As one of the nation’s premier NCAA Division III
conferences, the MIAA is pleased to partner in the
association’s Division III identity initiative. On this page
you will find current stories about how MIAA student-athletes,
teams and coaches exemplify attributes of the identity initiative
on the athletic field, in the classroom, and in their communities.
The six attributes featured in the initiative are proportion,
comprehensive learning, passion, responsibility, sportsmanship and
citizenship.
In addition, the MIAA will also be highlighting another category
with these stories, Athletic Excellence. This category will feature
examples of excellence from throughout the conference’s past
and present, ranging from individual accomplishments to team
championships at the conference and national level.
To read more about a specific attribute or to access previous
stories, click on the link for each attribute and you will be taken
to that specific page.
Check back to this page for new stories from our member colleges
every month.
Hope's Wiese: An "Elite" Student-Athlete
Although athletic participation at the collegiate level is time
demanding, athletes at MIAA member schools are students first and
athletes second. They have their priorities in line. Hope senior
Chelsea Wiese of Rochester, Mich. is an exemplary example of the
Division III student/athlete. Chelsea recently received the NCAA
Elite 89 award for Division III women's swimming and diving. The
Elite 89 is presented to the athlete with the highest grade point
average who is competing at the national championship for a
particular sport. An accounting major, Chelsea has a 4.0 cumulative
GPA.Learn more
>>
|
|
|
Saint Mary's Mahoney: Seeing the Big
Picture
When senior basketball player Patsy Mahoney arrived on campus
nearly four years ago, she had full intentions to study engineering
through the dual degree program offered between Saint Mary's and
the University of Notre Dame. Three years later, she has traveled
across Indiana State Road 933 for another academic pursuit."I have
kind of always been interested in the new media part of art," said
the native of Nashville, Tennessee. An art major earning her degree
with concentrations in new media and photography, she first made
the leap toward art thanks to a math class at Saint Mary's. Learn more
>>
|
Calvin Volleyball: Training the Next
Generation
The Calvin volleyball team has been sharing its love of sport with
third and fourth-grade girls from local Christian schools through
its "Girls In Training" program, an initiative designed to get
girls thinking holistically about health. Since February, the
volleyball team has met twice weekly with students. In the first
four weeks of the 10-week program, the girls exercised and had
discussions at Grand Rapids Christian Elementary School. For the
remaining six weeks, the team hosted the girls at Calvin to run on
the track, practice in the gym and talk about health issues. The
program will culminate with each of its 28 members participating in
Calvin’s 5K Fun Run, held in April. Learn more >>
|
|
|
Albion: Men's Basketball Players Honored
The highlight of the week for many children at Albion’s
Harrington Elementary School is the one-hour visit by their mentor
who happens to be a student from Albion College. Three senior
members of the men’s basketball program – Sean Hendon,
Luke Walker, and Bob Wernet – were among 25 Albion students
who recently received Michigan Campus Compact Heart and Soul awards
for their dedication to community service. They were also among the
recipients of the Jessie Longhurst Rotary Service Award. Learn more
>>
|
Albion's Towler: Showing Appreciation
Young tennis players have not always grown up with good role
models as far as sportsmanship is concerned. Albion College senior
Sarah Towler was sheltered from scenes of bad sportsmanship because
tennis was not her No. 1 sport growing up. The Milan product, who
was selected for the MIAA's Sue Little Sportsmanship Award by her
peers at the end of the 2011 league season, played more competitive
soccer because she didn’t enter youth events sponsored by the
United States Tennis Association and her high school didn’t
sponsor a tennis team until her senior year. Learn more
>>
|
|
|
Albion: Student-Athletes Assist City
Academics are an essential part of the everyday life of a Division
III athlete. But it’s not every day that athletes are given
the opportunity to enter their surrounding community and take a
hands-on approach to their learning. Albion College baseball
pitcher Brett Timmer (Jenison, senior), women’s tennis’
player and Katie Blumberg (Farmington Hills, sophomore), football
kicker Steve Seward (Trenton, sophomore), and women’s soccer
midfielder Lindsey Lubanski (Lathrup Village, sophomore) were part
of a school project charged with assisting Albion’s local
government during the spring semester. Learn more
>>
|
|
Calvin's Verkaik: A Shining Example
Calvin junior Carissa Verkaik was recently named the 2012 NCAA
Division III women's basketball Player of the Year by DIII News.
It's the latest in a series of honors for Verkaik, who has been the
MIAA's Most Valuable Player three consecutive years. She was also
one of two finalists for the Division III Player of the Year award,
presented by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and State
Farm. But Verkaik is particularly proud of one honor she received
last month - that of being named to the Division III Academic
All-America team.
Click here for full
details>>
|
|
|
|
|