CKSR (All-MIAA Honors Announced for Men's and Women's Basketball - Tyler Kruis Named MIAA Men's Basketball MVP)

CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 4, 2013

All-MIAA Honors Announced for Men's and Women's Basketball - Tyler Kruis Named MIAA Men's Basketball MVP

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Calvin College senior Tyler Kruis has been named the MIAA's Most Valuable Player in men's basketball.

A native of Grand Rapids and a graduate of Grandville Calvin Christian High School, Kruis is the first MIAA men's basketball MVP from Calvin since Jeremy Veenstra received the honor in 2002.

Kruis is joined on the All-MIAA first team by Calvin junior Jordan Brink.
The All-MIAA second team includes Calvin junior Tyler Dykstra (Holland/Holland Christian HS).
Kruis averaged 16.5 points and 6.0 rebounds a game in conference play while connecting on 58.8 percent of his field goal attempts.

Brink (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian HS) averaged 15.9 points a game in conference games and connected on a league-best 92.7 percent of his free throw attempts and 47.7 percent of his three-point field goal attempts.

Brink and Kruis are both receiving All-MIAA first team honors for the first time. During the year, Kruis was named MIAA Player of the Week four times while Brink received the honor three times.

Dykstra is receiving All-MIAA second team honors for the first time. He led the league in blocked shots this season, swatting away 28 shots in 14 league games.

"We are very honored for all three of our guys and I know their teammates are excited for them too," said Calvin men's basketball coach Kevin Vande Streek of Calvin's three all-conference selections. "All three have worked very hard and have been integral to the success of our team this season."
Calvin is currently 22-5 on the year. The Knights finished second in the MIAA with a 12-2 conference record.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Two members of the Calvin women's basketball team have received All-MIAA honors. Named to the All-MIAA first team from Calvin are junior Breanna Verkaik while junior teammate Kayla Engelhard has been named to the All-MIAA second team.

Verkaik (Holland/Holland Christian HS) is receiving All-MIAA honors for the first time. She is the third individual from her family to be named an All-MIAA athlete as her father Mike Verkaik was an All-MIAA men's cross country selection in 1982 while her older sister Carissa Verkaik was a four-time first team All-MIAA selection in basketball (2010-2013) and a three-time All-MIAA selection in track and field.

This year, Breanna Verkaik finished third in the MIAA scoring race, averaging 16.3 points a game in league play. She closed the year with a nine-game double-figure scoring streak, averaging 19 points a game during that stretch. She also led the league in field goal percentage (.549) and was second in free throw percentage (.836) and three-point field goal percentage (.424) and was third in blocked shots per-game (1.19). She was named MIAA Player of the Week once during the year.

Engelhard (Unionville/Saginaw Valley Lutheran HS) averaged 12.2 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per-game while connecting on 37 percent of her three-point field goal attempts in league play.

Engelhard was ranked third in the MIAA in steals, tied for fourth in assists, sixth in three-point field goal percentage and 11th in scoring average. In the MIAA Tournament, she averaged 17.5 points a game.

"Breanna and Kayla both had terrific years and we are proud of them for receiving all-league recognition," said Calvin women's basketball coach John Ross. "Their awards reflect on the success of the entire team."

Calvin finished the year with an overall record of 19-8. The Knights finished third in the MIAA regular season standings at 10-4.
Received on Tue Mar 4 21:11:25 2014