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Nick Kramer Captures National Title in 3,000 Meter Steeplechase at NCAA III Championships
Saturday, May 26, 2012
CLAREMONT, CA -Calvin College senior Nick Kramer captured the national title in the 3,000 meter steeplechase tradition Saturday afternoon at the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Claremont-Mudd Scripps College. A native of Dyer, Indiana, Kramer took first in a school record time of 8:51.01, breaking the previous Calvin record of 8:51.30 set by John Lumkes in 1990. Kramer is the third national champion in the men’s steeplechase from Calvin, joining Lumkes (1990) and Pat McNamara (1989). He is the first men’s track and field national champion from Calvin since J.D. Stein took the decathlon national title in 1996.
Kramer was one of two steeplechase All-Americans from Calvin on Saturday as junior Alyssa Penning of Grand Rapids Christian High School took fifth in the women’s race with a career-best time of 10:40.00. Penning is the fourth individual in Calvin women’s track and field history to earn All-America honors in the steeplechase, joining Sarah Hastings (2005), Elizabeth Smit (2010) and Gretchen Braymer (2011). Calvin then claimed All-America berths in both the men’s and women’s 5,000 meters as Kramer took eighth in the men’s 5K while senior Jodi Hoekstra placed eighth in the women’s 5,000 meters.
Dan Kerr Claims All-America Honors in 10,000 Meters at NCAA III Outdoor T & F Championships
Friday, May 25, 2012
CLAREMONT, CA - It was a great opening day for the Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams at the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships held at Claremont-Mudd Scripps College. The Calvin men claimed one All-America berth and qualified two individuals for Saturday’s finals. On the women’s side, Calvin also qualified one individual for the final day of competition at the NCAA III Championships.Highlighting the day for Calvin was the performance of senior Dan Kerr. The Petoskey High School graduate claimed All-America honors in the 10,000 meters with a fifth place time of 30:43.69. It marks the second All-America berth of Kerr’s Calvin running career as he was also an NCAA III cross country All-American for Calvin this fall. Kerr is the 11th individual in Calvin men’s track and field history to claim All-America honors in the 10,000 meters. It also marks the 17th time that Calvin had claimed an All-America berth in the men’s 10,000 meters with six individuals claiming All-America honors on more than one occasion.
Calvin Sending 10 to NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Sunday, May 20, 2012
The Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams will send a combined 10 athletes to the upcoming NCAA III Track and Field Championships including five from its women’s team and five from its men’s team. The 10 individuals that will represent the Calvin track and field program at the NCAA III Track and Field Championships this Thursday, Friday and Saturday (May 24-26) at Claremont-Scripps College in Claremont, California, include Nick Kramer, Greg Whittle, Matt Vander Roest, Aaron Meckes and Dan Kerr of the men’s team and Carissa Verkaik, Jodi Hoekstra, Nicole Michmerhuizen, Kaitlin Diemer and Alyssa Penning of the women’s team.
Track and Field Teams Compete at Gregory Invitational at North Central College
Saturday, May 19, 2012
NAPERVILLE, IL - A group of Calvin track and field athletes competed at the Gregory Invitational hosted by North Central College Thursday and Friday in an attempt to improve qualifying performances for the upcoming NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.On the women’s side, sophomore Nicole Michermhuizen took first place in the 10,000 meters (36:26.23). Calvin also had a strong showing in the 1500 meters as senior Jodi Hoekstra was third (4:35.36), senior Kaitlin Diemer fifth (4:37.90) and junior Kaylea Brase ninth (4:43.82). The times by Diemer and Brase were career-best efforts. Sophomore Hilary Banning also had a career-best jump of 37-1 in the triple jump. Calvin’s 4x400 meter relay team of sophomores Julie Busscher, Stephanie Bennett, Olivia Butler and freshman Breanna Verkaik also posted a solid time of 3:57.69. On the men’s side, junior Aaron Meckes took second in the shot put (52-4) and sixth in the discus (150-5) while senior Nick Kramer was sixth in the 1500 meters (3:56.48) and sophomore Sam Kerk sixth in the 5,000 meters (14:45.89). The NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships will be held May 24-26 in Claremont, California. The field of athletes selected for the championships will be announced Sunday morning at: NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships Field
Brian Diemer Named Gt Lakes Regional Men’s Track and Field Assistant Coach of the Year
Friday, May 18, 2012
USTFCCCA Track and Field Regional Awards Announcement
Brian Diemer has been named the Division III Great Lakes Region Mens’ Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association. A distance coach for the Knights, Diemer has nine of his men’s distance runners with top-25 marks this spring. At the MIAA Championships, his athletes won the 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and Steeplechase and finished runner-up in the 1500, 5000 and 10,000 to score 88 of the team’s 170 points. Calvin currently sits 13th in the national team rankings. Diemer also serves as the head coach of the Calvin men’s and women’s cross country teams. He shares the distance coaching duties with Al Hoekstra in men’s and women’s track and field. In 2010, Hoekstra was named the Women’s Great Lakes Region Assistant Track and Field Coach of the Year.
Calvin Announces Recipients of Bere’ Memorial and Kay Tiemersma Awards
Friday, May 18, 2012
GRAND RAPIDS - Calvin College has announced the 2011 recipients of its highest honors for men’s and women’s athletics: the Bere’ Memorial Award and the Kay Tiemersma Athletic Award. Nick Kramer of Dyer, Indiana, is this year’s Bere’ Memorial Award winner while Rebecca Kamp of Palos Heights, Illinois, is this year’s recipient of the Tiemersma Award. The Bere’ Memorial Award has been presented annually by Calvin since 1951. The Bere’ honors the top senior male student-athlete, based on athletic ability, scholastic rank, character and leadership, and is selected by the school’s varsity coaches, its athletics administrators and its faculty athletic representatives. It is given in memory of Joe Bere’, a Calvin student who was killed in a 1949 auto accident on his way to watch a Calvin basketball game. 
This is the 38th year that Calvin has given the Tiemersma award, presented annually to the top senior female student-athlete. The award honors Kay Tiemersma, the first woman physical education teacher in the member schools of the Christian Schools International organization, and a pioneer in women’s sports. Its presentation is based on athletic ability, scholastic standing, and character and leadership. The winner is also selected by the school”s varsity coaches, its athletics administrators and its faculty athletic representatives.
Calvin Track & Field Athletes Compete at Last-Chance Meets
Saturday, May 12, 2012
The Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams continued to push for qualifying spots for the upcoming NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships as a group of Calvin athletes competes at last-chance meet hosted by Grand Valley State while another group competed at a last-chance meet hosted by North Central College. At a last chance meet hosted by Grand Valley State Friday night, senior Nick Kramer (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian HS) had a huge performance in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, winning the race with a season-best time of 9:00.05. The time by Kramer will put him inside the top 10 on the national qualifying list and should assure him of a spot in the event if he chooses to compete in that race at the national meet. Kramer ran with the lead pack through the first 5 and-a-half laps but then broke loose over the final two laps to win the race with plenty of breathing room.
Calvin Lands Eight on All-MIAA Men’s Track and Field Team
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Eight members of the Calvin men’s track and field team have been named to the All-MIAA team. Named to the All-MIAA team from Calvin are seniors Nick Kramer, Justin Kremers and Dan Kerr, juniors Matt VanderRoest and Aaron Meckes and sophomores Evert Geerlings, Matt Christians and Sam Kerk. Nick Kramer is being so honored for the third straight year while Kerr is receiving All-MIAA accolades in track and field for the second straight year. The remaining six Calvin athletes are being so honored for the first time.
Women’s Track & Field Team Extends MIAA Title Streak - Calvin Men’s Streak Comes to An End
Friday, May 04, 2012
Friday’s second day of action at the MIAA Field Day provided mixed results for the Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams. On the women’s side, Calvin took first place with 273 points, finishing nearly 120 points ahead of runner-up Hope. The Calvin women’s track and field teams shares the final MIAA title with Hope as the Flying Dutch took the MIAA Jamboree back in mid-April which makes up the other half of the final league title. Calvin has now claimed at least a share of 23 MIAA titles dating back to 1990. The streak is the longest active championship streak in MIAA women’s athletics history. On the men’s side, Calvin’s streak of claiming at least a share of 18 straight MIAA titles came to end on Friday however as Calvin finished second behind Hope as the Knights tallied 170 points, 36 points behind the Flying Dutchmen. Hope claims the outright MIAA title - its first since 1986 - as it also took first place at the MIAA Jamboree in April. It also marks the first time that a team other than Calvin has now won the MIAA Field Day since 1986.
Calvin Track and Field Teams Build First Place Totals Through Day One of MIAA Field Day
Thursday, May 03, 2012
After one day of competition at the MIAA Field Day, both Calvin track and field teams are in first place. On the men’s side, Calvin has a first day total of 70 points with Hope second with 39 points. On the women’s side, Calvin has 57 points, 10 points ahead of second place Alma. In the men’s meet, Calvin took first place in four of the five events held Thursday as sophomore Evert Geerlings captured the pole vault (13-10 1/4), junior Aaron Meckes won the shot put (16.66 meters), senior Justin Kremers won the javelin (56.47 meters) and senior Dan Kerr won the 10,000 meters (32:40.12). Kerr led a 1-2-3-4 Calvin finish as junior Job Christiansen was second, junior David VandeBunte third and freshman Jacob Kuyvenhoven fourth. In the women’s meet, Calvin had two individual winners as sophomore Nicole Michmerhuizen won the 10,000 meters (37:52.37) while junior Carissa Verkaik repeated as league champion in the high jump, winning with a jump of 1.62 meters. Action continues on Friday with field events set to begin at 10 a.m. and running finals slated to start at 1 p.m.
