Knightfile »
Recent stories
Calvin Women’s Basketball Team Moves Up To #2 in D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll
Friday, January 04, 2013
D3hoops.com Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll
The Calvin women’s basketball team has risen up to the number-two spot in the most recent D3hoops.com Top 25 poll. The poll was released Wednesday evening. Calvin had been ranked third in the previous four polls but moved up a spot this week with DePauw University holding down the top spot. Calvin and DePauw are part of five teams from the Great Lakes Region that are in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll as Hope is ranked sixth, Ohio Northern ranked 12th and Mount Union ranked 13th. Calvin will travel to Trine University on Saturday for a 3 p.m. contest. The game will feature a live audio broadcast and a live stats scoreboard.
Calvin/Trine Audio Broadcast Link
Calvin/Trine Live Stats Scoreboard
Women’s Basketball Moves to 10-1 on Year with 67-54 Win over Concordia of Wisconsin
Saturday, December 29, 2012
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - The third-ranked Calvin women’s basketball team claimed a 67-54 victory over Concordia of Wisconsin Saturday afternoon to improve to 10-1 on the season.The Knights used strong post play to claim the win as senior Julia Hilbrands notched a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds off the bench while senior Carissa Verkaik had 18 points and 8 boards while battling foul trouble. Calvin led 46-27 at halftime and led by 21 points at 65-43 with 3:52 to play before Concordia used a late scoring spurt to make the final margin of victory 13 points. Calvin will return to action on January 5 when it travels to Trine for a 3 p.m. MIAA contest.
Women’s Basketball Picks Up 78-32 Victory at Colorado College
Saturday, December 29, 2012
COLORADO SPRINGS, Col. - The third-ranked Calvin women’s basketball team claimed a 78-32 victory at Colorado College Friday night. The Knights are now 9-1 on the season and have won eight consecutive games. Calvin led 41-16 at halftime, limiting the host Tigers to just six first half field goals while forcing 22 turnovers. Calvin kept the pressure on in the second half to close out the win as Colorado College shot just 16.7 percent over the final 20 minutes of play. Calvin used its inside game to its advantage as seniors Carissa Verkaik and Julia Hilbrands scored 10 points apiece. Sophomores Breanna Verkaik and Abby VanderWoude along with senior Ally Wolffis had eight points apiece. Senior Kelsey Irwin added a pair of triples to build her career total to 149.
Women’s Basketball Claims 84-47 Victory at Olivet Behind Dominating First Half Effort
Saturday, December 22, 2012
(Photo by Sandy Palmatter)
OLIVET - The third-ranked Calvin women’s basketball team put on a dominating first half performance - en route to an 84-47 victory over an on-the-rise Olivet squad Saturday afternoon at the Cutler Events Center. Calvin (8-1 overall, 4-0 MIAA) led 45-14 at halftime and never looked back in cruising to the win. The 14 points allowed marked Calvin’s best defensive performance in a half this year and marked the fourth time this season that the Knights have held the opposition under 20 points in the first half. On the offensive end. Calvin shot 48.7 percent from the floor through the first half of play led by senior Carissa Verkaik (Holland/Holland Christian HS) who tallied 19 first half points including 12 of Calvin’s first 21. A preseason All-America selection, Carissa Verkaik finished the game with 24 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots, connecting on 9-of-18 from the floor and 3-of-5 from three-point range. Senior Julia Hilbrands (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) came off the bench to drop in 10 points and grab six rebounds while sophomore Maria DeKuiper (Bradenton, FL/Bradenton Christian HS) had nine points in a reserve role.
Women’s Basketball Knocks Off Saint Mary’s 77-56
Saturday, December 15, 2012
By Mark De Haan
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A ten-day layoff for the Calvin women’s basketball team ended on Saturday as the Knights played host to the Belles of Saint Mary’s. Calvin struggled early, but four first half three-pointers from senior Kelsey Irwin (Fraser, Fraser HS) jump started the Knights’ offense en route to a 77-56 victory. Carissa Verkaik led Calvin with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Engelhard added 14 points while Irwin chipped in 12. Irwin moves into third on the career three-pointers made list with 145 for her career. The Belles were led in defeat by junior Shanlynn Bias (Griffin, Ind./Griffin HS) who scored 14 points. Paul added 12 points for Saint Mary’s.
The Knights are now 3-0 in the MIAA and 7-1 overall, while Saint Mary’s drops to 1-4 in league play and 3-7 overall. Calvin’s next game is Saturday, December 22 against the Comets of Olivet. Olivet is currently tied with Calvin and Hope atop the MIAA at 3-0 in league play.
Women’s Basketball Team Claims 97-56 Victory at Alma
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
By Mark DeHaan
ALMA - Calvin traveled to Alma Wednesday night for its second conference match of the young season to face the Scots. Calvin, ranked third in the nation in the latest DIII polls, struggled in the opening minutes, but then a seven minute stretch midway through the first half saw the Knights build a sizable advantage and never look back. Calvin was able to use its depth throughout the game, earning a 97-56 win to move to 2-0 in conference.Carissa Verkaik led the Knights in victory one rebound short of a double-double with 25 points and nine rebounds. The performance marked the 91st double-digit scoring performance of her collegiate career. Irwin and sophomore Maria De Kuiper (Bradenton, FL/Bradenton Christian HS) each added 12 points, a career high for the sophomore, while Wolffis chipped in nine points and five rebounds. Kassidi Adams and Raeanna Zink each scored 13 points to lead the Scots. Calvin is now 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA. The Knights now have an extended break before their conference home opener on Saturday, December 15 against the Belles of Saint Mary’s. The game is scheduled to tipoff at 3 p.m. in the afternoon.
D3hoops.com Feature on Calvin Women’s Basketball
Women’s Basketball Picks Up 77-42 Win at Albion in MIAA Opener
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
By Mark DeHaan
ALBION - The Calvin women’s basketball team opened the MIAA portion of its schedule Wednesday night, traveling to Albion College’s Kresge Gymnasium to face the Britons. The Knights got off to a hot start and did not look back, earning the 77-42 win as Calvin shot 47%, 10-for-25 from three point range. The Knights jumped out to an early 16-5 lead, led by sophomore Kayla Engelhard. Engelhard, who was named MIAA player of the week last week, picked up right where she left off, scoring 10 of Calvin’s first 16 points. Every Knight earned playing time while each player put points into the stat sheet. Engelhard led Calvin on offense with 17 points and four assists. Verkaik added 14 points and six rebounds, while seniors Kelsey Irwin and Heather DeKleine and freshman Abby VanderWoude all chipped in six.
Kayla Engelhard Named MIAA Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
ROYAL OAK, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Calvin guard Kayla Engelhard its Player of the Week in women’s basketball for games played through Nov. 25.
Engelhard, a sophomore from Unionville (Saginaw Valley Lutheran HS), averaged 19 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in leading the Knights to three consecutive wins for the week. She scored a career-high 37 points and added seven rebounds as Calvin rallied from a 10-point deficit with less than two minutes remaining in regulation time for an 84-75 overtime win at Thomas More, Ky., and followed with 14 points and four assists the next night in a 76-48 victory over Centre, Ky. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the Thomas More tournament. Engelhard, who made 54 percent of her shots from the field (21 of 39) and 82 percent from the line (14 of 17) for the week, is being honored as Player of the Week for the first time in her career.
Women’s Basketball Tops Centre 76-48 at Julie Costello Memorial Classic
Saturday, November 24, 2012
By Mark DeHaan
A quick turnaround saw the Calvin women’s basketball team face Centre College Saturday afternoon less than a day after defeating host Thomas More in a thrilling overtime victory in the Julie Costello Memorial Classic. The Knights showed no signs of fatigue and dominated Centre, winning 76-48. Senior Carissa Verkaik led the charge with 20 points, six rebounds and five blocks. Sophomore Kayla Engelhard added 14 points, while Irwin scored nine, DeKleine eight, and Springer seven. Senior Ally Wolffis grabbed 12 rebounds for the Knights, five on the offensive glass. Both Verkaik and Engelhard were named to the All-Tournament team, with Engelhard earning MVP honors for her combined 51 points in a pair of games against Thomas More and Centre.
Women’s Basketball Pulls Out Epic Overtime Victory Over Thomas More at Julie Costello Classic
Saturday, November 24, 2012
By Mark DeHaan
Traveling to Crestview Hills, Kentucky to face Thomas More in the first round of the Julie Costello Memorial Classic, Calvin played against host and in-region foe Thomas More. The Knights came into the match at 2-1 overall and ranked No. 5 in the nation, while the Saints were twelfth nationally and 3-0 overall. Trailing by double digits with under three minutes left in regulation, Calvin mounted a furious comeback to pull out an 84-75 overtime win. Senior Kelsey Irwin hit a game-tying triple in the closing seconds and the Knights rolled in overtime. The Knights were led on offense by sophomore guard Kayla Engelhard, who scored a career high 37 points and grabbed seven rebounds, shattering her previous high of 21 points. Senior Carissa Verkaik collected a near triple-double with 16 points, 17 rebounds and eight blocks. The double-double was the 40th of Verkaik’s career. Irwin added 11 points off the bench.
