FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GRAND RAPIDS, MI --
Calvin will be sending one of the largest contingent of athletes in
school-history to the NCAA III Track and Field Championships this
weekend at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, as 11 athletes will
reprsent the men's team and eight will represent the women's team.
The MIAA as a whole will also be sending a large group of athletes to
the track and field championships as the Albion men have seven
qualifiers; the Adrian men two qualifiers and the Alma men one
qualifier. The Hope women will send two athletes to nationals while
Olivet will also send an athlete to nationals.
For a complete list of the qualifiers from the MIAA, please check out
the MIAA web site at WWW.MIAA.org
The following is a biographical breakdown of Calvin's qualifiers for
the championships this weekend.
Calvin's National Meet Track Teams
Calvin Men
NATE KUIPERS--A native of Gainsville, New York (Letchworth Central)
who is a senior, Kuipers will compete in the discus and will be making
his first appearance at the NCAA III Championships. Kuipers is seeded
fifth in the discus with a throw of 171-5. Kuipers was also named to
the All-MIAA track and field team this spring.
DAN HOEKSTRA--A native of Kalamazoo (Kalamazoo Christian High School)
who is a sophomore, Hoekstra will compete in the 5,000 meters and will
be making his first appearance at the NCAA III Championships.
Hoekstra was also named to the All-MIAA track and field team this year
after winning the 5,000 at the league championships
DEREK KLEINHEKSEL--A native of Hamilton (Hamilton High School) who is
a sophomore, Kleinheksel will compete in the high jump and will be
making his first appearance at nationals. He is the first Calvin high
jumper to qualify for the NCAA III men's track and field championships
since Dan Owen in 1989. He was named to the All-MIAA track and field
team this year.
MARK DeWEERD--A native of Hudsonville (Unity Christian High School)
who is a sophomore, DeWeerd is will compete in the pole vault and
will be making his first appearance at nationals. He is the first
Calvin pole vaulter to qualify for the NCAA's since Rick Lubbers in
1992. DeWeerd repeated as MIAA champion in the pole vault this year
to earn a spot on the All-MIAA track and field for a second straight
season.
PHIL SIKKENGA--A native of Wheaton, Illinois (Timothy Christian High
School) who is a sophomore, Sikkenga will compete in the 110 high
hurdles and 200 meters. He is making his second trip to the NCAA III
Track and Field Championships as he competed in the 110 hurdles a year
ago. Sikkenga is seeded third in the 110 high hurdles an in the 200
meters Sikkenga was an All-MIAA honoree this spring for a second
straight year and was named the MIAA's MVP after winning the long
jump, 110 high hurdles and 200 meter dash at the league meet.
KEITH VAN GOOR--A native of Midland Park, New Jersey (Midland Park
High School) who is a freshman, Van Goor will compete in the 1,600
meter relay. He is making his first trip to the NCAA III Track and
Field Championships. VanGoor also earned a spot on the All-MIAA
track and field this spring.
LEE DOHERTY--A senior from Tucson, Arizona (Flowing Wells High
School), Doherty will compete in the 1,500 meters where he is seeded
sixth. This is Doherty's third trip to the NCAA III Track and Field
Championships. As a sophomore in 1997, he earned All-America honors
in the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:52.90. Doherty also earned
All-MIAA track and field honors this spring for a third straight year.
ERIC HANSEN--A sophomore from Big Rapids (Big Rapids High School),
Hansen will compete in the 1,600 meter relay for the second
consecutive year. This is Hansen's second trip to the NCAA III Track
and Field Championships.
CURT MULDER--A junior from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian High
School), Mulder will compete in the 1,600 meter relay and the 400
meter hurdles. This is Mulder's second trip to the NCAA III Track and
Field Championships and will mark his first appearance at nationals in
the 400 meter hurdles. Mulder was an All-MIAA track and field honoree
this spring for the second straight year.
JAY LUMKES--A senior from Elkhorn, Wisconsin (Delevan-Darrien High
School), Lumkes will compete in the 1,600 meter relay and the 400
meters. This is his third trip to the NCAA III Track and Field
Championships. Lumkes was an All-MIAA track and field selection this
spring for the fourth consecutive year, winning the 400 meters and
high jump at the league meet. This will mark the second time that
Lumkes will compete at nationals in the 400 and the second consecutive
year that he will run in the 1,600 meter relay.
STEVE MICHMERHUIZEN--A senior from Zeeland, Michigan (Holland
Christian High School), Michmerhuizen will compete in the shot put and
discus. This is his second trip to the NCAA III Track and Field
Championships. A year ago, he earned All-America honors in both
events as he finished eighth in the shot put and discus.
Michmerhuizen has the second-best throw in Division III this spring in
the discus as he recorded a heave of 175-8 last Saturday to finish
second in the discus competition at the Paddock Invitational hosted by
the University of Michigan. Michmerhuizen was an All-MIAA Track and
Field honoree this spring for the third straight year and repeated as
MIAA champion in the shot put for a third straight year and in the
discus for a second consecutive season.
Calvin Women
SARAH GRITTER-A native of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, (Seminole High
School) who is a junior, Gritter will compete in the 1,500 and 3,000
meter run. She is making her second trip to nationals as she competed
in the 3,000 meters a year ago. Gritter also earned All-MIAA honors
in track and field this spring as she was league champion in the 1,500
and 3,000 meters and was named MIAA co-MVP with sophomore teammate
Megan Pierce. Gritter is seeded second in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters
LINDSAY MULDER--A sophomore from Wyoming (Calvin Christian High
School), Mulder will compete in the long jump and in the 400 and 1,600
meter relays. Mulder is making her first trip to nationals after
sitting out her freshman campaign with an injury. She is seeded sixth
in the long jump while the 1,600 meter relay team is seeded first.
Mulder was named to the All-MIAA track and field team this spring
after winning the long jump at the conference championships.
AMY MIZZONE--A senior from Wayne, New Jersey (Wayne Valley High
School), Mizzone will compete in the 5,000 meter run at nationals for
the third straight year and will be her third trip to the NCAA III
Track and Field Championships.
TERESA TIMMER--A junior from West Olive (Holland Christian High
School), Timmer will compete in the 400 meter relay at nationals for a
third straight year. This is her third trip to nationals. Timmer was
also named to the All-MIAA track and field this spring for a second
straight year.
RACHEL VELTKAMP--A freshman from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian
High School), Veltkamp will compete in the 400 meter relay and in the
long jump. This is her first trip to nationals. Veltkamp also earned
a spot on the All-MIAA track and field this spring.
MEGAN PIERCE--A sophomore from Fort Wayne, Indiana (Concordia Lutheran
High School), Pierce will compete in the 400 meter run and run legs on
Calvin's 1,600 and 400 meter relay teams. Her time of 55.46 earlier
in the year was a new school-record and is the second-fastest time run
this spring in Division III. Pierce was the MIAA champ in the 200 and
400 meters this year as she earned a spot on the All-MIAA track and
field team and was named MIAA co-MVP with junior teammate Sarah
Gritter. Pierce is making her second consecutive trip to nationals as
she was an All-American in the 400 meters and 1,600 meter relay last
spring, finishing sixth in both events.
SARA VELTKAMP--A sophomore from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian
High School), Veltkamp is making her second trip to nationals. She
will compete in the 1,600 meter relay which has the fastest time in
Division III this spring (3:50.62). As a freshman, Veltkamp earned
All-America honors with Calvin's 1,600 meter relay team as it finished
sixth at nationals. Veltkamp won the 800 meters at the league meet
for a second straight season this spring to earn All-MIAA track and
field accolades for the second year in a row.
KRISTI VANWOERKOM--A senior from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian
High School), VanWoerkom is making her second trip to nationals. She
will compete in the 1,600 meter relay. A four-time All-MIAA swimmer
for Calvin, VanWoerkom is the only female athlete in MIAA history to
earn All-MIAA honors in track and in swimming in the same year which
she accomplished in 1997. She is also the only female athlete in MIAA
history to earn All-America accolades in both swimming and in track as
she was a part of Calvin's All-American 400 meter freestyle relay in
swimming this past March and was a member of Calvin's All-American
1,600 meter relay in track last May.
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