Calvin Men Place 14th/Women Finish 18th at NCAA III Track & Field Championships
Saturday, May 28, 2011
DELAWARE, OH - The Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams produced four All-America finishes on the final day of competition at the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Ohio Wesleyan University. One of the top finishes was turned in by senior Nick Kramer (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian HS) who took fourth in the 5,000 meters (14:44.75) less than 24 hours after having finished third in the steeplechase the night before. It marks the second straight year that Kramer has pulled off the difficult steeplechase/5K All-America double. A year ago, Kramer was fourth in the steeplechase and eighth in the 5,000 meters. Kramer is one of four individuals in Calvin men’s track and field history to earn All-America recognition in both the steeplechase and the 5,000 meters in the same meet and he is the only individual to do so on more than one occasion. Other All-Americans for Calvin on Saturday included sophomore Greg Whittle (4th place, men’s 1,500 meters), senior Rachel Boerner (5th place, women’s 400 meter hurdles) & senior Sarah Reasoner (7th place, women’s discus).
Calvin Men’s All-Time Track & Field All-Americans
Calvin Women’s All-Time Track & Field All-Americans
SEE FULL STORY FOR LIST OF AUDIO INTERVIEWS WITH ATHLETES AND COACHES
Calvin Claims All-America Berths in Men’s/Women’s Steeplechase at NCAA III Championships
Friday, May 27, 2011
DELAWARE, OH - The steeplechase was once again a signature event for the Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams at the NCAA III Championships. On Friday night at Ohio Wesleyan University, junior Nick Kramer (Dyer, IN/Illiana Christian HS) repeated as an All-American in the men’s steeplechase, placing third with a blistering time of 8:56.04. The finish came on the heels of a fourth place performance at last year’s national meet and marked the fourth All-America certificate of his track and field career and the fifth of his Calvin running career. On the women’s side, the third time proved to be the charm for senior Gretchen Braymer (Erie, PA/Collegiate Academy) as she placed seventh with a time of 10:39.15 to claim All-America honors for the first time in her Calvin running carer. The All-America finish by Braymer came on her third crack at the steeplechase at the national meet. A year ago, she placed 15th in the even at the NCAA III Championships after placing 16th at the 2009 national meet.
Gretchen Braymer Audio Interview
Oosterhouse Advances to Round of 16 at NCAA III Singles Tournament - Qualifies For ITA Honors
Friday, May 27, 2011
CLAREMONT, CA - Calvin College senior Melissa Oosterhouse closed out her collegiate tennis career in strong fashion, advancing to the Round of 16 at the NCAA III Singles Tournament before bowing to fifth-seeded Kristin Alotta of Williams College 6-2, 6-2. Alotta was the player on the Williams College national championship squad this spring. Oosterhouse advanced to the Round of 16 with an impressive 7-5, 6-3 win over Thavindra Ekanayake of Trinity University of Texas in the first round. Oosterhouse is the first Calvin women’s tennis player to pick up a victory at the NCAA III Singles Tournament. She concludes her season with an 19-2 singles record and a career singles mark of 78-14. She is the all-time Calvin women’s tennis leader in singles victories. With her first round victory over Ekanayake, Oosterhouse qualifies for ITA Division III All-America honors. She is the first individual in Calvin women’s tennis history to do so. Oosterhouse was one of 32 individuals competing at the NCAA III Singles Tournament at Claremont-Mudd Scripps College.
Calvin Advances Three Athletes to Finals on Day One of NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championship
Thursday, May 26, 2011
DELAWARE, OH - The Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams had a solid first day of competition at the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University. On the women’s side, Calvin senior Rachel Boerner (Bergenfield, NJ/Hillcrest Lutheran Academy) will have a chance to defend her national title in the 400 meter hurdles as she advanced to Saturday’s finals in the event with a time of 1:01.38 that was good for first place in her prelim heat Thursday night and was the fifth-fastest time of the prelims. On the men’s side, senior Alex Wrobel (Arden Hills, MN/Moundsview HS) and sophomore Greg Whittle (Galesburg, IL/Galesburg HS) both advanced to Saturday’s finals in the 1,500 meters as Whittle won his heat of the evening prelims Thursday with a time of 3:57.41 while Wrobel was third in his prelim heat with a time of 3:57.61. Whittle had the second-fastest time out of the two prelims heats combined while Wrobel’s time was the eight-best of the two prelim heats.
Rachel Boerner Audio Interview
Melissa Oosterhouse to Face Thavindra Ekanayake of Trinity University in NCAA III Singles Tourney
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Calvin College senior Melissa Oosterhouse has received her first round draw for the NCAA III Singles Tournament which gets underway Friday morning in Claremont, California. Oosterhouse will face Thavindra Ekanayake of Trinity University of Texas in a 9 a.m. (PCT) first round match. The winner of the match will advance to the Round of 16 for a 1 p.m. match against the winner of a first round matchup between Kristin Alotta of of Williams College and Kate Stanford of Sewanee The University of the South.
Live Results of NCAA III Singles Tournament
Live Video Stream of NCAA III Singles Tournament
Melissa Oosterhouse Feature Story in Grand Rapids Press
Calvin In Fourth Place in Most Recent Learfield Director’s Cup Standings
Thursday, May 26, 2011
With the spring sports season winding down, Calvin continues to hold a high spot in the most recent Learfield Director’s Cup standings. Calvin currently sits in fourth place with a total of 647.75 points. Calvin recently added 48 points to its total with a 26th place finish by its men’s golf team at the NCAA III Championships. Middlebury (VT) holds a slim first place lead over Williams (MA) with Middlebury standing with 798 points and defending Learfield Director’s Cup champion Williams close behind with 784 points. Washington University (MO) is third with 739 points. Amherst (MA) is behind Calvin in fifth place with 587 points. The latest standings include the spring sports of men’s and women’s golf, women’s lacrosse and (women’s) softball.
Track & Field Teams Prepare for NCAA III Championship Competition
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
DELAWARE, OH - The individuals representing the Calvin track and field teams at the NCAA III Outdoor Championships joined with other fellow competitors Wednesday night on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University for a pre-nationals dinner. At the dinner, head coach Bret Otte was presented with the Great Lakes Women’s Regional Coach of the Year Award. Calvin sports information student assistant Mitch Blankespoor caught up with Bret Otte and with Calvin distance coach Brian Diemer for pair of audio interviews looking ahead to the next three days.
Live Video Stream Link of Thursday Competition
Grand Rapids Press Feature Story on Alyssa Penning
Bret Otte Named Division III Great Lakes Regional Women’s Track & field Coach of the Year
Monday, May 23, 2011
Calvin College head track and field coach Bret Otte has been named the Division III Great Lakes Regional Women’s Track and Field Coach of the Year by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association. Now in his second year at the helm of the Calvin men’s and women’s track and field program, Otte is receiving Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year honors for the first time.This spring, Otte led the Calvin women’s track and field team to its 22nd straight MIAA title including the second under his watch. At the MIAA Championships earlier this month, his athletes took first place in 10 events. The Calvin women’s track and field team is currently ranked 10th nationally and number-one in the most recent Great Lakes Regional computer poll as conducted by the USTFCCCA.
Women’s Track & Field Team Ranked 10th/Men’s Track & Field Team Ranked 15th in Final Top 25 Rankings
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams continue to hold their respective spots in the final Division III Top 25 poll released by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association. The rankings are computerized polls. The Calvin men are again ranked 15th in this week’s poll while the Calvin women are again ranked 10th. In addition, the Calvin men are ranked second in the Great Lakes Region by the USTFCCCA, up one spot from a week ago, while the Calvin women are again the top-ranked team in the Great Lakes Region.
USTFCCCA Division III Top 25 Rankings
USTFCCCA Division III Regional Rankings
Calvin Sending 12 to NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The Calvin men’s and women’s track and field teams will send a combined 12 athletes to the upcoming NCAA III Track and Field Championships including 6 from its women’s team and six from its men’s team. Scheduled to represent the Calvin men’s team are seniors Alex Wrobel and Ben Van Wyk, juniors Dan Kerr, Rhett Morrici and Nick Kramer and sophomore Greg Whittle. Representing the Calvin women’s team will be seniors Rachel Boerner, Sarah Reasoner, Gretchen Braymer, junior Jodi Hoekstra and sophomores Carissa Verkaik and Alyssa Penning. The NCAA III Track and Field Championships will be held May 26-28 at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio.
