CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR July 9, 2009
Calvin Track and Field Athletes Receive Academic Honors From USTFCCCA
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
The Calvin men's and women's track and field teams have again achieved
academic and athletic excellence.
For the ninth straight year, the Calvin women’s track and field team has
received the all-academic team award from the United States Track and Field
Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Calvin men's track and field
team has also received the award.
Teams were eligible for the for honor if they had a minimum of 14 members who
participated in the 2008 outdoor season and recorded a minimum 3.00 (4.00
scale) cumulative grade point average as a group. The Calvin women's track and
field team posted a 3.594 cumulative grade point average, ranking fifth among
100 teams that were so honored. The Calvin men's track and field team posted a
3.238. Both Calvin teams were coached by Dr. Jong-il Kim.
In addition, 18 Calvin track and field athletes have received individual
all-academic accolades from the USTFCCCA. To qualify for the USTFCCCA
All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a
cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and have met the NCAA Division III
Indoor or Outdoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard in their
respective event.
Of the 13 Calvin athletes, five are from the men’s team and 13 are from the
women’s team. Calvin's 13 berths on the women's team leads all NCAA III
schools followed by Wartburg and Wisconsin-LaCrosse with 12 student-athletes on
the list.
Individuals from the Calvin men's track and field team that received
all-academic recognition were seniors Jed Christiansen (Greenville,
PA/Greenville HS), Jared Cok (Bozemant, MT/Manhattan Christian HS), Erik
VanKampen (Elmhurst, IL/Timothy Christian HS), Nate DeHaan (Byron Center/South
Christian HS) and junior Aaron Goodman (Milwaukee, WI/Wisconsin Lutheran HS).
At the NCAA III Track and Field Championships this past May, Christiansen was
an All-American in the 10,000 meters with a fourth place finish and in the
5,000 meters with an eighth place finish. Christiansen also placed third in the
5,000 meter run at the indoor national meet. DeHaan was an All-American with a
sixth place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.
On the women's side, Calvin individuals that earned the award include seniors
Sarah Wittingen (East Grand Rapids/East Grand Rapids HS), Julie Bratt (Lynden,
WA/Lynden Christian HS), Kristen VanSickel (Pittsburgh, PA/Trinity Christian
HS), Anne Fennema (Brookfield, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran HS), juniors Heather
Koning (Kalamazoo/Kalamazoo Christian HS), Gretchen Braymer (Erie,
PA/Collegiate Academy), Sarah Dugan (Freeland/Freeland HS), Nicole Farr
(Wheaton, IL/Warrenville HS), Jessica Koster (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids
Christian HS), Joy Leach (Charlottsville, VA/Charlottsville HS), sophomores
Rachel Boerner (Bergenfield, NJ/Hillcrest Lutheran Academy) and Alison Tuuk
(Grand Rapis/Grand Rapids Christian HS) and freshman Kelly Veldkamp (Grand
Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS).
Six of the 13 individuals picked up All-America honors at either the NCAA III
Indoor or Outdoor Track and Field Championships this year. Wittingen, Boerner
and Van Sickel were members of Calvin's All-America 4x400 meter relay team at
the indoor nationals as was Koning. Koning and Farr were members of Calvin's
All-America distance medley relay team at the indoor national meet. Boerner
later took second in the 400 meter hurdles at the outdoor national meet while
Koster was an All-American with a fifth place finish in the 10,000 meter run.
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Thu Jul 9 13:07:27 2009
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