CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR NOV. 15, 2017 (Part One)
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
The Calvin men's cross country team is headed to the NCAA III Cross Country Championships on Saturday. Saturday's competition will be held in Elsah, Illinois. Principia College will serve as the host institution.
The Knights are making their 25th consecutive appearance at the NCAA III Championships including their 33rd overall which ranks third on the all-time NCAA III men's cross country list for team appearances.
Calvin will enter the race ranked 12th nationally. The latest national poll conducted by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association was released earlier this afternoon at: http://www.ustfccca.org/2017/11/featured/2017-ncaa-diii-mens-cross-country-national-coaches-poll-week-8 .
The ranking in a move up of one spot from the last national ranking.
The Calvin men's cross country team captured its 31st consecutive Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Title this fall and last weekend won its 19th Great Lakes Regional title in the last 22 years including its second straight.
For more on Calvin's upcoming trip to the NCAA III Championships, listen to podcast interviews with Calvin head cross country coach Brian Diemer and Calvin assistant cross country coach Al Hoekstra below at:
BRIAN DIEMER NATIONALS PREVIEW PODCAST:
AL HOEKSTRA NATIONALS PREVIEW PODCAST:
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
The Calvin women's cross country team is headed to the NCAA III Cross Country Championships on Saturday. Saturday's competition will be held in Elsah, Illinois. Principia College will serve as the host institution. The women's 6K race is set to begin at 12:15 p.m. (CST).
The Knights are making their 28th appearance at the NCAA III Championships including their 13th straight. Calvin is tied for second on the all-time NCAA III Women's Cross Country list for team appearances at the NCAA III Championships.
Calvin will enter the race ranked 20th nationally. The latest national poll conducted by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association was released earlier this afternoon at:
The Knights were unranked in the last USTFCCCA Division III National Poll.
This fall, Calvin took second in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association behind Hope and then took second at the Great Lakes Regional meet last weekend to gain an automatic spot to nationals. The Knights took second with 113 points, finishing four points ahead of third place Allegheny.
Calvin has captured two national titles in program history, winning in 1998 and 1999.
For more on Calvin's upcoming trip to the NCAA III Championships, listen to podcast interviews with Calvin head cross country coach Brian Diemer and Calvin assistant cross country coach Al Hoekstra below at:
BRIAN DIEMER NATIONALS PREVIEW PODCAST: http://static.psbin.com/s/q/8lx6s6xhg9sbrj/BrianDiemerNationalsPreview17.mp3
AL HOEKSTRA NATIONALS PREVIEW PODCAST: http://static.psbin.com/a/h/aukxrcm7670fvn/AlHoekstraNationals17Preview.mp3
Saturday's competition will be streamed live via Flotrack.com.
WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
For the second time in her collegiate career, Calvin College senior Abby Van Harn has been named the Division III National Swimmer of the Week by Collegeswimming.com.
A Collegeswimming.com preseason All-American selection, Van Harn helped the Calvin women's swimming and diving team post a 178-86 dual meet victory over Wheaton this past Saturday inside the Venema Aquatic Center.
A native of Grand Rapids and a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School, Van Harn was a triple winner in the meet, winning the 200 freestyle (1:56.32), the 50 freestyle (24.47) and 100 freestyle (52.82).
She also swam a leg on Calvin's winning 200 medley relay team that clocked in with a time of 1:51.73.
Van Harn currently has the nation's third-best time this season in the 50 free (23.99), the ninth-best time in the 100 frees (52.80) and the 24th-best time in the 200 free (1:56.32).
Calvin will compete against Division II Wayne State on Friday at the Venema Aquatic Center with the meet set to start at 5 p.m.
MORE WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
The Calvin College women's swimming and diving team has moved up seven spots in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Top 25 poll.
The Knights are ranked 17th in the first Division III CSCAA regular season Top 25 poll of the season.
Calvin was ranked 24th in the CSCAA preseason poll.
Calvin is coming off an impressive set of weekends as the Knights took first place at the Calvin Quadrangular November 3 and 4 with a team score of 1,155 points.
Calvin then defeated Wheaton in dual meet this past Saturday 176-86.
The CSCAA Division III Top 25 Poll can be found online at: http://www.cscaa.org/top25/?utm_source=All+CSCAA+Contacts&utm_campaign=24cc57f370-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_11_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f99565abd9-24cc57f370-128832829
MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
The Calvin College men's swimming and diving team has cracked the Division III College Swimming Coaches Association of America Top 25 poll.
The Knights are ranked 17th in the first Division III CSCAA regular season Top 25 poll of the season.
Calvin was not ranked in the CSCAA preseason poll.
Calvin is coming off an impressive set of weekends as the Knights took first place at the Calvin Quadrangular November 3 and 4 with a team score of 995.5 points.
Calvin then defeated Wheaton in dual meet this past Saturday 153-109.
The CSCAA Division III Top 25 Poll can be found online at: http://www.cscaa.org/top25/?utm_source=All+CSCAA+Contacts&utm_campaign=24cc57f370-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_11_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f99565abd9-24cc57f370-128832829
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Cornerstone 70, Calvin 59
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Calvin women's basketball team opened its season at Cornerstone University on Monday night. The Knights fell to the Golden Eagles 70-59 in the battle of the beltline.
Cornerstone was already seven games into its season prior to its matchup with Calvin. With the Golden Eagles improve to 3-5 on the season.
The Knights are coming off a 22-6 season, which included a 12-4 MIAA record under first-year head coach Chuck Winkelman. Last season, the Knights finished third in the MIAA regular season standings and as runner-up in the MIAA Tournament Final. Calvin later received an at-large bid to the 2017 NCAA III Tournament.
The Golden Eagles scored the first two buckets of the game, but sophomore Kara Minderhoud (Grand Rapids, Mich./Covenant Christian) responded with back-to-back three-pointers to give Calvin an early 6-4 lead. Cornerstone pushed back, outscoring the Knights 12-4 to go ahead by six. The Knights chipped away at Cornerstone's lead as junior Rachel Warners (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) and senior Ali Spayde (Lewis Center, Ohio/Worthington Christian) knocked down triples. The Golden Eagles' offense didn't let up, however, and the home team held a 24-19 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Cornerstone claimed the first six points of the second quarter to gain a double-digit advantage. The Knights were answered by scoring eight straight points. Minderhoud sparked the run with a triple, Spayde sunk a jumper and another three by Minderhoud brought the Knights within three points of the Golden Eagles.
Cornerstone regained the momentum with an 11-3 run. A bucket by Spayde with 1:46 left in the half broke a nearly three-minute long Calvin dry spell, bringing the deficit down to single digits.
At the halftime break, the Golden Eagles held a 41-34 lead over their visitors. Cornerstone scored 14 points off of Calvin's nine first-half turnovers.
The Knights came out strong in the third quarter, as junior Becca Richards (Fort Gratiot, Mich./Port Huron Northern) hit a three-pointer and Spayde followed with layup to make it a two-point game and force a Cornerstone timeout.
The two teams exchanged points with the Golden Eagles maintaining their lead. But with 5:45 left in the third quarter, the Knights scored back-to-back buckets to make the score 46-45, still in favor of Cornerstone. After three scoreless minutes on both sides, a deep three by Spayde gave Calvin a 48-46 advantage. Cornerstone answered with a bucket in the next possession, after being held scoreless for 5:40. The Golden Knights closed out the quarter by outscoring the Knights 4-2 to hold a narrow 52-50 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Despite outscoring their opponents 16-11 in the third quarter, the Knights were unable to maintain their momentum in the final quarter as the Golden Eagles doubled Calvin's fourth-quarter points
Cornerstone built its lead to nine early in the final quarter, while Calvin didn't score until the 4:23 mark. The Golden Eagles continued to put up points, outscoring the Knights 8-3 to build a 12-point lead. Layups by Warners and Spayde made the score 67-59 with just over a minute left on the clock. The Knights found themselves in foul trouble late in the game, and Cornerstone capitalized on a trio of free throw chances to clinch the victory.
Spayde led all players with 34 points, also finishing with a team-high five assists. Minderhoud followed with 14 points, while Richards finished with six points and six rebounds.
Cornerstone was led in scoring by Jesse Sheridan who finished with 20 points. The Golden Eagles recorded 70 rebounds compared to Calvin's 59.
The Knights are back on the road this weekend at they travel to the University of Rochester for the Chuck Resler Invitational. Calvin will face Thomas More on Friday afternoon in its first game of the four-team tournament. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.
Received on Wed Nov 15 23:23:24 2017
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