Behind every athletic success: a community that shows up
The Calvin University men’s football team joined another athletic tradition this past weekend, punching its ticket to the postseason with a Rivalry win over Hope, 38-24. The Knights finish out the regular season on Saturday as they travel to Alma, but they’ve already received their league’s automatic bid to the NCAAs and are 9-0 on the season.
Two other Knights teams have already secured spots in the NCAA tournament as well and three more will have an opportunity to do so this weekend.
The men’s and women’s soccer teams earned at-large bids to their respective NCAA tournaments, which kickoff this Friday, November 13. The men travel to Chicago for their regional, while the women’s team will host a four-team regional here on campus.
The women’s volleyball team won the regular season league championship and now hosts the MIAA tournament this weekend with a chance to earn their conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The men’s and women’s cross country teams, who are both nationally ranked, also have an opportunity to secure a spot in the NCAA Championships with a strong showing this weekend at the NCAA III Great Lakes Regional meet in Lansing, Michigan.
“The consistency of the success of our athletic teams is really quite remarkable,” said Jim Timmer, director of athletics. “But it is not lost on our student-athletes or coaching staff that this success is a result of the entire Calvin community pulling together striving for excellence on and off the field.”
After the football team’s big win on Saturday, Hayden Slegers, a junior running back from Ontario, California, drove home that point: “This entire university and everyone who plays a role in it, they are part of this win today too. Yeah, we’re on the field, but seriously, they are part of it.”
Staff members from various departments across campus consistently offer support to athletics. A handful of those staff are pictured here. From left to right: Tyson Moore and Sam DeMey, Mike Gibbons, Sandy Palmatter, and Justin Kendall. There are many, many more.
“I think it would be poor of us if we didn’t thank everyone who made this day possible,” said Trent Figg, head football coach at Calvin. “From these young men who said yes to Calvin, to their families supporting that, to our athletic director Dr. Jim Timmer, he’s an everyday warrior for Calvin football and all Calvin athletics, for every alumni and booster and supporter that paid for this stadium, to our athletic trainers to sports information to every single person that made this happen today, this is a team that’s really thankful for that.”
Whether it be recording stats or taping up athletes, taking tickets or directing traffic, cooking food or setting up tents, ensuring fan and player safety or running a top-notch broadcast, the Calvin community pulls together week-in and week-out to create an excellent experience for all.
“The support we get here is incredible,” said Slegers. “I’m not from here, I’m from California, but man this place feels like home.”
Follow the Knights this weekend
Two of the Knights’ teams begin their NCAA postseason runs this weekend. Stay updated at calvinknights.com.
Women’s soccer
Under the leadership of Coach Emily Ottenhoff, the Knights (15-2-1) are competing in the NCAA tournament for the sixth straight year. They’ll play their opening round game against Milwaukee School of Engineering (13-4-5).
The Knights are hosting the four-team regional and play at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 13 at Zuidema Soccer Field.
The regional championship game will be played at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Zuidema Soccer Field.
Men’s soccer
Under the leadership of Coach Ryan Souders, the Knights (15-2-2) are making their 12th consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. They’ll take on Wisconsin-Eau Claire (10-3-7) in a first-round game.
The two teams will face off on Friday at 6:30 p.m. (CT) in a four-team regional hosted by University of Chicago with the winner advancing to Saturday’s 6 p.m. (CT) regional championship.
NCAAs within view
Women’s volleyball
The women’s volleyball team (23-3) hosts the MIAA tournament this weekend. The semifinals will be on Friday night with one match starting at 4 p.m. and the second starting at 7 p.m. The championship game will be played at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAAs. The Knights enter the tournament winners of 15 of their last 16 matches.
Men’s and women’s cross country
Under the leadership of Coach Nicole Kramer, the men’s and women’s cross country teams have both qualified for the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Cross Country Regional Championships in Lansing, Michigan. The women’s team enters the regional ranked #16 and the men’s team ranked #30 by the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Both teams will compete on Saturday, November 14 in East Lansing at Forest Akers East Golf Course on the campus of Michigan State University with an opportunity to earn a spot in the national meet the following weekend. The women’s 6K race and men’s 8K races will take place mid-morning.
Men’s football
Under the leadership of Coach Trent Figg, the men’s football team has clinched a share of the MIAA title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA III playoffs. The team is now ranked #14 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Top 25 poll.
The Knights travel to Alma on Saturday for a 1 p.m. contest at Bahlke Field in a game that will serve as the regular season finale for both teams.
Calvin currently has nine of its teams nationally ranked. The football team is ranked 14th. Its women's soccer team is ranked 14th while its men's soccer team is ranked 22nd. The Calvin women's volleyball team is ranked 12th. The Calvin women's cross country team ranked 16th and the Calvin men's cross country team 30th. The Calvin men's swimming and diving team is ranked 8th and its women's team ranked 19th. In addition, the Calvin ACHA D1 hockey team is ranked 15th.