Day Two Report of Calvin Track and Field Teams at NCAA III Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Jeff Febus - [email protected]

Grand Rapids, MI -- 
      

NCAA III TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS AT MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY (Day Two)
 
DECATUR, IL - Like Father.  Like Daughter.
 
 Displaying the same grit and determination that propelled her father to a
successful Calvin College athletic career, Calvin sophomore Annie VanderLaan
of Grand Rapids Christian High School became an NCAA III All-American in the
seven-event heptathlon competition Friday afternoon, finishing fifth with a
school-record total of 4,462 points.  The daughter of Grand Rapids Christian
boys basketball coach Tom VanderLaan, Annie VanderLaan was competing in just
her third-ever heptathlon competition.  She also became the third
All-American heptathlete in Calvin history, joining Becky Kuntzleman and
Esther Vahrmeyer who achieved the feat in the 1990's.
 
 Seeded 13th heading into the two-day event, VanderLaan moved into third
place with a strong first day of competition on Thursday.  She then opened
the second day of competition on Friday with a career-best mark of 16-10 in
the long jump and followed with a career-best throw of 73-7 in the javelin.
Despite her efforts, VanderLaan stood in eighth place heading into the final
event - the 800 meters.  VanderLaan then dug down in the 800 meters to post
a fourth place time of 2:24.60 that earned her more than 700 points and
boosted her into fifth place in the final standings.  VanderLaan's total of
4,462 points surpassed the previous record of 4,377 points set by Vahrmeyer
in 1996.
 
 VanderLaan's fifth place finish was also good for four points in the team
standings and left the Knights in a tie for first place with Wheaton of
Massachusetts with 20 points after eight events with one day of competition
left.
 
 As he watched VanderLaan drive herself down the final stretch of the 800
meters, Calvin women's track and field coach Ralph Honderd knew he was
watching special athletic qualities he had seen before.
 
 "When I was the men's basketball coach at Calvin I had the chance to coach
Annie's father Tom," said Honderd who served as men's basketball coach at
Calvin from 1971-1977.  "Tom was one of the most determined and focused
individuals I have ever coached.  He was the type of athlete who could
always reach down deep and come up with something extra when he needed it.
I saw those same qualities in Annie over the last two days.  It was a
privilege to coach Tom and it has been a privilege to coach Annie."
 
 With her father in attendance on Friday, VanderLaan was thrilled with her
finish.  "I was really nervous on Thursday and I did not know exactly what
to expect in my first national meet," said VanderLaan.  "My goal was to
improve my performance in all of my events and for the most part I did that
which is really exciting.  I still have a lot of room for improvement,
particularly in the throwing events so I'm also excited about the future."
 
 VanderLaan's performance was one of three All-America efforts by Calvin on
Friday as the men's team received All-America efforts from senior Derek
Kleinheksel (Hamilton HS) and sophomore Cameron Baron (Lake Stevens, WA).
Both individuals cleared the bar at 6-9 with Kleinheksel finishing third and
Baron finishing fourth on the basis of one additional miss at 6-9.  It
marked the first time that Calvin has produced two All-American high jumpers
in the same year.  It also marked the third consecutive All-America effort
for Kleinheksel who finished 7th at the 1999 national meet and 5th in 2000.
 
 According to Calvin men's track and field coach Jong-Il Kim, Kleinheksel
and Baron pushed each other in a positive fashion.  "Derek and Cameron
pushed each other all year and that proved to be a benefit for both of
them," said Kim.  "I am very pleased with their performances.  They peaked
at exactly the right time of the year."
 
 Kleinheksel and Baron both agreed that they were able to feed off each
other's encouragement and direction.  "Coach Kim is an awesome coach but we
know that he is not able to be there watching us every minute of every
practice," said Baron.  "When we were working out alone, I was able to watch
Derek and he was able to watch me. When we did that, we would point out the
flaws in our technique and we would
also encourage each other to do better."
 
 "It was wonderful to have a training partner like Cameron and it was
wonderful to have a coach like Coach Kim," said Kleinheksel of his coach, a
three-time track and field Olympian for South Korea.  "I have learned a lot
about high jumping and a lot about life from Coach Kim.  I am very thankful
to have had the opportunity to be coached by him."
 
 The pair of All-America efforts in the high jump allowed the Calvin men to
build a fifth place total of 14.5 points after nine completed events.
 
 Both Calvin teams also came up with big performances in the preliminaries
of the 400 meters Friday night.  In the men's 400 meter prelims, Calvin
senior Phil Sikkenga (Wheaton, IL) advanced to Saturday's finals with a
school-record time of 47.46, breaking his own school mark of 47.63.
Sikkenga is the third seed for Saturday's 400 meter finals.  In the women's
400 meter prelims, Calvin advanced three individuals to Saturday's
championship final as senior Megan Pierce (Fort Wayne, IN) gained the top
seed with a time of 55.39.  Senior Lindsay Mulder of Calvin Christian High
School advanced to Saturday's final with the sixth-fastest time in the
prelims with a time of 56.20.  Calvin senior Sara Veltkamp of Grand Rapids
Christian High School also advanced to Saturday's final with the
seventh-fastest time of the night, clocking in with a time of 56.37.
 
 Also competing for the Calvin men on Friday evening was junior David
Ritsema (Denver, CO) in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.  Ritsema finished 14th
in 9:26.45.