CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 8, 2017
Ethan Valentine Named USTFCCCA Division III Great Lakes Regional Indoor Track Athlete of Year; Baseball Set to Launch 2017 Campaign
MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
Calvin College junior Ethan Valentine has been named the Division III Great Lakes Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association.
Valentine, a junior from Mason, Ohio, is the top-ranked athlete at 400 meters in NCAA Division III. He ran a time of 48.13 at the MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, which set a conference, fieldhouse and school record in the process. Valentine also helped set a school record in the 4×400 relay as he anchored the Knights to a first place time of 3:22.54.
A graduate of William Mason High School, Valentine was later named the MIAA's Most Valuable Runner for indoor track and field.
"This is a wonderful honor for Ethan," said Calvin head track and field coach Bret Otte. "He has worked very hard and he does so in a quiet but determined way. He is very respected by his teammates and I know our entire program is thrilled to see him receive this award."
Valentine is scheduled to compete in the 400 meters this weekend at the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. The prelims of the 400 meters are scheduled to take place at 3:20 p.m. (CDT).
BASEBALL
The Calvin baseball team is set to launch its 2017 campaign. The Knights will open their season with a non-conference game against Hanover College Thursday night in Westfield, Indiana. On Friday, Calvin is scheduled to face Oberlin College in an afternoon twinbill at the same location.
Under the direction of head coach John Rypel, the Knights return 17 letterwiners from a year ago including senior Colton Wolfe who was a 2016 1st team All-MIAA selection at first base.
Wolfe and sophomore shortstop/pitcher Jonathan Keane were both named to the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's Division III Players to Watch list two months ago.
Calvin batted .308 as a team in 2016 but also worked through the growing pains of a youthful pitching rotation as the Knights finished 16-24 overall last spring.
With several members of its offensive unit returning along with a more well-seasoned pitching staff, the Knights are optimistic for a successful 2017 campaign.
The Calvin Sports Information Office recently caught up with head coach John Rypel and filed a preseason preview in podcast format. That interview can be found at: http://static.psbin.com/8/t/wpzzusjzyrwxci/CalvinBaseballJohnRypelPreseason2017.mp3
Received on Wed Mar 8 23:38:19 2017
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