CKSR (Women's Track and Field Team Wins Inaugural MIAA Indoor Title / Men's Track and Field Team Takes Second)

CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 27, 2016

CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 27, 2016

Women's Track and Field Teams Wins Inaugural MIAA Indoor Title / Men's Track and Field Team Take Second

WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD

ANGOLA, Ind. - The Calvin women's track and field team made history on Saturday, winning the first-ever MIAA Women's Indoor Track and Field title with a first place score of 183 points at the MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at Trine University.

Calvin finished 50 points ahead of second place Hope. The Knights took first place in five of 16 events and flashed strong depth throughout the meet to seal the championship.

"It's a special day for the Calvin women's track and field program," said Calvin head track and field coach Bret Otte. "Every one of our women can say that were a part of league history as the first MIAA indoor track and field champions. That's a unique and significant accomplishment for this group."

According to Otte, Saturday's competition figured to be tight on paper but the Knights were able to rise to the occasion. "When we scored out the meet on paper, it looked like a two-point meet with us and Hope and when you start doing that, things can really go either way," said Otte. "Our team was up to the challenge and I credit our women for wanting this championship and taking care of business."

Sophomore Jenna Dyksen (Hawthorne, NJ/Eastern Christian HS) was a double-winner for Calvin, claiming league titles in the 60 meter hurdles (9.24) and triple jump (35-0) while also placing fourth in the long jump (17-2). She was part of a strong Calvin triple jump contingent as junior Carissa Weis (Mount Prospect, IL/Mount Prospect HS) was sixth (33-10), sophomore Kayla Van Lenten (Hawthorne, NJ/Eastern Christian HS) seventh (33-9) and freshman Madison Orth (Soldotna, AK/Cook Inlet Academy) eighth (33-2). In the 60 meter hurdles, senior Maria Steblay (Eden Prairie, MN/Eden Prairie HS) was third (9.34) and Orth sixth (9.79).

In the mile run, Calvin featured a one-two punch up front as senior McKenzie Diemer (Caledonia/South Christian HS) claimed the title with a time of 5:15.97 while sophomore Katie Diekema (Kenmore, Wash./Ingelmoor HS) was second (5:16.84). Diemer also took second in the 800 meters with a time of 2:23.70.

In the throws, sophomore Bethany Love (Kentwood/East Kentwood HS) came up big, winning the shot put with a throw of 42-9 while also placing second in the weight throw with a heave of 52-6 feet. Love was part of a strong contingent of Calvin throwers as senior Emily Veenstra (Ellsworth/Ellsworth HS) was fourth in the weight throw (45-2) while senior Stacie Mead (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Eastern HS) was third (39-8) and junior Michaela Meckes (Bay City/Saginaw Valley Lutheran HS) fourth (38-4) in the shot put.

In the women's distance medley relay, the Calvin team of sophomore Marissa McGahan (Brighton/Brighton HS), freshman Alyssa Roels (Grand Rapids/Northpointe Christian HS), freshman Josie Granner (Ann Arbor/Pioneer HS) and senior Lora Huizingh (Byron Center/South Christian HS) was fourth (13:08.45). Calvin's 4x400 meter relay team of sophomore Maggie LaLonde (Grand Haven/Grand Haven HS), sophomore Caroline Boss (Charlevoix/Charlevoix HS), freshman Selvi Bunce (Savage, MN/Burnsville HS) and Dyksen took second in a time of 4:10.74.

Senior Ayooluwa Ayoola (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) and Van Lenten led a point parade in the high jump, placing in a tie for second (4-10) while freshman Erin Van Lenten was seventh (4-8). In the pole vault, freshman Annalane Miller (Dexter/Dexter HS) claimed second with a vault of 10-3.

Junior Lauren Strohbehn (Stillwater, MN/St. Croix Preparatory HS) ignited Calvin's distance attack, winning the 5,000 meters with a time of 17:54.21. Junior Hope Gaffner (Hudsonville/Unity Christian HS) was fourth (18:36.62) and sophomore Kate McLain (Kalamazoo/Kalamazoo Christian HS) fifth (18:39.93).

Strohbehn and Diekema both put their time in on the track as Strohbehn later took third in the 3,000 meters (10:28.13) while Diekema was fourth (10:28.72). Junior Jessie Mulder (Holland/Holland Christian HS) also took seventh in the 3K (10:49.88).

FINAL MIAA INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM SCORES

Calvin 183
Hope 133
Adrian 99
Albion 67
Trine 61
Alma 56
Olivet 23

MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD

ANGOLA, Ind. - Calvin's bid for the win at the MIAA Indoor Men's Track and Field Championships came up just a few points short on Saturday as the Knights took second with 166.5 points Saturday at Trine University.

Calvin finished just 4.5 points behind league champion Trine. The Knights held a slim 2.5 point lead heading into the final event of the meet - the 4x400 meter relay but needed to finish within one place of Trine to hold on for the title. Trine won the race however with a time of 3:23.59 to grab 10 points while Calvin took sixth with a time of 3:33.75 for three points, giving the Thunder a seven-point swing and the win.

"I really could not have asked more from my team," said Calvin head track and field coach Bret Otte. "We competed hard across the board and put ourselves in a position to win the meet but came up just a little shy of where we needed to be. Trine has an outstanding team and hat's off to their squad. They are deserving champions."

Calvin took first place in seven of a possible 16 events on Saturday.

Senior Eric Jipping (Canton/Plymouth Christian HS) won the shot put with a throw of 48-5 while senior Lucas Wolters (Vincennes, Ind./South Knox HS) led a one-two finish in the pole vault, winning with a vault of 15-3 while junior Nathan Marcus (Holland/Holland Christian HS) was second (14-2) and sophomore Jacob Stout (Escondido, CA/Escondido Calvin Christian HS) seventh (13-1).

Calvin's distance medley relay team of senior Matt Oram (Toledo, OH/Toledo Christian HS), freshman Luke Peterson (Holland/Holland Christian HS), sophomore Hendrik VerMeulen (Bright's Grove, Ont./St. Patrick's Secondary) and junior Nate Van Haitsma (Olympia, Wash./Olympia HS) provided an early meet highlight, winning the race in a time of 10:29.92, finishing just ahead of Hope's second place squad that came in at 10:30.12.

Sophomore Ethan Valentine (Mason, Oh./William Mason HS) provided fireworks in the 400 meters, winning the race in a time of 49.29 which places her 14th on the current NCAA III Indoor Track and Field performance list.

Calvin was able to gain an early advantage as senior Ethan Anderson (Stillwater, MN/Stillwater HS) took first place in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:06.68 while junior Jordan Kramer (Pewaukee, Wisc./Lake Country Lutheran HS) was second (15:21.13), sophomore Andrew Philipose (Mount Prospect, IL/John Hersey HS) third (15:22.47) and sophomore Mark DeJong (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) seventh (15:51.53).

In the 3,000 meters, Philipose was part of a 1-2-4-5 Calvin finish as Philipose won the race in a time of 8:51.37 while Kramer was second (8:55.34), freshman Jamison Koeman (Whitinsville, Mass./Whitinsville Christian HS) fourth (8:56.25) and junior Zach Nowicki (Comstock Park/Calvin Christian HS) fifth (8:58.21).

In the mile run, senior Jeff Meitler (New Berlin, Wisc./Milwaukee Lutheran HS) was second (4:18.77) while Nowicki was fifth (4:25.58), Koeman fifth (4:25.78) and junior Jonathan Schaap (Mahomet, IL/Mahomet-Seymour HS) eighth (4:29.29).

Sophomore Jeremiah Stout (Escondido, CA/Escondido Calvin Christian HS) added a fourth place finish in the 60 meter hurdles (9.03) while sophomore James Jeninga (Brookfield, Wisc./Milwaukee Lutheran HS) was fourth in the 800 meters (1:57.08).

Calvin also performed well in the jumps. Freshman Lee Barents (Redlands, Ca./Arrowhead Christian) was third in the long jump (21-5) and fourth in the triple jump (42-9). Junior Jeiel Burrell (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) was third in the triple jump (43-0) and high jump (6-1) and sixth in the long jump (20-7).
In the weight throw, freshman Brendan VanHouten (Comstock Park/Grand Rapids Christian HS) was third (50-2) and Jipping sixth (46-2).

FINAL MIAA MEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD TEAM SCORES

Trine 171
Calvin 166.5
Albion 86
Hope 77
Trine 61
Alma 56
Olivet 23
Received on Sun Feb 28 01:04:28 2016