CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MAY 22, 2015
MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
Ethan Valentine Qualifies for Finals at NCAA III Track and Field Championships
By John Leerar
CANTON, NY- Freshman mid-distance runner Ethan Valentine (Mason, OH/William Mason HS) competed Friday in the preliminaries of the 400 meter dash at the NCAA III Track and Field Championships in Canton, New York.
Valentine came into the meet seeded just 14th with a time of 47.85 seconds. He also failed to win the MIAA title in the 400.
However, when it mattered most, the true freshman met the challenge of nationals head on, posting a time of 48.30-good enough for third place in his heat and eighth place overall. This qualifies him for the finals on Saturday.
"Like Ethan has done all season, he just raced," said Calvin assistant coach Rick Otte. "He's a competitor, and works hard at it. He doesn't run too hard at the beginning, and he finished really strong today. I thought he had some nerves but he was mature enough to not show it and he performed really well today. He has a little bit of mechanics to work on for tomorrow, but he's feeling great right now so I think he has a really good shot at an All-American spot."
Valentine is one of nine runners in the finals of the 400. The top eight will earn All-American honors.
Valentine is also the first true freshman to compete in an individual event at the national meet for the Knights since Phil Sikkenga competed in the 110 high hurdles in 1998.
The men's 400 meter final will take place at 2:25 PM on Saturday, while sophomore Lauren Strohbehn (Stillwater, MN/St. Croix Prep HS) will compete in the 5000 meter run at 4:05.
MORE TRACK AND FIELD
Two members of the Calvin men's and women's track and field team have received Capital One Academic All-District honors.
On the men's side, senior Erik Holstege has been named to the Division III Capital One Academic All-District Track and Field/Cross Country men's team.
On the women's side, sophomore Lauren Strohbehn has been named to the Division III Capital One Academic All-District Track and Field/Cross Country women's team.
As members of the all-district team, both players are now eligible for Capital One Academic All-America consideration.
A native of Keswick, Virginia, Holstege is receiving all-district honors for the second straight year. A graduate of Monticello High School, Holstege was a two-time MIAA Most Valuable Field Event recipient and a three-time All-MIAA selection. He was also a team captain on three Calvin teams that captured MIAA titles.
He captured the MIAA title in the 110 high hurdles three consecutive years and also won MIAA triple jump (2014) and long jump (2015) titles during his Calvin career. He narrowly missed qualifying for the 2015 NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the decathlon, posting a score of 6,153 points at the North Central Gregory Invitational this past month.
Holstege will graduate from Calvin on Saturday with a degree in biochemistry. A three-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a seven-time member of the Calvin Dean's List, Holstege will attend medical school at the University of Virginia next fall.
Strohbehn hails from Stillwater, Minnesota. She is a graduate of St. Croix Prepatory High School. Strohbehn has put together a standout season of distance running on both the Calvin cross country and track and field teams.
During the cross country season this fall, Strohbehn was an All-MIAA and Great Lakes All-Region selection, finishing third at the MIAA Championships and fourth at the Great Lakes Regionals. At the NCAA III Championships, she helped Calvin finish ninth as a team, placing 51st individually.
This spring, Strohbehn was an All-MIAA track and field honoree after placing second in the 5,000 meters at the MIAA Championships. She then qualified for the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships and is scheduled to compete on Saturday in the 5,000 meter run.
Academically, Strohbehn is majoring in biology with a minor in kinesiology. She is a three-time member of the Calvin Dean's List and was a member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll last year.
Received on Fri May 22 23:48:13 2015
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