CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 20, 2010
Women's Swimming & Diving Places 24th at NCAA III Championships
Carissa Verkaik Named Division III Freshman of the Year by d3hoops.com
John Mantel Competes in NABC Division III All-Star Game
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- The Calvin women's swimming and diving team added two more
honorable mention All-America berths Saturday night at the NCAA III
Championships to finish in 24th place with 43 points. Both honorable mention
All-America selections came in the 200 breaststroke with freshman Elizabeth
Counsell (Indianapolis, IN) taking 11th in the consolation finals with a
career-best time of 2:20.83 while senior Maggie Vail (Portage Northern HS) was
15th in a time of 2:23.33.
Also competing in the 200 breaststroke but not advancing out of Saturday's
prelims was senior Emily Roberts (DeKalb, IL) who was 26th (2:25.39). Junior
Monica Bressler (Sandusky, OH) also competed in the 200 backstroke and although
she did not advance to the evening finals, she recorded a career-best time of
2:08.73.
In the women's three-meter diving competition, senior Casey Herman
(Libertvyille, IL) made a strong bid to advance to the evening finals but just
missed, placing one spot out of the final group of 16 with a 17th place score
of 383.20, missing 16th place by half of a point.
Calvin's 400 freestyle relay of Bressler, Vail, freshman Kristen Kinzer (Fort
Wayne, IN) and Roberts competed in the morning prelims and recorded a time of
3:38.70 but did not advance.
"We had a lot of ups and downs this year, more than we have had a a national
meet in quite some time but the one thing that I have to say about our women is
that they never quit," said Calvin head swim coach Dan Gelderloos. "In a
four-day meet, it would be easy to pack it in when things aren't going well
early but that was never the case with this group."
Gelderloos also offered words of praise for his competing seniors. "I have
nothing but wonderful things to say about Casey Herman, Joy Leach, Emily
Roberts and Maggie Vail," said Gelderloos. "They have been huge parts of our
success during their careers. They have been a part of four MIAA Championship
team and three teams that finished in the top 10 nationally and Maggie, Casey
and Emily have all been All-Americans individually. We will miss them very much
and I want to thank them for their efforts over the last four years."
On the men's side Saturday, freshman Mark Rushlow (Goshen, IN) competed in the
100 freestyle prelims but did not advance. Rushlow recorded a time of 47.18
that was good for 42nd place. During the meet, Rushlow competed in the 100
butterfly and 200 butterfly.
"For his first time ever, Mark had a really solid national meet," said
Gelderloos. "He had a career-best time in the 200 butterfly and solid swims in
the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. This will be an experience that he will
build off and so will our men's program. We're hoping to advance more
individuals to the men's meet this year and if Mark's performance this year is
any indication, we'll do just that."
Kenyon captured the men's national title with a first place point total of 696
points. Kalamazoo represented the MIAA well on the men's side, placing fourth
with 244 points. On the women's side, Emory took the national title with a
final four-day total of 568.5 points.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Calvin College freshman Carissa Verkaik has been named the Division III
Freshman of the Year in women's basketball by d3hoops.com. The award was
announced shortly before the tipoff of Saturday's NCAA III Championship final
between Hope and Washington University (MO). Verkaik's honor gave the MIAA a
clean sweep of the top two playing awards annoucned by d3hoops.com as Hope
junior Carrie Snikkers was named the Division III Player of the Year by
d3hoops.com.
A native of Holland and a graduate of Holland Christian High School, Verkaik
has also been named to the d3hoops.com All-America third team announced today.
Earlier this week, Verkaik was named the Great Lakes Region Freshman of the
Year earlier this week by d3hoops.com. She joins Lisa Winkle (2006 honorable
mention, 2007 third team) as the only d3hoops.com All-Americans in Calvin
women's basketball history.
Verkaik recently concluded a record-setting freshman campaign. During the
2009-10 season, Verkaik scored 46 points in a 93-77 win over Adrian,
establishing a Calvin and MIAA single-game record in the process. The point
total is the highest single-game total in NCAA III women’s basketball this
spring. Verkaik also established an MIAA single-season record for
blocks-per-game average, blocking 60 shots in 16 league games for an average of
3.75 blocks-per-contest.
Over the course of the entire season, Verkaik averaged 18.1 points, 9.4
rebounds, 3.4 blocks and 1.5 assists per game. She connected on 56.9 percent of
her field goal attempts, 82.4 percent of her free throw attempts and 45.8
percent (11 of 24) of her three-point field goal attempts.
Verkaik was a two-time d3hoops.com Team of the Week selection during the
season and was named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player and selected to the
All-MIAA first team. Calvin finished the year with an overall record of 24-5.
The Knights were 14-2 in league play, good for second place in conference play.
The Knights also earned a bid to the NCAA III Tournament - their 12th overall.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Calvin College senior John Mantel suited up in a Calvin men's basketball
uniform one final time Saturday morning in Salem, Virginia. Mantel was a member
of the West Division division in the first-ever NABC Division III All-Star
game. The game was played prior to the NCAA III Men's Basketball Championship
game in Salem on Saturday. The East Team edged the West Team 109-107 in
overtime. Mantel finished the game with seven points and five rebounds. He was
also credited with two steals. In 20 minutes of action, Mantel was 3 for 8 from
field and 1 of 2 from three-point range. The Chelsea native started for the
East time at the beginning of regulation and in overtime.
"It was a ton of fun," said Mantel late Saturday evening. "I'm really glad I
had the opportunity to play. It was awesome to play in a great with a bunchof
great players and have a chance to get to know them a little bit."
Mantel flew into Salem Thursday night and was present to watch both semifinal
games Friday night and the championship game Saturday afternoon won by
Wisconsin-Steven Point 78-73 over Williams (MA). "Watching the games was a lot
of fun," said Mantel. "It was a great championship game this afternoon. Stevens
Point played great defense and the semifinal game last night between Williams
and Guilford (NC) was one of the best games I have ever seen in person."
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