CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR FEB. 22, 2013
Men's Cross Country Team Named Division III Men's Scholar Team of Year -
Women's Cross Country Team Also Honored/All-MIAA Swimming and Diving Teams
Announced
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
NEW ORLEANS – The Knights of Calvin College are the USTFCCCA NCAA Division III
Men’s Scholar Team of the Year for the 2012 cross country season as announced
by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Calvin took runner-up honors at the NCAA Cross Country Championship title this
fall.
Scholar Teams of the year are determined from among those who earned
All-Academic status and placed highest as a team at the most recent NCAA
Championships.
Calvin College, coached by Brian Diemer, has earned a 3.47 cumulative grade
point average through the fall semester of 2012. The Knights finished in a tie
for second as a team at the NCAA Championships with Haverford, but were able to
claim Scholar Team of the Year honors by a slim .027 margin between the two
schools’ cumulative team grade point averages.
The Knights came close to claiming the NCAA team title, finishing runner-up in
a tie with Haverford with 188 points behind champion North Central (Ill.)’s 167
points. A pair of senior runners earned USTFCCCA All-America honors for Calvin
in Nick Kramer (26th) and Dan Kerr (46th).
Past Winners
2012: Calvin
2011: Haverford
2010: Haverford
2009: Williams
2008: Williams
2007: Haverford
2006: Calvin
162 Earn All-Academic Status
In addition to the Scholar Team of the Year, the USTFCCCA also announced those
men who earned 2012 Division III All-Academic Cross Country status.
A total of 162 student-athletes represent the 85 institutions that compose the
group. Calvin led all teams in both genders and all divisions with seven named
to the All-Academic list. Pomona-Pitzer and UW-La Crosse followed among DIII
men’s squads with five. The UAA picked up the most nods among conferences with
16. The SCIAC was second-most among conferences with 15.
Twelve of the top 25 finishers from the NCAA Cross Country Championships in
the fall earned All-Academic honors. Seven on the All-Academic list reported
cumulative GPAs of 4.0 through the fall semester.
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 or
greater through the most-recent semester and placed in the top 35 at the NCAA
Regional Championships.
All seven of Calvin's individuals thast competed at the NCAA III Cross Country
Championships received individual all-academic honors. Those seven individuals
from Calvin are senior Job Christiansen (New Ipswich, NH/Mascenic Regional HS),
junior Sam Kerk (Hartland, Wisc./Lake Country Lutheran HS), senior Dan Kerr
(Petoskey/Petoskey HS), senior Nick Kramer (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian HS),
senior David VandeBunte (Byron Center/Byron Center HS), senior Matt VanderRoest
(Ann Arbor/Ann Arbor Huron HS) and senior Greg Whittle (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg
HS).
WOMEN'S TEAM ALSO CLAIMS HONORS
The Calvin women's cross country team also claimed USTFCCA All-Academic
Honors. The Knights posted a 3.52 grade point average. At the NCAA III
Championships, Calvin finished 18th as a team.
In addition, Calvin had three individuals receive USTFCCCA All-Academic
honors. 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 or
greater through the most-recent semester and placed in the top 35 at the NCAA
Regional Championships. Those three individuals were senior Alyssa Penning
(Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS), junior Nicole Michmerhuizen
(Holland/Holland Christian HS) and sophomore Kate Ardinger (Elmhurst,
IL/Timothy Christian HS).
The Calvin women's team has now recorded USTFCCCA Team All-Academic honors
since 1987.
WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
By Mark DeHaan
The Calvin women's swim and dive team saw seven members earn All-MIAA honors
en route to its ninth straight MIAA Championship.
Knights named to the team include seniors Samantha Klaasen, Elizabeth
Counsell, and Kristy Kinzer, sophomores Erika Waugh and Kathryn Wrobel, and
freshmen Michaela Rookus and Sarah Roth.
Klaasen (Holland, MI/Holland Christian HS) was the most valuable diver at this
year's MIAA Championships. The 2013 swim championships marked Klaasen's third
straight year as an All-MIAA selection and third straight year as the MIAA most
valuable diver. Klaasen won the one-meter board with a score of 451.15, her
third straight year placing first in the event, and the three-meter board with
a
score of 458.35, taking first for the second time in three years.
Counsell (Indianapolis, IN/Heritage Christian HS) was one of just three
swimmers to be named All-MIAA for her fourth straight year at this year's MIAA
Championships. Counsell placed first individually in both the 100 breaststroke
and 200 breaststroke, earning national B-Cut times in both events, and as part
of a relay in the 400 medley relay, 200 medley relay, and 800 freestyle relay.
Counsell won the two breaststroke events for the third consecutive year.
Counsell's five overall first place finishes tied her for the most with Hope's
Libby Westrate, who was named the MIAA's most valuable swimmer.
Kinzer (Fort Wayne, IN/Homestead HS) is being named All-MIAA for the first
time in her career.
Kinzer swam legs in the winning 200 medley and 400 medley relays for the
Knights. The Calvin 200 medley relay team set an MIAA record while earning a
national B-Cut qualifying time in 1:45.84. Individually, Kinzer earned points
for the Knights by placing second in the 100 backstroke and fifth in both the
100 butterfly and 200 backstroke.
Waugh (Berne, IN/South Adams HS) is on the All-MIAA team for her second
consecutive year. Waugh provided strong depth throughout the Championship meet
for the Knights. Waugh earned fourth place in the 200 backstroke, fifth place
in the 100 backstroke, and tenth in the 500 freestyle. In the prelims for the
200 backstroke, Waugh swam to a national B-Cut qualifying time of 2:06.77.
Wrobel (Arden Hills, MN/Mounds View HS) also earned her second consecutive
All-MIAA selection. Wrobel was part of Calvin's winning 800 freestyle relay
team while tying for first in the 500 freestyle in a time of 5:00.07. Wrobel's
500 free earned her a national B-cut qualifying time. Wrobel also earned B-Cut
times in a pair of second place finishes in the 200 freestyle (1:53.78) and
1650 freestyle (17:30.81). Wrobel's 1650 freestyle swim broke Calvin's previous
record by half a second, set in 2009 by Laura Price.
Rookus (Hudsonville, MI/Hudsonville) is being named All-MIAA in her first
collegiate season. Rookus placed first in the 200 individual medley and as part
of a relay in the 800 freestyle, 400 medley, and 200 medley relays. Rookus's
200 IM time of 2:06.60 beat her nearest competitor by over three seconds while
making a national B-Cut qualifying time. In the 100 yard breaststroke, Rookus
finished second behind teammate Elizabeth Counsell, earning a B-Cut time of
1:05.05. Rookus also placed second in the 100 yard freestyle.
Roth (Brighton, MI/Brighton) is Calvin's second diver to make the All-MIAA
team. Roth finished third in the one-meter board with a score of 395.85 and
fourth in the three-meter with a score of 340.00.
Calvin continued its championship streak by earning 802.5 points over the MIAA
Championships, defeating second-place Hope by 38 points. The Knights have now
earned nine straight MIAA Championships and 11 in the last 13 years.
MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
By Mark DeHaan
Five Knights earned All-MIAA honors at last weekend's MIAA Championships.
Calvin earned its highest finish in over twenty years by placing second behind
repeat champion Kalamazoo.
Senior Mark Rushlow, junior Andrew Mitchell, sophomore Travis Vincent, and
freshmen Caleb Meindertsma and Johnson Cochran were each named to the All-MIAA
team.
Rushlow (Goshen, IN/Middlebury Northridge HS) was named All-MIAA for the third
time in his career. Rushlow was the third leg in the first place 400 medley
relay team for Calvin, which earned a national B-Cut qualifying time in
3:22.77. Rushlow also swam strong as an individual, taking first in the 100
butterfly in a B-Cut time of 49.96, fourth in the 100 freestyle, and seventh in
the 100 backstroke.
Mitchell (Iron Mountain, MI/Kingsford HS) is being honored for the first time
in his career. Mitchell was also part of Calvin's winning 400 medley relay
team. Mitchell was the first leg of both the Calvin 800 freestyle relay team
and 400 freestyle relay team, each of which took second overall. Individually,
Mitchell took second in the 100 backstroke, third in the 200 backstroke and
sixth in the 50 freestyle.
Vincent (Novi, MI/Novi) is making his second appearance in as many years on
the All-MIAA team. Vincent finished third in the 200 individual medley. He also
took third in the 400 IM and fourth in the 200 breaststroke. As the second leg
of the 400 medley relay team, Vincent aided Calvin to a third place finish and
a national B-Cut qualifying time of 3:22.77.
Meindertsma (Annandale, VA/Trinity Christian HS) grabbed All-MIAA honors in
his first collegiate season. Meindertsma took first in the 1650 freestyle,
breaking his own record by over ten seconds at the MIAA Championships with a
national B-Cut qualifying time of 16:06.12. Meindertsma also finished second in
the 400 individual medley and fourth in the 500 freestyle.
Cochran (Mount Vernon, OH/Mount Vernon HS) also earned All-MIAA honors in his
first collegiate season. At the MIAA Championships, Cochran broke a pair of
Calvin records while also earning national B-Cut qualifying times in the 100
and 200 breaststroke. In the 100 breakstroke, Cochran swam to a time of 57.20
for a third place finish, breaking Greg Gorham's record of 57.73 set in 2011.
In the 200, Cochran broke teammate Travis Vincent's record of 2:07.07 by almost
two seconds, swimming in 2:05.09, good for third place. Cochran was also the
second leg of Calvin's 400 medley relay team which placed first.
With a second place finish and a point total of 666 points, the Knights topped
their previous point record of 635 set in their fourth place finish last year.
Received on Fri Feb 22 16:18:56 2013
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