9:10.49). DeHaan was the
MIAA champion in the steeplechase earlier this month and was a member of the
All-MIAA track and field team.

Calvin Women

LAUREN BERGSTROM-A junior from Rochester, Minnesota (Century High School),
Bergstrom is making her third straight trip to the NCAA III Championships. She
will compete in the 800 meters and 1500 meters and is qualified as a member of
Calvin’s 4x400 meter relay team. Bergstrom is seeded fourth in the 800 meters
(2:10.22) and fourth in the 1500 meters (4:31.04). Earlier this month,
Bergstrom was the MIAA champion in both events and landed a spot on the
All-MIAA team for the second straight year.

JULIE BRATT - A junior from Lynden, Washington (Lynden Christian High School),
Bratt is making her first trip to the NCAA III Championships. The MIAA’s Most
Outstanding Field Event Performer, Bratt will compete in the triple jump where
she is seeded 18th (37-10 ¾). Bratt is the Calvin record holder in the triple
jump and has reset the record twice this spring. At the MIAA Championships, she
claimed league titles in the long jump and triple jump and was named to the
All-MIAA team for the third straight year.

RACHEL BOERNER-A freshman from Bergenfield, New Jersey (Hillcrest Lutheran
Academy), Boerner is making her first trip to the NCAA III Championships and
will serve as a member on Calvin's 4x400 meter relay team. Calvin’s 4x400
meter relay team is seeded sixth with a time of 3:50.43.
 
HEATHER KONING-A sophomore from Kalamazoo (Kalamazoo Christian High School),
Koning is making her second straight trip to the NCAA III Championships and
will compete in the 400 meters where she is seeded 11th (56.84) and as a member
of Calvin's 4x400 meter relay team. A year ago, Koning was a part of Calvin’s
All-America 4x400 meter relay team. She will be competing as an individual in
the 400 meters for the first time. At the MIAA Championships this month, Koning
captured a league title in the 400 meters and was named to the All-MIAA team.

KRISTEN VAN SICKEL-A junior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Trinity Christian
High School), Van Sickel will compete as a member of Calvin’s 4x400 meter
relay team this week. Earlier this month, she was the MIAA runner-up in the 400
meters and was named to the All-MIAA team.

JESSICA KOSTER-A freshman from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian High
School), Koster is making her first trip to the NCAA III Championships. She
will compete in the 10,000 meters where she is seeded 13th (36:12.78). At the
MIAA Championships this month, Koster was the league champion in the 5,000
meters and was named to the All-MIAA team.

CHRISTINA OVERBECK-A senior from Seattle, Washington (Bellevue Christian High
School), Overbeck will be making her third straight trip to the NCAA III
Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Overbeck will compete in the 10,000
meters where she is seeded fifth (35:45.47) and in the 5,000 meters where she
is seeded 11th (17:17.40). A year ago, Overbeck took home All-America honors in
the 10,000 meters with a fifth place finish. Earlier this spring, Overbeck took
the MIAA title in the 10,000 meters with an MIAA record time and was named to
the All-MIAA team for a third straight year.

ELIZABETH SMIT - A sophomore from Kirkland, Washington (Bellevue Christian
High School), Smit will be making her first trip to the NCAA III Track and
Field Championships. She will compete in the 3,000 meter steeplechase where she
is seeded 14th (10:50.10). Smit was the MIAA runner-up in the steeplechase this
spring and was named to the All-MIAA team.

SARAH WITTINGEN-A senior from East Grand Rapids (East Grand Rapids High
School), Wittingen is making her fourth straight trip to the NCAA III
Championships. A seven-time All-American, Wittingen will be competing in the
100 meter hurdles where she is seeded 10th (14.47) and in the 400 meter hurdles
where she is the nation’s top seed (60.26). She will also compete as a member
of Calvin’s 4x400 meter relay team. Earlier this month, Wittingen was named
the MIAA’s Most Outstanding Runner for the third straight year after
capturing league titles in the 100 meter and 400 meter hurdles. At the NCAA III
Championships last May, Wittingen was seventh in the 100 meter hurdles and
second in the 400 meter hurdles with her time of 59.96 in the 400 meter hurdles
a school record.

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Mon May 19 00:04:34 2008