CSR (Schuster & Verkaik Receive MIAA Player of the Week Honors/Calvin Tied With Hope for Commissioner's Cup Lead)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 22, 2010
 
Schuster & Verkaik Receive MIAA Player of the Week Honors;
Calvin Tied With Hope for MIAA Commissioner's Cup Standings
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL
 
For the first time in his collegiate career, Calvin College junior Brent
Schuster has received MIAA Player of the Week honors in men's basketball. A
native of Denver, Colorado, Schuster shares this week's award with Albion's
J.C. Cruse.
 
A graduate of Denver Christian High School, Schuster averaged 15.0 points and
5.5 rebounds per game off the bench. Schuster scored 12 points in Wednesday's
78-66 win over Albion and 18 points in Saturday's 78-73 overtime win over Alma.
In the win over Alma, Schuster hit a pair of game-tying free throws with six
seconds left in regulation and then scored the first five points of overtime.
The victory over Alma allowed Calvin to capture its second consecutive
outright MIAA title including its 29th MIAA crown overall as the Knights
finished 12-2 in league play.
On the week, Schuster was 11 of 13 (.846) from the floor, 6-8 from three-point
range (.750) and 2 of 2 from the free throw line. He was also credited with
three blocked shots and one steal.
In conference play, Schuster finished second in the MIAA in blocked shots with
28 blocks in 14 league games for an average of 2.0 blocks-per-contest.
Calvin will host Alma in a first round MIAA Tournament game Wednesday at 7:30
p.m. at Van Noord Arena.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
 
For the third time this year, Calvin College freshman Carissa Verkaik has been
named MIAA Player of the Week in women's basketball. A native of Holland and a
graduate of Holland Christian High School, Verkaik established an MIAA
single-game scoring record Wednesday as she scored 46 points in leading the
Knights to a 93-77 victory over Adrian. The previous single-game record had
been 42 points, set by Hopes Kari Nysse against Albion in 1996.
 
Verkaik also set another MIAA single-game record with 18 field goals, breaking
the previous mark of 17 set by Calvins Eileen Boonstra in 1980 and matched two
years later by Laura Knapp of Adrian.
Verkaik added 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots Saturday as
Calvin defeated Alma, 65-62. For the week, she made 24 of 31 shots (77 percent)
from the field and 13 of 15 (87 percent) from the free-throw line.
Verkaik finished the MIAA conference season with 60 blocked shots for a new
MIAA record average of 3.75 blocks-per-game. She also captured the MIAA scoring
title with 296 points for an average of 18.5 points a game. In doing so,
Verkaik became the first MIAA scoring champion from Calvin since Robyn Fennema
did so during the 1999-2000 season.

Calvin returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts Olivet in a first round MIAA
tournament game at Van Noord Arena at 7:30 p.m.
MIAA COMMISSIONER'S CUP UPDATE
The MIAA Commissioner's Cup standings through the recently completed MIAA
winter sports season have been released and Calvin and Hope are tied for first
place with 136 points. The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the
cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men
and women.
• The final Commissioner’s Cup standings is determined on the basis of each
college's best standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine
sports for women. The tabulation through the winter season is based on 5-of-6
sports for men and 5-of-6 sports for women.
• Hope won the 2008-09 Commissioner’s Cup.
• The Commissioner’s Cup (All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35.
Hope has won the award 31 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9
& Alma 5.
In the women's all-sports standings, Calvin is in first place with 76 points
four points ahead of Hope. In the men's all-sports standings, Hope holds a
four-point lead with 64 points to Calvin's 60 points.

Overall Standings: 1. Calvin 136. 1. Hope 136. 3. Albion 83. 4. Adrian 73. 5.
Kalamazoo 67. 6. Olivet 64. 7. Alma 62. 8. Trine 61.
Men's All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 64. 2. Calvin 60. 3. Albion 44. 4. Adrian
37. 5. Olivet 33. 6. Kalamazoo 32. 6. Trine 32. 8. Alma 21.
Women's All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 76. 2. Hope 72. 3. Saint Mary’s 46. 4.
Alma 41. 5. Albion 39. 6. Adrian 36. 7. Kalamazoo 35. 8. Olivet 31. 9. Trine
29.
Received on Mon Feb 22 20:29:31 2010