CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MAY 14, 2014
John Strikwerda Named ITA Central Region Recipient of Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award
Women's Track and Field Cracks Top 25 Rankings - Competes at Gregory Invite / Men's Track and Field Competes at Gregory Invite
MEN'S TENNIS
Calvin College senior John Strikwerda has been named the ITA Division III Central Region recipient of the Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award.
A four-year member of the Calvin men's tennis program, Strikwerda is from Holland and is a graduate of Holland Christian High School.
The Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recognizes outstanding individuals in all divisions at the regional and national level. This award which dates back to 1982, goes to NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO men's and women's players who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.
Earlier this spring, Strikwerda was named the MIAA's recipient of the Lawrence Green Scholar-Athlete Award.
Strikwerda has been a regular member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. A chemistry major at Calvin, Strikwerda was named a prestigious Goldwater Scholar at Calvin last spring. He has served as a research assistant under Calvin chemistory professor Dr. Roger DeKock, researching the atom and its electronic structure.
On the tennis court, he stepped into a leadership role this spring, moving into Calvin's lineup at either number four or five singles. He compiled an overall season singles record of 14-8 including 4-2 in conference play.
WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
The Calvin women's track and field team has broke back into the USTFCCCA Division III Top 25 rankings. The Knights are ranked 25th in this week's poll. Calvin was also ranked 25th during the first week of April and then slipped out of the rankings over the past five weeks.
Under the direction of head coach Bret Otte, the Knights recently captured their 25th consecutive MIAA Title.
The most recent USTFCCCA poll can be found online at: http://www.ustfccca.org/assets/rankings/div3/2014-otf/DIII_2014_outWk7_TF_NationalRankingsTop25.pdf
The Knights are also ranked third in the Great Lakes Region, right behind Ohio Wesleyan and Mount Union. The regional rankings can be found online at: http://www.ustfccca.org/assets/rankings/div3/2014-otf/DIII_2014_outWk7_TF_NationalRankingsTop25.pdf
MORE WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
A group of Calvin distance runners competed at the North Central Gregory Invitational Thursday night. In the women's 5,000 meters, freshman Lauren Strohbehn (Stillwater, MN/St. Croix Prep) was fourth with a season-best time of 18:11.07 while freshman Lauren Brink (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian HS) had a season-best time of 18:13.60 which was good for fifth place. Freshman Hope Gaffner (Hudsonville/Unity Christian HS) was also 12th in 18:45.12.
Competition at the Gregory Invitational will continue on Friday.
MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
On Thursday night, a group of Calvin distance runners competed at the North Central Gregory Invitational. In the 5,000 meters, freshman Zach Nowicki (Comstock Park/Calvin Christian HS) had a season-best time of 14:57.69 that was good for eighth place. Junior Josh Ferguson (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley HS) also cracked the 15-minute barrier, clocking a time of 14:58.83.
In the 10,000 meters senior Philip Spitzer (Kingsley/Buckley HS) had a career-best time of 31:08.65 as did sophomore Ethan Anderson (Stillwater, MN/Stillwater Area HS) with a time of 31:10.10.
On Wednesday, junior Erik Holstege's bid for an NCAA III qualifying score in the decathlon came up short as he bowed out of the 10-event competition prior to the 1,500 meters. Holstege (Keswick, VA/Monticello HS) entered the second day with 3,631 points. He opened day two with a time of 15.01 in the 110 high hurdles and then threw 102-9 in the discus.
He then went 9-6 in the pole vault and 124-6 in the javelin before electing to bow out of the competition.
Holstege will now attempt to qualify on Friday individually in the 110 high hurdles and long jump on Friday at North Central's Gregory Invitational.
Received on Fri May 16 00:15:39 2014
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