CKSR (Trio of Calvin Men's Soccer Players Receive NSCAA Division III All-America Honors/Ellie Diepersloot Named Recipient of Carole Van Beek Memorial Award)

CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR DECEMBER 12, 2014

Trio of Calvin Men's Soccer Players Receive NSCAA Division III All-America Honors;
Ellie Diepersloot Named Recipient of Carole Van Beek Memorial Award

MEN'S SOCCER

Three members of the Calvin men's soccer team have been named NSCAA/Continental Tire Division III All-Americans. Senior Travis Vegter has been named to the NCAA/Continental Tire Division III All-America first team while senior Sean Broekzhuizen and junior Niko Giantsopoulos have been name to the third team.

It marks the first time in Calvin men's soccer history that more that the Knights have received multiple NSCAA All-America berths in one year.

A forward, Vegter is from Hudsonville and is a graduate of Hudsonville Unity Christian High School. He is receiving NCAA Division III honors for the second consecutive year as he was a first team choice a year ago. He joins Kurt Visker (2004 & 2005) as the only repeat NSCAA All-Americans in Calvin men's soccer history.

This fall Vegter collected 23 goals, 10 assists and 56 points as he ranked 3rd nationally in goals scored, 4th in points, sixth in goals-per-game (1.0), 7th in points-per-game (2.43) and 7th in game-winning goals (7). He was named the MIAA's Most Valuable Player for the second straight year and was named to the All-MIAA first team for the third straight year. In addition, he was a five-time MIAA Offensive Player of the Week. He concluded his career with 67 goals, 26 assists and 160 points. He ranks third on the Calvin career list in goals and points and eighth in assists.

Broekhuizen is from Grand Rapids and a graduate of Grand Rapids South Christian High School. A defender, Broekhuizen was a force on offense and defense for the Knights, recording seven goals and one assist while participating in 13 shutouts for Calvin. Two of his seven goals proved to game-winners. Broekhuizen was named to the All-MIAA first team for the second consecutive season. He was also a two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Week.

A goalkeeper, Giantsopoulos hails from Markham, Ontario. He is a graduate of St. Augustine Catholic High School. Giantsopoulos was named to the All-MIAA first team for the second straight year this fall. He finished the 2014 campaign with a goals-against-average of 0.521 that ranked 14th in the final NCAA III statistics. He was 16-2-3 as Calvin's starting goalkeeper this fall and recorded 12 shutouts. He was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Week once. Giantsopoulos is the second NCAA All-American goalkeeper in Calvin men's soccer history, joining Casey TerHaar who received the award back in 1962.

Under the direction of head coach Ryan Souders, Calvin finished 18-2-3 overall, capturing the MIAA regular season title with a 14-0-0 league mark and then winning the MIAA Tournament title. Calvin then advanced to the second round of the NCAA III Tournament before bowing out in the second round in a penalty kick shootout to Ohio Wesleyan University.

CALVIN MEN'S SOCCER NSCAA ALL-AMERICANS
1962 Casey TerHaar
1983 Doug DeSmit
1991 Joey Barone
2004 Kurt Visker
2005 Kurt Visker
2009 Dan Kmetz
2011 Miles Colago
2012 Nick Holtrop
2013 Travis Vegter
2014 Travis Vegter, Sean Broekhuizen, Niko Giantsopoulos

VOLLEYBALL

Calvin College senior Ellie Diepersloot has been named the recipient of the Carole Van Beek Memorial Award as voted by her Calvin women's volleyball teammates.

The annual award is given in memory of a very special person. Carole Van Beek entered Calvin College in the fall of 1981 and was selected to the women's volleyball team. She was an inspirational and dedicated team member. On October 7, 1981, Carole collapsed in practice with what doctors later diagnosed as an aneurism. The Lord took her home two days later. This award, given in memory of Carole is presented to the most inspirational woman volleyball player at Calvin College. Qualifications are:

1. Membership on the Calvin College women's intercollegiate volleyball team during the current year.

2. Reflection of a Christian commitment and character, and inspirational leadership, during and outside of competition.

3. The candidate will be chosen by a vote of the volleyball team members.

Diepersloot is from Madera, California. She is a graduate of Chowchilla High School. She has been an outside hitter during her collegiate career and has been a key player in Calvin's offensive attack. Last month she was named to the all-tournament team at the NCAA III Regional hosted by Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

More importantly, her leadership and service has been exemplary according to Calvin head coach Amber Warners. "Ellie has been 100% selfless throughout her four years with the Calvin volleyball team," said Warners. "She has been a key player for us on the court but more importantly she has been willing to do whatever she can to help our team. She is a fierce competitor but also very loyal to her teammates and always willing to assist with encouragement on and off the court. I am thrilled to see her teammates recognize her with this honor. I am extremely proud of Ellie and I know she has a wonderful future ahead of her as a servant-leader in the world."

Diepersloot is majoring in recreational therapy and plans a career as a recreational therapist.
Received on Fri Dec 12 23:00:03 2014