CSR (Verkaik Named MIAA MVP in Women's Basketball - Van Eck, Verkaik, Mantel and Veltema Receive All-MIAA Honors)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 1, 2010 (PART TWO)

Carissa Verkaik Named Most Valuable Player in Women's Basketball;
Calvin Basketball Players Receive All-MIAA Honors
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

For the first time in the history of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic
Association, a freshman has been named the Most Valuable Player in women's
basketball.

Calvin freshman Carissa Verkaik was so honored on Monday afternoon by the
MIAA. She is the seventh individual in Calvin women’s basketball history to be
named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player. Verkaik was also named to the All-MIAA
first team.
 
A native of Holland and a graduate of Holland Christian High School, Verkaik
captured the 2010 MIAA scoring title this season, averaging 18.5 points a game.
In a 93-77 victory over Adrian on February 17, she established a new MIAA
single-game record for points with 46 points on 18 of 20 field goal shooting.
 
She also established an MIAA single-season record for blocked shots per-game
average, swatting an average of 3.75 shots per contest, breaking the previous
record of 2.9.
 
During the season, Verkaik was a three-time MIAA Player of the Week and was
recently named to the d3hoops.com National Team of the Week for the second time
this year.
 
Verkaik is the seventh student-athlete from Calvin to receive MIAA Most
Valuable Player honors this year. Other MVP recipients from Calvin this year
include Greg Snapper (men’s soccer), Emily Ottenhoff (women’s soccer), Rebecca
Kamp (volleyball), Jessica Koster (women’s cross country), Nick Kramer (men’s
cross country) and Maggie Vail (women’s swimming).
 
Verkaik is joined on the All-MIAA women’s basketball first team by Calvin
teammate Brook Van Eck. A senior forward, Van Eck hails from Lowell. She is a
graduate of Lowell High School.
 
Van Eck is making her second consecutive appearance on the All-MIAA first
team. In conference play, Van Eck averaged 10.9 points a game to rank 11th in
the MIAA scoring race. She also led the MIAA in free throw percentage with an
88.5 percent clip.
 
The Calvin women’s basketball team finished in second place in the MIAA
standings with a 14-2 conference race. The Knights are currently 24-4 overall
and will compete in a first round NCAA III Tournament game on Friday when they
face the Green Knights of St. Nobert College. Friday’s game at St. Nobert in
DePere, Wisconsin, is set to begin at 8:30 p.m.
 
MEN’S BASKETBALL
 
The All-MIAA men’s basketball teams have been announced and Calvin seniors
John Mantel and Matt Veltema have both been selected to the All-MIAA first
team. Mantel is making his second straight appearance on the All-MIAA first
team while Veltema is making his first appearance.
 
Mantel is from Chelsea and is a graduate of Chelsea High School. In conference
play this year, Mantel finished ninth in the MIAA in scoring (13.1 ppg), third
in rebounding (7.8 rpg) and ninth in blocked shots per game (1.07). He was
named MIAA Player of the Week once.
 
During the year, Mantel became the 19th player in Calvin men’s basketball
history to reach the 1,000 point plateau. He finished his career last weekend
ranked 12th on the Calvin career scoring list with 1,263 points. In his final
collegiate game last Saturday night against Hope, Mantel scored a career-high
29 points.
 
Veltema is from Grandville and is a graduate of Grandville Calvin Christian
High School.
 
Veltema ranked as not only one of the MIAA’s top three-point and free throw
shooters, but also one of the finest in the NCAA this year. In conference play,
Veltema led the MIAA in three-point field goal shooting (.479) and in free
throw shooting (.938). In overall games, Veltema is currently ranked second
nationally in free throw percentage and fourth in three-point field goal
percentage.
 
Veltema finished the season with a 92.0 percent free throw clip, matching the
Calvin single-season record originally set by Greg Broene during the 1973-74
season. In overall games this year, Veltema was 80 of 87 from the free throw
line and during one stretch, connected on 35 consecutive free throws in MIAA
play.
 
This past weekend, Veltema became the 20th player in Calvin men’s basketball
history to reach the 1,000 point plateau. Veltema finished his career with
1,019 points, ranking 18th on the Calvin career scoring list.
 
Calvin concluded its 2009-10 season with an overall record of 19-9 which
included its second consecutive outright MIAA regular season title with a 12-2
conference mark.
 
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Last night, the Calvin Weekend Sports Roundup reported that the Calvin men’s
track and field team took second at Trine’s MIAA Invitational with 109.5
points. The final point total was incorrect as the 5,000 meters were not
factored into the final point total. In fact, the Calvin men’s track and field
team finished in first place at the invitational with 139.5 points, 29.5 points
ahead of Hope.
 
Below are the final team scores:
 
Men’s Scores

Calvin 139.5
Hope 110
Adrian 94.5
Albion 79
Trine 78
Alma 48
Olivet 18

Women’s Scores

Calvin 199
Hope 127
Albion 90
Adrian 80
Alma 70
Trine 40
Olivet 10
Received on Mon Mar 1 23:47:51 2010