Joel Klooster Named Verizon Academic All-American of the Year in Cross Country/Track & Field; Dan Hoekstra & David Ritsema Named Second Team Verizon Academic All-Americans

June 18, 2002

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Calvin College senior Joel Klooster has received another prestigious honor for his academic and athletic success. A native of Chatham, Ontario, and a graduate of Chatham Christian High School, Klooster has been named the Verizon Academic All-American of the year in the cross country/track and field college division.

In addition, Klooster has been named to the Verizon Academic All-America first team while senior teammates Dan Hoekstra and David Ritsema have been named second team Verizon Academic All-Americans.

Earlier this spring, Klooster received a prestigious NCAA III Postgraduate Scholarship. In receiving the Verizon Academic All-American of the Year award, Klooster joins 1994 Calvin graduate Chris Knoester (men's basketball) as the only two athletes in Calvin history to be so honored. At the NCAA III Track and Field Championships last month, Klooster earned All-America honors twice, finishing second in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs. It capped off an amazing 2001-2002 distance campaign for Klooster who also posted an All-America performance at the NCAA III Cross Country Championships in November with a 24th place individual finish. At both the NCAA III Cross Country and Track and Field Championships, Klooster helped Calvin finish second as a team. Combined, Klooster has now posted five All-America performances in his Calvin running career, achieving the feat twice in cross country and three times in track and field.

An electrical engineering major with a minor in computer science, Klooster carries a 3.98 grade point average. He has been named a Verizon Academic All-American honors twice, receiving third team honors in cross country in 2000 and first team accolades in cross country in 2001. Klooster is an eight-time member of the Calvin Dean's List, a three-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a tree-time recipient of the College Cross Country Coaches All-Academic award. While a student, Klooster has helped design computer labs across the Calvin campus and also serves as an employee at the Smith Industries Aerospace corporation in Kentwood, Michigan.

Hoekstra is from Kalamazoo and is a graduate of Kalamazoo Christian High School. Hoekstra is also a two-time All-America in cross country and a five-time All-American in track and field. He recently graduated with a degree in secondary education with an emphasis in chemistry. At Calvin, he carried a 3.43 grade point average and was named the 2002 recipient of Calvin's highest honor in men's athletics - the Bere' Memorial Award.

Ritsema is a Denver, Colorado, native and a graduate of Denver Christian High School. Ritsema was a 1st team All-MIAA selection in cross country this past fall and also a member of the 2001 All-MIAA track and field team. He was part of Calvin's top-seven in cross country this past fall and helped the Knights finish second at the NCAA III Championships. In track and field, Ritsema specialized in the 3,000 meter steeplechase event, capturing the 2001 MIAA steeplechase title while also qualifying for the 2001 NCAA III Track and Field Championships in the event.

Ritsema recently graduated from Calvin with a degree in biochemistry while carrying a 3.95 grade point average. He will attend medical school at the University of Colorado next fall.

Combined, Klooster, Hoekstra and Ritsema have been part of five top-four national team finishes. During their distance careers, they have been part of Calvin cross country teams that finished second in 1998 and 2001, first in 2000 and fourth in 1999 and a track and field team that finished second in 2002.

Calvin has now had its athletes recognized as Verizon Academic All-Americans 49 times including 23 times in the last four years. In addition, it marks the fourth consecutive year that a member of the Calvin men's track and field team has received Verizon Academic All-America honors.

Coaches and Race Directors:
E-Mail us Your Press Releases!!

Send to [email protected]