Knightfile »
Recent stories
Calvin Cross Country Teams Move Up in National Polls
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
USTFCCCA Division III National/Regional Polls for 9-12-12
The Calvin men’s and women’s cross country teams continue to climb in the national rankings. In the most recent set of Division III Top 35 rankings released by the United States Cross Country Coaches Association of America, the Calvin men’s team is ranked sixth while the Calvin women’s team is ranked eighth. In the first poll of the year – released two weeks ago – the Calvin men’s cross country team was ranked seventh while the Calvin women’s team was ranked 10th.This past weekend, both teams took first place at their own Knight Invitational with the Calvin men’s team posting a first place total of 30 points and its women’s team collecting a first place score of 34 points. Both teams are in the process of preparing for the MIAA Jamboree on September 21 at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana.
Job Christiasen & Alyssa Penning Receive MIAA Runner Of the Week Honors
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
ROYAL OAK, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Calvin’s Job Christiansen and Alyssa Penning as its Runners of the Week in cross country for meets through Sept. 9.Christiansen, a junior from New Ipswich, N.H. (Mascenic Regional HS), finished fifth at the Calvin Invitational with a time of 24:57 over the 8-kilometer course, helping the Knights win the meet with a team score of 30 points.
Christiansen is being honored as Runner of the Week for the first time in his career. Penning, a senior from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian HS), led the Knights to a first-place showing at their invitational with a second-place finish in a time of 17:57 over the 5-kilometer course. Penning is being honored as Runner of the Week for the second time in her career.
Seventh-Ranked Calvin Men’s Cross Country Team is a Winner at Knight Invite
Saturday, September 08, 2012
By Mark DeHaan
Hosting the Knight Invitational at the Gainey Athletic Complex, the seventh-ranked Calvin men’s cross country team looked to top the list of 17 schools competing on a beautiful Saturday morning. Calvin did just that, taking first place with a team score of 30 points. Senior Nick Kramer crossed the line first with a time of 24:23.3. Senior Dan Kerr followed closely behind, finishing in 24:28.4. Third place finisher Bobby Over of Allegheny did not come in until 24:43.8, showing the dominance of Calvin’s top two. Coming in third for Calvin was senior Job Christiansen with a time of 24:57.5, Christiansen also took the fifth overall spot. The Knights fourth runner and taking seventh overall was senior Matt Vander Roest. Calvin’s fifth runner and taking the 15th spot overall was senior David Vande Bunte in 25:32.7.
Calvin Men’s Cross Country Team Ranked 7th/Women’s Cross Country Team Ranked 10th in National Polls
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
USTFCCCA Division III Preseason Top 35 Cross Country Polls
The Calvin men’s and women’s cross country teams are both nationally-ranked in the first Division III Top 35 Poll conducted by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association.On the men’s side, Calvin is ranked number-seven. On the women’s side, Calvin is ranked 10th. North Central (IL) is the top-ranked team in the men’s poll while Middlebury (CT) is the top-ranked team in the women’s poll. A year ago the Calvin men’s team finished 11th at the NCAA III Cross Country Championships while the Calvin women’s team finished 13th. Both teams are led by head coach Brian Diemer.
Calvin Cross Country Teams Ranked Number-One in First Set of Great Lakes Regional Rankings
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
USTFCCCA Division III Regional Rankings
The first set of Division III regional rankings for men’s and women’s cross country have been released by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association and both Calvin teams are ranked number-one in their respective regional polls. The Calvin men’s team holds the top spot in the men’s Great Lakes regional rankings with Wabash second. The Calvin women’s team is ranked number-one in the women’s Great Lakes regional rankings followed by Oberlin in second. Both Calvin teams captured Great Lakes Regional titles a year ago. The Calvin teams will open their seasons on September 8 when they host the Knight Invitational at the Gainey Athletic Complex.
2012 Calvin Men’s Cross Country Outlook
Saturday, August 18, 2012
2012 Calvin Men'x Cross Country Outlook
With three All-Americans and six individuals that were members of its team that competed at the 2011 NCAA III Championships, the Calvin men’s cross country team is looking forward to the 2012 season with great anticipation and excitement. Returning letterwinners that ran at the 2011 NCAA III Cross Country Championships include seniors Dan Kerr (Petoskey/Petoskey HS), Matt VanderRoest (Ann Arbor/Ann Arbor Huron HS), Greg Whittle (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg HS) Rhett Morici (St. Charles, IL/St. Charles North HS) and David VandeBunte (Byron Center/Byron Center HS). The alternate from last year’s nationals team - senior Job Christiansen (New Ipswich NH/Mascenic Regional HS) also returns.
Six Calvin Teams Receive MIAA Team GPA Award
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
The Faculty Athletic Representatives of the MIAA member colleges present the MIAA Team GPA Award every year. This award recognizes conference athletic teams for performance in the classroom of a 3.3 cumulative GPA or better (on a 4.0 scale). During the recently completed 2011-12 school year, six of Calvin’s athletic teams achieved this distinction. Five of Calvin’s women’s teams received the MIAA Team GPA Award while the men’s cross country team also achieved the feat. Calvin’s teams receiving the honor are as follows; women’s cross country team, women’s track and field team, women’s basketball team, women’s volleyball team, women’s tennis team, and men’s cross country team.
Calvin Lands 123 Scholar-Athletes on MIAA Academic Honor Roll
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
2011-12 MIAA Academic Honor Roll
The 2011-12 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Academic - Honor Roll has been announced by Commissioner David Neilson and 123 Calvin scholar-athletes have been named to the list. The honor roll recognizes scholar-athletes who achieve a minimum 3.5 grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) for the entire 2010-11 academic year. A student needed to have won a varsity letter in a sport to be eligible. The MIAA Academic Honor Roll program was initiated in 1990 to recognize students at MIAA member colleges who excel both in athletics and in the classroom.
Calvin Recognizes 28-year Anniversary of Brian Diemer Claiming Bronze Medal in Steeplechase
Friday, August 10, 2012
As the Summer Olympic Games continue in London, we remember some athletes with ties to the MIAA who have had their own Olympic moments. On August 10, 1984, Brian Diemer won the bronze medal for the United States in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Summer Games in Los Angeles, overcoming teammate Henry Marsh over the final 300 meters to claim the medal in a time of 8:14.06. Diemer (pictured right on the medal stand) went on to compete in two more Olympics, in Seoul in 1988 and again at Barcelona in 1992, finishing seventh at Barcelona. He is the last American to win a medal in the steeplechase. Diemer has gone on to be one of the most successful coaches in MIAA history, leading Calvin to 30 total championships in cross country, including 25 consecutive men’s championships through last year. He has coached the Knights men’s program to four NCAA Division III national championships - 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2006.
Calvin Men’s Track and Field Team Lands Four on USTFCCCA All-Academic Team
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
USTFCCCA Division III Men's All-Academic Team
Four members of the Calvin men’s track and field team have been named to the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team. The four individuals so honored are seniors Nick Kramer and Dan Kerr and juniors Greg Whittle and Matt Vander Roest. To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and have met either of the following athletic standards: a student-athlete must have competed in an NCAA Indoor or Outdoor Championship or finished the regular season ranked in the national top 35 in an individual event or ranked in the national top 25 (collective listing) in a relay event on the official NCAA POP list provided by TFRRS.org.
