Spark

Since 1951, Calvin has annually presented the Beré Memorial Award. The Beré honors the top senior male student-athlete, based on athletic ability, scholastic rank, character, and leadership. It is given in memory of Joe Beré, a Calvin student who was killed in a 1949 auto accident on his way to watch a Calvin basketball game. This year the award was given to two outstanding student-athletes. 

This is the 49th year that Calvin has given the Tiemersma award— presented annually to the top senior female student-athlete. The award honors Kay Tiemersma, the first woman physical education teacher in the member schools of the Christian Schools International organization, and a pioneer in women’s sports. Its presentation is based on athletic ability, scholastic standing, character, and leadership. 

JULIAN ITURBE ’22 

MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING

 A graduate of Colegio Emil Friedman School (Caracas, Venezuela), Iturbe is the most decorated individual in Calvin men’s swimming and diving history. He was a four-time MIAA Most Valuable Swimmer and a 20-time NCAA III All-American at Calvin over the last five years. 

Due to an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iturbe was
a five-time All-MIAA selection, the only individual in MIAA history to achieve that feat. He is also just the third individual in MIAA men’s swimming and diving history to be named the MIAA Men’s Most Valuable Swimmer four times. He won 14 MIAA individual titles during his career, including five titles in the 500 freestyle and four in the 200 freestyle. He is the MIAA record holder in the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, and 200 IM and was also a part of MIAA record-setting teams in the 200, 400, and 800 freestyle relay as well as the 200 medley relay. 

In addition, he is the Calvin record holder in the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle, 200 and 400 IM, and has been a part of all five of Calvin’s current standing school-record (200, 400, and 800 freestyle and 200 and 400 medley) relay teams. 

He helped Calvin win MIAA (team) championships in 2018 and 2021, with his anchor leg of the 400 freestyle relay as a freshman in 2018 cementing the league title for the Knights over Albion by a six-point margin as he edged an Albion swimmer for the win by five-tenths of a second. 

Of his 20 All-American finishes, eight were in individual events. This past March he posted the best individual finish of his Calvin career at the national meet, placing fifth in the 50 freestyle and sixth in the 100 freestyle. He helped the Calvin men’s swimming and diving team place 12th as a team at both the 2019 and 2022 NCAA III Championships. 

Iturbe graduated with a degree in engineer- ing with concentrations in both electrical and chemical engineering along with a minor in biochemistry. 

DREW VAN ANDEL ’22 

MEN’S SOCCER 

A graduate of Grand Haven (Michigan) High School, Van Andel was a five-year member of the Calvin men’s soccer program. 

On the pitch, Van Andel was a four-year starter at centerback. He was named a Division III All-American this fall by both the United Soccer Coaches (first team) and D3soccer.com (third team). 

He was named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player this past November and landed a spot on the All-MIAA first team for a fourth consecutive season. Van Andel helped Calvin capture the 2021 MIAA regular season title last fall while also earning a bid to the NCAA III Tournament with the Knights finishing 17-4-2 overall and reaching the Round of 16 of the NCAA III Tourney. 

Due to an additional year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Van Andel became a member of five MIAA regular season championship teams. He is the only player in MIAA history to do so. 

He helped the Calvin men’s soccer program produce an overall win-loss record of 90-11-4 that included five MIAA regular season titles, three MIAA tournament crowns, four trips to the NCAA III Tournament, three trips to the Sweet 16, two trips to the national semifinals, and one trip to the national championship final. 

In the classroom, Van Andel earned his undergraduate degree in environmental science and conservation last spring where he was a Dean’s List student and a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. He is currently a graduate student at Calvin. 

Van Andel was named the Division III Scholar All-American of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches. In addition, he was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team. He has been a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. 

SADIE HEERINGA ’22 

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY 

A graduate of Grand Rapids (Michigan) Christian High School, Heeringa was a four-year member of the Calvin women’s cross country team, Calvin women’s indoor track and field team, and Calvin women’s outdoor track and field team. 

This past fall, she garnered All-American honors in cross country by placing 17th at the NCAA III Championships. She continued her All-American campaign last winter, placing fifth in the 3,000 meter run and running the anchor leg on Calvin’s fifth place distance medley relay team at the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships. 

In cross country, she was named to the All- MIAA first team in 2021 and to the All-MIAA second team in 2019. She was a Great Lakes All-Region selection in both 2019 and 2021. She placed third at the NCAA III Great Lakes Regional Championships this past November and helped Calvin finish 17th as a team at the national meet. 

She has been a two-time qualifier for the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships, earning All-American honors in the mile run as a sophomore. She is a three-time Great Lakes All-Region selection for indoor track and field and a two-time Great Lakes All-Region selection for outdoor track and field. 

This past winter she set Calvin indoor track and field records in the mile run, 3,000 meter run, and as a member of Calvin’s distance medley relay team. She helped Calvin place 25th as a team at the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships this March. 

She graduated with a chemistry major and a psychology minor. She was a three- time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a regular member of the Calvin Dean’s List. She was named to the Division III All-Academic Team twice in cross country and three times in track and field.