CORNER AND VANDERLAAN ALL-AMERICANS AT NCAA III TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
May
24, 2002
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – A pair of former City League athletes came up with
All-America performances on the second day of competition at the NCAA III Track
and Field Championships hosted by Macalester College.
In the womens discus, sophomore Katie Corner of Grand Rapids Catholic Central
High School took fifth with a throw of 144-9, becoming the first discus
All-American in Calvin women’s track and field history. In the heptathlon,
Calvin junior Annie VanderLaan Grand Rapids Christian HS) received All-America
accolades in the event for the second straight year as she took fourth with a
school record total of 4,674 points, breaking her own school record by more than
150 points. Heading into the day, VanderLaan stood in first place in the overall
standings with 3,037 points but dropped to third place after a long jump of
15-10 Friday morning. She then dropped three places in her weakest event of the
heptathlon – the javelin. VanderLaan rebounded in the final event of the
heptathlon – the 800 meters – blazing through the two-lap race with a time of
2:21.04 to move up two places in the final standings. Katie Meyer of Loras
College took first in the heptathlon with an impressive total of 4,901 points
while Katie Ray of Claremont-Mud Scripps was second with 4,733 points and Raegan
Schultz of Central College (IA) third with 4,697 points, just 25 points ahead of
VanderLaan.
“I am very proud of Annie,” said Calvin men’s and women’s track and field coach
Jong-Il Kim who was named NCAA III Women’s Coach of the Year by the USTAF
Wednesday evening. “She learned from her experience at nationals last year and
used that knowledge to improve her performances this spring. She is a fierce
competitor and a very hard worker. I believe she will continue to improve and
will have a chance to do very well in the heptathlon next year.”
VanderLaan is still scheduled to run legs on Calvin’s 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter
relay teams Saturday.
In the women’s discus, Corner was one of only three underclassmen to earn
All-America honors as five of the eight honorees were seniors. Her All-America
effort also came in her first national appearance. “You never know how a
younger athlete will do at their first national meet but Katie was more than up
to the challenge today,” said Calvin throwing coach Norm Zylstra. “You won’t
find a more motivated or harder working athlete than Katie Corner. She had a
tremendous sophomore season of track and field and her performance today will
only serve as a confidence booster for the next two years.”
Calvin senior Rachel Veltkamp of Grand Rapids Christian High School also
competed in the women’s pole vault. Seeded second in the event heading into the
national meet, Veltkamp suffered a set-back on her first vaulting attempt Friday
afternoon as she snapped her lighter pole in half while attempting to clear the
bar. Although not injured, Veltkamp was forced to make an adjustment to a
back-up pole and after clearing the initial height of 10-6 *, she was unable to
clear the bar at 11-0 *, leaving her in 12th place in the final standings.
Junior Kelly Bowen of Nebraska Wesleyan captured the pole vault national title
with an NCAA III record mark of 12-6 *.
Veltkamp is scheduled to compete in the 4 x 100 meter relay Saturday afternoon.
Also scheduled to compete Friday evening for the Calvin men are seniors Ryan
Moore (Wexford, PA) in the men’s discus and Justin Pfruender (Midland) in the
3,000 meter steeplechase.
Coaches and
Race Directors:
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