Calvin Knight Sports Report for May 17, 2013
CALVIN ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF BERE/TIEMERSMA AWARDS
GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan -- Calvin College has announced the 2013 recipients of
its highest honors for men’s and women’s athletics: the Beré Memorial Award
and the Kay Tiemersma Athletic Award.
Dan Kerr of Petoskey, Michigan, is this year's Beré Memorial Award winner
while the women’s side features co-recipients in Lizzie Kamp of Orland Park,
Illinois, and Carissa Verkaik of Holland, Michigan.
The Beré Memorial Award has been presented annually by Calvin since 1951. The
Beré honors the top senior male student-athlete, based on athletic ability,
scholastic rank, character and leadership, and is selected by the school's
varsity coaches, its athletics administrators and its faculty athletic
representatives. It is given in memory of Joe Beré, a Calvin student who was
killed in a 1949 auto accident on his way to watch a Calvin basketball game.
This is the 39th year that Calvin has given the Tiemersma award--presented
annually to the top senior female student-athlete. The award honors Kay
Tiemersma, the first woman physical education teacher in the member schools of
the Christian Schools International organization, and a pioneer in women's
sports. Its presentation is based on athletic ability, scholastic standing,
and character and leadership. The winner is also selected by the school's
varsity coaches, its athletics administrators and its faculty athletic
representatives. This year marks just the fourth time in school history that
the Tiemersma Award has featured co-recipients. Other years with co-recipients
include 1990 (Amber Blankespoor & Stephanie Rhind), 1993 (Becky Konyndyk and
Betsy Wilgenburg) and 2007 (Lisa Winkle and Becky Weima).
DAN KERR
(Dan Kerr Audio Interview:
http://www.calvin.edu/sports/audio/2013/BereTiem/danK.mp3)
A graduate of Petoskey High School, Dan Kerr has been a four-year member of
the Calvin men’s cross country and men’s track and field teams. During his
time at Calvin, Kerr was a four-time first team All-MIAA selection in cross
country, a two-time MIAA MVP in cross country and a two-time All-MIAA selection
in track and field.
In addition, he was an NCAA III Cross Country All-American in 2011, finishing
21st at the NCAA III Championships and later garnered All-America accolades in
track and field, finishing fifth in the 10,000 meters at the 2012 NCAA III
Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
This past fall, Kerr was named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Runner in men’s cross
country for the second straight year after taking first place at the MIAA
Championships. He then landed a spot on the Great Lakes All-Region team for a
third straight year after placing second at the Great Lakes Regional meet. He
later finished 46th individually at the NCAA III Championships in a remarkable
comeback. Early in the race, Kerr tripped and fell to the back of the pack.
Kerr was able to regroup and work his way past nearly 200 runners to finish
just out of the top 35 which would have meant a second straight All-America
berth. His finish helped Calvin place second as a team in the final team
standings. At the conference and regional level, Kerr was a part of four MIAA
and four Great Lakes Regional title teams.
In track and field, Kerr was a member of three MIAA championship teams. He was
the MIAA champion in the 10,000 meters in both 2011 and 2012. He was a national
qualifier for the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2011 and
2012 in the 10,000 meters and also qualified in the 5,000 meters in 2012. He is
currently ranked third nationally in the 10,000 meters with a time of 29.39.99
that he recorded at the Hillsdale Gina Relays last month.
In the classroom, Kerr is set to graduate tomorrow with a degree in exercise
science. A regular member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and Calvin Dean’s
List, Kerr was a first team Capital One Academic All-American in 2012. Next
fall, he plans to attend graduate school at Wake Forest University, pursuing a
master’s degree in exercise science.
Kerr is the son of Ken and Nance Kerr.
LIZZIE KAMP
(Lizzie Kamp Audio Interview:
http://www.calvin.edu/sports/audio/2013/BereTiem/Lizzie.mp3)
A graduate of Chicago Christian High School, Lizzie Kamp has been a four-year
member of the Calvin women’s volleyball team. She is the second member of her
family to receive the Kay Tiemersma Award as her sister Rebecca was Calvin’s
Tiemersma Award recipient last spring.
During Lizzie Kamp’s four-year tenure with the Calvin women’s volleyball team,
the Knights compiled an overall won-loss record of 126-15 that included three
MIAA titles, two regional crowns and one national championship.
As a freshman in 2009, Kamp was named the AVCA Division III Great Lakes
Regional Freshman of the Year and was selected to the AVCA Great Lakes
All-Region team. She also received AVCA Division III Honorable Mention
All-America honors. In 2010, she was a member of the All-MIAA first team, the
Great Lakes All-Region team and a Division III All-America honorable mention
honoree. She also played a key role on Calvin’s team that captured the 2010
NCAA III National Championship.
In 2011, she helped Calvin reached the Great Lakes Regional finals for the
second straight year. She was named to the All-MIAA first team, the Great Lakes
All-Region team and to the AVCA Division III All-America second team. In
addition, she was named a second team Capital One Academic All-American.
As a senior this fall, she was a captain on a Calvin team that advanced all
the way to the NCAA III Championship finals. She was again a first team
All-MIAA selection and the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player. She was then named to
the AVCA Division III Great Lakes All-Region team and was later named to the
AVCA Division III All-America first team. She culminated the season by
receiving AVCA Division III National Player of the Year honors, becoming the
second member of her family to receive the prestigious honor. Her older sister
Rebecca received the same award in 2011. At the NCAA III Finals at Hope
College, Lizzie was named to the all-tournament team.
In addition, she was later named to the Capital One Academic All-America first
team and was named the Division III Capital One Academic All-American of the
Year in women’s volleyball – again, joining her older sister Rebecca who
received the same honors in 2011.
Lizzie Kamp is majoring in accounting and will return to complete her degree
requirements next fall. This summer, she will serve as an intern with the
accounting firm Plante Moran in Chicago. Next fall, she will also serve as a
student assistant coach with the Calvin women’s volleyball team.
Lizzie Kamp is the daughter of Burt and Lori Kamp.
CARISSA VERKAIK
(Carissa Verkaik Audio Interview:
http://www.calvin.edu/sports/audio/2013/BereTiem/Carissa.mp3)
A graduate of Holland Christian High School, Carissa Verkaik has been a
four-year member of the Calvin women’s basketball and women’s track and field
teams.
During her four years at Calvin, Verkaik has been a member of three MIAA
championship teams in women’s basketball and four in women’s track and field
team. Over the course of her four-year Calvin women’s basketball career, the
Knights produced a won-loss record of 100-16. During that run, Calvin captured
MIAA regular season titles in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Knights also advanced to
the NCAA III Tournament four consecutive years (2010-2013) which included a
trip to the national quarterfinals in 2012.
Verkaik was a four-time first team All-MIAA selection in women’s basketball –
one of only three in MIAA women’s basketball history to do so. She was also
named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player four consecutive years, becoming the
first in MIAA women’s basketball history to accomplish the feat. She finished
her career as the MIAA’s career scoring leader with 1,219 points in conference
games. As a freshman in 2010, she established an MIAA single-game scoring
record with 46 points in a win over Adrian.
In overall games, she concluded her Calvin career as the school’s all-time
leader in points (2,236), rebounds (1,071) and blocked shots (440). She is now
currently ranked third on the all-time NCAA III women’s basketball list in
blocked shots and is 14th on the career list in points.
She was a four-time D3hoops.com All-American and was the D3hoops.com Freshman
of the Year in 2010 and the D3hoops.com Player of the Year in 2013. In
addition, she was named the National Player of the Year by Women’s Division III
News in both 2012 and 2013 and was a finalist for the State Farm Division III
National Player of the Year award in 2012 and 2013. She was named a State Farm
Division III All-American by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association in both
2012 and 2013. She was later named the recipient of the prestigious Jostens
Trophy for women’s basketball which honors individuals for achievements in
athletics, academics and in the community.
In track and field, Verkaik has been a three-time MIAA champion in the high
jump and a three-time All-MIAA selection. She has also qualified for the NCAA
III Championships twice in the high jump.
This past Monday night, she was honored as the Michigan Female College Athlete
of the Year by the Detroit Athletic Club.
Verkaik will graduate from Calvin tomorrow with a degree in education. She has
been a consistent member of the Calvin Dean’s List and the MIAA Academic Honor
Roll. In 2012, she was named to the Capital One Academic All-America third team
in women’s basketball. This past March, she was named to the Capital One
Academic All-America first team in women’s basketball and was subsequently
named the Division III Capital One Academic All-American of the Year. Verkaik
is currently pursuing a career in education and may also seek a position in
coaching.
Carissa Verkaik is the daughter of Mike and Dawn Verkaik.
Received on Fri May 17 16:52:43 2013
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.8 : Fri May 17 2013 - 16:52:44 EDT