CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MAY 18, 2013
Track and Field Athletes Compete at Last-Chance Meets - Await NCAA III Field
Announcement; Brian Diemer Receives Great Lakes Regional Men's Track and Field
Assistant Coach of the Year Honors
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
Calvin's track and field athletes received their final opportunities to
improve their performances for NCAA III Championship qualification at
last-chance meets this weekend in the state of Illinois.
At the Gregory Invitational Friday night, sophomore Steven Haagsma
(Grandville/Calvin Christian HS) highlighted the meet for Calvin by placing
third in the 3,000 meter steeplechase with a career-best time of 9:08.16. The
time was a career-best by nearly five seconds and marked the fourth straight
steeplechase that he has run a personal-best. His time places him 18th on the
national list and should lock him into a qualifying spot for the NCAA III Track
and Field Championships next week at the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse. If
Haagsma qualifies, it will mark the sixth consecutive year that a member of the
Calvin men's track and field team has qualified for nationals in the event.
On the women's side, junior Alyssa Oram (Cheboygan/Home Schooled) had a
career-best time of 11:06.74 in the steeplechase that will place her on the
bubble for NCAA III Championships consideration.
Other notables from the meet included:
*Senior Job Christiansen (New Ipswich, NH/Mascenic Regional HS) winning the
men's 10,000 meters (31:39.65).
*Sophomore Calvin Kuyers (Lansing/Lansing Christian HS) recording a time of
54.64 in the men's 400 meter hurdles.
*Senior Kaylea Brase (Lino Lakes, MN/Centennial HS) recording a time of
4:38.34 in the women's 1,500 meters.
*Sophomore Sarah Danner (Watkins Glen, NY/Charles Dickerson HS) taking fourth
in the women's 10K with a time of 38:24.99 while senior Hannah Kregel (Iowa
City, IA/Iowa City HS) had a career-best time of 39:18.52 in the event.
*Sophomore Paige McGahan (Brighton/Brighton HS) clocking a career-best time of
11:36.92 in the women's steeplechase.
*Senior Carissa Verkaik (Holland/Holland Christian HS) tying for second in the
high jump (5-4 1/4).
*In a meet held at Augustana College Friday, senior Aaron Meckes (Bay
City/Saginaw Valley Lutheran HS) had a season-best throw of 159-9 in the men's
discus.
Calvin athletes will now await for the NCAA III field to be announced Sunday
morning.
MORE TRACK AND FIELD
For the third time this academic year, Calvin College distance coach Brian
Diemer has receive Regional Coach of the Year honors from the United States
Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association.
The most recent announcement came today as Diemer was named the Division III
Great Lakes Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in outdoor men’s track and
field. This past March, Diemer was named the Division III Great Lakes Regional
Coach of the Year for women’s indoor track and field.
Last November he was named the Division III Great Lakes Regional Coach of the
Year for men’s cross country. This spring, Diemer led five men under 15:00 in
the 5000 meters this season and another five under 32:00 in the 10k. Three of
his athletes were champions this year in the MIAA and his squad claimed 88
points total in the league meet.
Nationally, Dan Kerr is in the nation’s top three in the 10,000 meters. Diemer
is in his 27th year at the school.
Received on Sat May 18 14:07:15 2013
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