Spark

Calvin University has announced the 2020 recipients of its highest athletic honors: the Beré Memorial Award and the Kay Tiemersma Athletic Award.

Calvin has presented the Beré Memorial Award annually since 1951. 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. The winner is selected by the coaches of the school’s men’s sports and an Athletics Committee made up of students and non-physical education department faculty members.

This is the 47th year that Calvin has given the Tiemersma award—presented annually to the top senior female student-athlete. The award honors Kay Tiemersma, a pioneer in women’s sports and the first female physical education teacher in the member schools of the Christian Schools International organization. Its presentation is based on athletic ability, scholastic standing, character, and leadership. The winner is selected by the coaches of the school’s women’s sports and an Athletics Committee made up of students and nonphysical education department faculty members.

Jacob Lyon hails from Holt, Michigan. He is the son of Dave and Erin Lyon. He is a graduate of Lansing Christian High School. At Calvin, Lyon was a four-year standout on the men’s soccer team.

In the classroom, Lyon was a dean’s list student while majoring in biochemistry. He was named to the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-America Third Team while also landing a spot on the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All- America Second Team this past December.

On the pitch, Lyon was a three-year starter as a midfielder. He was a three-time first team All-MIAA selection, helping Calvin reach the national championship final twice and the national semifinals three times. As a junior, he was named to the 2018 D3soccer.com All- America First Team and to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team, and he received United Soccer Coaches All-America honors for the third straight year, landing a spot on the All-America First Team. He was named to the United Soccer Coaches All- Central Region First Team in both 2018 and 2019.

Over his four-year career, Lyon helped the Calvin men’s soccer program produce an overall win-loss record of 89-8-2 that included four MIAA regular-season titles, four MIAA tournament crowns, and four trips to the NCAA III Tournament.

Lyon is attending medical school at Michigan State University.