CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 21, 2014
Cochran Is NCAA III All-American in 100 Breaststroke - Takes Third Place at NCAAs;
Swimming and Diving Teams Receive Academic Honors From College Swim Coaches Association;
Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader from New England College
MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Calvin produced its first NCAA III All-American and shattered a pair of school records on the third day of competition at the NCAA III Swimming and Diving Championships at the IU Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI.
Sophomore Johnson Cochran (Mount Vernon, OH/Mount Vernon HS) highlighted the day by taking third place in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 54.53 to become Calvin's first men's swimming All-American since Peter Boumgarden in 2005. He also became the first individual in Calvin men's swimming and diving history to earn All-America honors in the 100 breaststroke.
Cochran entered the meet seeded ninth in the event but shot out like a cannon in the morning prelims, producing the top time of the morning with a school record time of 54.35. Seeded first in the evening finals, Cochran fell back into fifth place through the first 50 yards but gradually made up ground before finishing third with the second-best time of his collegiate career.
Cochran was the second Calvin swimmer to establish a school record in the morning prelims as freshman teammate Brett Stoughton (Centerville, IN/Centerville HS) was 27th with a time of 1:52.51 breaking the previous school mark of 1:52.62 set by Peter Boumgarden in 2003.
Calvin's 800 freestyle relay team of senior Andrew Mitchell (Iron Mountain/Kingsford HS), sophomore Aaron Venema (Grand Haven/Grand Haven HS), sophomore Mitch Schroder (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) and junior Alex Baumann (Holland/Holland Christian HS) claimed an honorable mention NCAA III All-America berth by placing 16th in a time of 6:49.05.
The 800 freestyle relay finish along with the swim by Cochran boosted Calvin into 22nd place with a team score of 28 points.
"I have to go back to yesterday and credit the performance of our 400 medley relay team that got the momentum going again," said Calvin swim coach Dan Gelderloos. "We kept it going right away this morning with a school record from Brett and then a monster swim by Johnson in the 100 breast. I thought our 800 free relay swam a very gutty race and picked up some points for the team which was huge. I also have to salute Johnson Cochran as well. He was up to the challenge and to see him earn All-American honors the way he did was fantastic."
Calvin has one more day of competition left on Saturday. Scheduled to compete in the morning prelims are Andrew Mitchell in the 100 freestyle, Cochran in the 200 breaststroke and Mitchell, Mitch Schroder, Baumann and Venema in the 400 freestyle relay.
MORE SWIMMING AND DIVING
The Calvin men's and women's swimming and diving teams have not only produced in the pool but also in the classroom. Both teams were recently named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America teams.
The Team Scholar All American award is presented to college and university swimming and diving teams, who have achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The award is presented twice annually, once in the fall semester/term and in the semester/term of the NCAA/NAIA/NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships (Winter/Spring).
The Calvin women's team posted a cumulative team grade point average of 3.17 for the fall semester while the Calvin men's team posted a cumulative team grade point average of 3.01.
Both teams were under the leadership of head coach Dan Gelderloos.
BASEBALL
Calvin 5, New England College 1
Calvin 11, New England College 1
ORLANDO, FL - The Calvin baseball team opened its spring trip with a doubleheader sweep over New England College on Friday, winning by scores of 5-1 and 11-1. The Knights are now 4-2 on the young season.
In game one, Calvin collected six hits and used strong pitching from senior Jeff Victor (Holland/Holland Christian HS) to gain the win. Victor struck out three and walked two in four innings of work while freshman Mike Militello (Commerce/Detroit Catholic Central HS) was able to come on in relief in the seventh and work out of a bases-loaded jam to slam the door.
Calvin scored a run in the first, a run in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth before New England College mounted a late comeback in the top of the seventh.
Junior Grant VanPutten (Holland/Holland Christian HS) doubled in the first and later scored on a sacrifice fly. In the second, VanPutten drove in sophomore Jordan VanderWall (Wyoming/South Christian HS) with a sacrifice fly after VanderWall had earlier reached base on a single.
In the third, sophomore Michael Kamp (Homer Glen, IL/Chicago Christian HS) drove in one run on a single and was then brought home by a double by VanderWall.
In the fifth, junior Peter Cupery (Holland/Holland Christian HS) scored his second run of the game as he was hit by a pitch and later scored on an error.
In game two, sophomore Kyle Wasserberger (Spring Lake/Spring Lake HS) carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning and was credited with the win, tossing five innings of shutout ball. Freshman Pat Avila (Lakewood, CA/Valley Christian HS) and senior Jack Jorgenson (Milwaukee, WI/Milwaukee Lutheran HS) both threw one inning of relief.
Calvin grabbed an early 3-0 lead thanks to a two-run homer by Cupery and a run-scoring double by freshman Colt Wolfe (Eaton Rapids/Eaton Rapids HS). VanPutten had a pair of hits to stretch his hitting streak to 15 games dating back to last year. Senior Matt Schepel (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) also had a piar of hits in the win.
Calvin is back in action on Saturday, facing Hamilton College of New York in an afternoon doubleheader.
Received on Fri Mar 21 23:11:56 2014
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