CSR (Rebecca Kamp & Kelsey Sears Named VBall All-Americans/Allison Boender Named Academic All-American)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR November 18, 2009

Rebecca Kamp & Kelsey Sears Named AVCA Division III All-Americans;
Allison Boender Named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in Women's Soccer;

VOLLEYBALL

Two members of the Calvin women's volleyball team have been named Division III All-Americans by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Sophomore middle-hitter Rebecca Kamp has been named a first team All-American while senior libero Kelsey Sears has been named a third team All-American.

A native of Orland Park, Illinois, Kamp is receiving first team All-America honors for the second straight year. A graduate of Chicago Christian High School, Kamp was a two-time MIAA Player of the Week, a first team All-MIAA selection and a Great Lakes All-Region choice this fall. She was also named to all-tournament teams at invitationals hosted by Ohio Northern, Wittenberg and Elmhurst. In addition, she was named to all-regional tournament team this past weekend at an NCAA III Regional hosted by Hope College

On the year, Kamp compiled a .337 hitting percentage while averaging 4.14 kills, 1.91 digs and 1.22 blocks-per-set. She also record 50 service aces for an average of 0.42 service aces-per-set. In the most recent set of NCAA III statistics, she was ranked 17th nationally in blocks-per-set, 18th in kills-per-set and 35th in hitting percentage.

Sears is receiving All-America accolades for the first time. She is a native of Traverse City and a graduate of Traverse City West High School. A two-year starter at libero for the Knights, Sears was a two-time MIAA Specialty Player of the Week this fall and was named to the All-MIAA first team for the second straight year. She was also named to all-tournament teams at invitationals hosted by Ohio Northern and Wittenberg. Last week, she was named to the Great Lakes All-Region team. Over the course of the season, Sears compiled 581 digs in 118 sets for an average of 4.92 digs-per-set. She also recorded 34 service aces.

In addition, freshman middle-hitter Lizzie Kamp has received honorable mention All-America recognition. Also a native of Orland Park, Illinois, Lizzie Kamp was named the Great Lakes Regional Freshman of the Year and landed a spot on the Great Lakes All-Region team. She finished the year with a hitting percentage of 2.76 and an average of 2.56 kills-per-set.

As a team, Calvin finished the 2009 season with an overall record of 28-7 which included an MIAA Tournament title and a trip to the NCAA III Tournament with the Knights reaching the second round before bowing to Hope last Friday night.

CALVIN COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL ALL-AMERICANS

1985 Julie Dykstra
1986 Julie Dykstra, Leah Calsbeek, Roxanne Helmus
1997 Erika Van Stralen
1999 Rhonda Volkers
2006 Kristen Kalb & Molly Krikke
2007 Molly Krikke & Katie Zondervan
2008 Rebecca Kamp
2009 Kelsey Sears & Rebecca Kamp

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Calvin College senior Allison Boender has been named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in women's soccer. The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American teams are voted on by the College Sports Information Director's Associatin of America (CoSIDA).

A native of Grandville and a graduate of Grandville Calvin Christian High School, Boender has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America third team in women's soccer in the college division. The college division includes NCAA II and III schools as well as NAIA institutions.

A three-year starter on the defensive backline for Calvin, Boender is the first Academic All-American in women's soccer at Calvin since Cara Jansen, also a defender, received the award in both 1998 and 1999.

This fall, Boender was named to the All-MIAA first team for the second straight year as she was part of a Calvin defense that allowed only three goals against MIAA competition. She has also been a key component of a Calvin defense that has allowed only nine goals all year and is ranked 15th nationally in goals-against-average (0.494) and 19th in shutout percentage (.667) as the Knights have 13 shutouts this fall. She has also scored one goal, despite playing on the defensive backline.

Boender is part of a Calvin women's soccer team that captured the 2009 MIAA title and is currently 15-4-1 overall and still alive in the NCAA III Tournament as the Knights are scheduled to compete in a national semi-quarterfinal game at Augustana College (IL) this weekend.

In the classroom, Boender carries a 3.90 grade point average while majoring in nursing. She is a three-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a six-time member of the Calvin Dean's List.

Calvin has now had its athletes receive ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America accolades 81 times including 50 times in the last 12 years.
Received on Wed Nov 18 00:10:57 2009