Michmerhuizen and Sikkenga named GTE Academic All-Americans

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A pair of Calvin College track and field athletes have earned GTE Academic All-America honors in the spring at-large division. Senior Steve Michmerhuizen has been named to the GTE Academic All-America first team in the college division while sophomore Phil Sikkenga has been named to the GTE Academic All-America third team. The college division includes NCAA II, III and NAIA schools. The spring-at large men's division includes the sports of lacrosse, indoor/outdoor track and field, golf, tennis and volleyball. Michmerhuizen and Sikkenga are the second and third athletes in Calvin men's track and field history to earn GTE Academic All-America accolades, joining Ray Van Arragon who earned first team honors in 1994 and 1995. Athletes at Calvin have now earned GTE Academic All-America distinction 31 times including six times this year. Michmerhuizen is a native of Zeeland and a graduate of Holland Christian High School. Michmerhuizen recently completed an incredible track and field career at the NCAA III Track and Field Championships as he became a three-time All-American at Calvin, finishing fifth in the discus while also adding a 10th place finish in the shot put. As a junior, Michmerhuizen finished eighth in the shot put and discus at nationals to earn All-America accolades in both events. During his junior campaign, Michmerhuizen established a new school record in the shot put with a throw of 55-7 which ended up as the top throw in NCAA Division III track and field last spring. At the MIAA Championships this year at Alma College, Michmerhuizen shattered the oldest MIAA track and field record as he uncorked a throw of 172-4 to win the discus for the second consecutive year. He also won the shot put crown at the league meet for a third consecutive year. At the Paddock Invitational hosted by the University of Michigan May 14-15, Michmerhuizen broke the school record in the discus for the final time with a throw of 175-8 which finished as the second-best throw in NCAA Division III track and field this year. A three-time All-MIAA selection in track and field, Michmerhuizen was named the MIAA's co-MVP in track and field in 1998. In addition, he was the recipient of the Bere' Memorial Award this past May, given to the top senior male student-athlete at Calvin College every year. A religion major, Michmerhuizen was graduated from Calvin this spring with a grade point average of 3.72. Sikkenga is a native of Wheaton, Illinois, and is a graduate of Timothy Christian High School. A sprinter and long jumper, Sikkenga broke three school-records this year as he established new Calvin standards in the 100 meters (10.79), 110 high hurdles (14.25) and 200 meters (21.47). At the MIAA Championships, Sikkenga captured league crowns in the long jump, 110 high hurdles and 200 meters. He was then named to the All-MIAA track and field team for the second consecutive year and was named the MIAA's MVP. A qualifier for the NCAA III Track and Field Championships in the 110 high hurdles and 200 meters, Sikkenga finished fourth at the national meet in the 110 high hurdles to become the first All-American in the 110 highs in Calvin track and field history. His All-America finish in the 110 high hurdles helped Calvin finish sixth as a team with 22 points, marking its fifth top-10 national finish in the last 11 years and its highest national finish since 1991. Sikkenga is a business administration major at Calvin and carries a 3.51 grade point average. -end-