MIAA Headlines

MIAA Announces Deal, Kovalchik Award Recipients For 2013-14

Awards by the MIAA to the outstanding senior scholar-athletes from its member schools during the 2013-14 academic year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Mark Ghafari of Kalamazoo College has received the Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award, while Nicole Michmerhuizen of Calvin College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award.

"Mark and Nicole have had marvelous careers these last four years in the classroom, on the field of competition, and as role models in our conference. Their selection for these awards from such an exceptional group of nominees is an achievement for which they should take great pride," Commissioner Neilson said.

The awards recognize senior class athletes who have excelled in academics and athletics, as well as displayed outstanding leadership in their respective communities. The awards honor two former MIAA commissioners, Albert Deal (1971-91) and Sheila Wallace Kovalchik (1991-2002).

Mark Ghafari

A native of Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., and graduate of Grosse Pointe University Liggett School, Mark Ghafari was a four-year varsity letter winner in men’s basketball for Kalamazoo during his career.

A shooting guard, Ghafari scored 1,444 points during his career, including a 24.0 scoring average in his senior year that ranked him seventh among NCAA Division III players. He finished fifth on Kalamazoo’s all-time career scoring list. He led the MIAA in scoring during the 2013-14 season, averaging 19.5 points per contest in league play, becoming the first Hornet to win the conference scoring title in 23 years. He set a school record for points in a game with a 46-point performance against Alma, and set another school mark by making 23 free throws in a game against DePauw.

A three-year captain for the Hornets, Ghafari was a two-time All-MIAA first team selection and was selected to the d3hoops.com All-Great Lakes Region third team this past season.

Ghafari will graduate June 15 from Kalamazoo with a degree in economics, and currently carries a 3.793 grade point average. He was a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a two-time Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-America men’s basketball selection, earning third team honors last year and being selected to the first team this year. He also was named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan College Academic-Athletic Honor Team this year and last year and was chosen for the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court in 2013.

Ghafari also was involved in numerous campus and community activities at Kalamazoo. He was part of the college’s Athletic Leadership Team, which put together events for Special Olympics as well as a program at Woodward Elementary School in Kalamazoo. He was a President’s Student Ambassador for the college, representing Kalamazoo to alumni, donors, trustees and community leaders, and also volunteers as a class agent for the college’s Alumni Office. In addition, Ghafari tutored adults seeking to get their GED certificate through Goodwill Industries, and organized a men’s basketball community service program through Loaves and Fishes, a Kalamazoo nonprofit agency.

Mark Ghafari is the son of Dr. Georges and Louana Ghafari of Grosse Pointe Shores.

Other nominees for the Albert L. Deal Award were Andrew Torey of Adrian, Bradley Melpolder of Albion, Joshua Gove of Alma, Tyler Kruis of Calvin, Michael Atwell of Hope, Anthony Edwards of Olivet and Andrew DeGood of Trine.

Click here for the complete list of Deal Award recipients

Nicole Michmerhuizen

A native of Holland, Mich. and graduate of Holland Christian High School, Nicole Michmerhuizen was an eight-time letter winner as a student-athlete at Calvin, four in cross country and four in track and field. She was a five-time All-MIAA selection during her career, three times in track and field and twice in cross country.

In track and field, Michmerhuizen was a four-time MIAA champion, four-time national qualifier and three-time All-American. She won the women’s 10,000-meter run in 2012 and again this year, setting a new MIAA record in the event with a time of 35:35.10. She broke a 20-year-old MIAA record in the women’s 5,000 meters in 2013, posting a time of 17:08.23, and repeated as champion in the event this year at Field Day. She won the national championship in the 10,000 meters at last year’s NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships and finished second in the event at this year’s nationals. She placed second in the women’s 5,000 meters at the 2013 Division III indoor track and field finals.

In cross country, Michmerhuizen won MIAA Most Valuable Runner honors in 2012 as she led the Knights to the conference championship, finishing 17 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor at the championship meet.

Michmerhuizen graduated in May from Calvin with a double major in chemical engineering and biology, finishing with a 3.99 grade point average. She was on the Dean’s List at Calvin all four years and a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. She has twice been named to the Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-America Team in track and cross country – a third-team selection in 2012 and a first-team selection last year. She was earlier this year selected to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, which she will use to pursue her Ph.d in pharmacology at the University of Michigan.

In addition, Michmehuizen received the prestigious Goldwater Research Scholarship last year, which she used to work with a Calvin professor to research DNA traits associated with a person’s predisposition to developing Type 1 diabetes. She has been published as first author on research articles in the Journal of Physical Chemistry and Biophysical Journal, and twice presented posters at the annual Biophysical Society meeting.

Michmerhuizen was also involved in campus and community activities as a Calvin student. She was a member of the college’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, volunteered for Special Olympics, served at a homeless shelter and was a Sunday School teacher. She also served on a student-advisory committee that evaluated candidates for an opening in Calvin’s chemistry department.

Nicole Michmerhuizen is the daughter of Mark and Tammy Michmerhuizen of Holland, Mich.

Other nominees for the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Award were Kristine Walker of Adrian, Marissa Cloutier of Albion, Jaycee Cole of Alma, Sheri McCormack of Hope, Holly Cooperrider of Kalamazoo, Adrienne Plourde of Olivet, Mary Catherine Faller of Saint Mary’s and Haleigh Daniels of Trine.

Click here for the complete list of Kovalchik Award recipients

MIAA Announces 2013-14 Hartman, Renner Awards

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the winners of two awards honoring outstanding publicity efforts during the 2013-14 season by its member schools – the Hartman Writing Award and the Renner Associate SID Award.

Bobby Lee, director of sports information director at Albion College, has been named the recipient of the Hartman Award, while Haleigh Daniels, a student assistant in Trine University’s sports information office, has been chosen to receive the Renner Award.

Bobby Lee

Bobby Lee has served as sports information director at Albion College since 2001. He oversees all athletic publicity functions for Albion’s 22 intercollegiate sports, including design and development of athletic publications, coordinating of sports photography and statistical updates. Until recently, Lee also oversaw all news and information functions for the college.

Lee is receiving the Hartman Award for the second consecutive year. He is being honored for his story on Albion cross country student-athlete Theresa Hencsie, who is balancing her studies as an accounting major and running on the Britons’ women’s cross country team with her service to her country as a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserves.

A native of Gahanna, Ohio, Lee came to Albion from Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio, where he had been sports information director for four years. He was in charge of publicity for 17 varsity sports with the Muskies, and served as host SID for three NCAA regional and seven Ohio Athletic Conference championship events. He previously was a graduate assistant in the Ohio State University athletic publicity department. While there, he was editor of the Ohio State football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball programs that received publication awards from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Haleigh Daniels

A native of Hamilton, Ohio and graduate of Hamilton High School, Haleigh Daniels worked in Trine University’s sports information office for the past two years. She fulfilled numerous responsibilities during her tenure, including writing game recaps, fulfilling official scorer duties, taking photos, posting updates on social media and managing the schedules of student workers assigned to Trine athletic events.

For a short period of time last fall, Daniels functioned as Trine’s sports information director during a transition when the school’s previous SID resigned to take a position at a nearby school. She also played an invaluable role when the university hired a new sports information director, assisting in that transition.

"I doubt most student-workers could take on the tasks Haleigh did and excel at them the way she did," Trine SID Matthew Vader said. "She ensured that the office kept functioning when there wasn’t an SID - a tough situation to be thrown into in the height of the fall sports season."

Daniels also played a significant role in the upgrade of Trine’s athletics website, assisting with the creation of roster and schedule pages, posting photos and transferring content from the previous website.

In addition to her SID duties and carrying a full load of classes, Daniels was also a key player for Trine’s MIAA champion softball team this season, hitting .409 with four home runs and 35 RBIs. A shortstop, she was a second team All-MIAA selection and was an All-Central Region selection by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. She was also recently named the recipient of Trine’s Cheryl L. Cooms Award, presented to the school’s outstanding senior female student-athlete who best embodies the values of citizenship, leadership, academic achievement and athletic accomplishment.

Daniels graduated from Trine in May with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and psychology, and plans to work as a graduate assistant at the university in the fall while she pursues her master’s degree in forensic psychology.

She is the daughter of John and Lori Daniels of Hamilton, Ohio.

The awards honor two sports information directors who have given many years of service to the MIAA – the late Robin Hartman of Albion College and Tom Renner of Hope College, who served as SID at the college for 47 years and as MIAA publicist for 41 years, and still serves the league as its historian.

The Hartman Award honors outstanding writing in a sports information capacity, either by a sports information director or assistant, while the Renner Award honors outstanding efforts by student assistants in sports information offices at MIAA schools.

Here are links to other stories considered for the Hartman Writing Award:
Second Place: Jeff Febus, Calvin, feature on Calvin and Hope volleyball teams teaming up for an "Amazing Race"-style race prior to last season - http://www.calvin.edu/sports/news/comments/calvin-hope-volleyball-squads-team-up-for-preseason-race-through-holland/

Third Place: Jeff Febus, Calvin, "Staying in the Moment" - how Calvin's volleyball team kept its focus in rallying to win last year's national championship - http://www.calvin.edu/spark/past-issues/staying-in-the-moment

Fourth Place: Bobby Lee, Albion, feature on Albion softball player Alex Yaw and her work in a medical program for the poor in Honduras - http://www.gobrits.com/features/Alex_Yaw

Additional entries:
Feature on Albion men's lacrosse student-athlete Carl Pressprich
Story on Albion women's basketball student-athlete Brett deBear after scoring her 1,000th career point
Story on two sets of twins who were members of Calvin's women's cross country team
U.S. Olympic swimmers visit Calvin swimming and diving teams
Story on Calvin men's track and field brothers Erik and Eli Holstege
Feature on Calvin women's lacrosse student-athlete Mary Hoogstra
Story on Olivet's women's golf coach Bill Maas
Story on Olivet women's basketball record-breaking season
Story on Olivet softball posting best season in school history

MIAA Names Penny Allen-Cook Commissioner

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the appointment of Penny Allen-Cook as the conference’s ninth commissioner.

Allen-Cook will succeed current Commissioner David Neilson effective July 1, 2014, said Dr. Steven M. Corey, president of Olivet College and immediate past chairman of the MIAA Presidents’ Council.

"Penny brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences that will help ensure that the MIAA remains at the forefront of small college athletics, and will help to position the MIAA and its member institutions for a successful future," Dr. Corey said.

Allen-Cook brings to the MIAA a strong background in intercollegiate athletics as a coach, administrator and conference official. From 2008 to 2012, she served as assistant commissioner of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), an NCAA Division II conference with most of its member colleges in the state of Michigan.

"I am honored and thrilled to have been chosen by the MIAA Presidents’ Council as the next commissioner for the highly prestigious and oldest collegiate conference in the country. The MIAA is my former home and steeped in a rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence," Allen-Cook said.

"I have a passion for what Division III stands for and the positive multi-dimensional experience offered the student-athlete at this level. Retiring Commissioner Dave Neilson has positioned the MIAA well, both regionally and nationally, to move into the next 125 years."

While with the GLIAC, Allen-Cook supervised 11 of the conference’s 21 sports, directed its Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), instituted a bi-yearly educational program for student-athletes in leadership and professional skills to be used after college and instituted conference-wide compliance programs. She also assisted in development and oversight of the conference budget, secured sponsorships for awards and tournaments and directed the largest collegiate volleyball tournament in the country. She also started up a conference-wide breast cancer awareness program known as “Pink Wave” that raised more than $80,000 over three years.

Allen-Cook spent nearly a decade in the MIAA as a coach and administrator at Alma College. From 1996 to 2002, she served as Alma’s head volleyball coach, posting a career record of 132-54 and leading the Scots to the first of what would be four straight MIAA championships during the 2001 season. She also served as women’s director of athletics, assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator during a period from 1997 to 2002, serving as Alma’s NCAA compliance officer.

For the past two years, Allen-Cook has been a consultant to college athletic departments in helping them develop compliance manuals and educational compliance programs. She has also been involved in the evaluation of institutions seeking to become NCAA Division II members and has served as tournament director for several NCAA regional competitions.

Prior to joining the GLIAC, Allen-Cook served as compliance and academic services coordinator for the athletic department at Saginaw Valley State University from 2005-08. She also served as head volleyball coach at Grand Rapids Community College (1994-96) and as varsity volleyball coach in the high school ranks at Pewamo-Westphalia, Jenison and Freeland. Her overall career coaching record was 494-284-38, for a winning percentage of .605.

Allen-Cook is a 1988 graduate of Michigan State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in physical education and exercise science with an emphasis in exercise physiology. She also earned a teaching certificate in physical education and biology from MSU in 1989.

Allen-Cook currently resides in Freeland with her family.

Hope Wins 2013-14 MIAA Commissioner's Cup

Commissioner's Cup All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 211. 2. Calvin 209. 3. Adrian 142. 4. Albion 132. 5. Kalamazoo 117. 6. Alma 113. 7. Olivet 108. 8. Trine 101.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 98. 2. Calvin 94. 3. Albion 77. 4. Adrian 73. 5. Kalamazoo 61. 6. Trine 49. 7. Olivet 38. 8. Alma 34.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 115. 2. Hope 113. 3. Alma 79. 4. Olivet 70. 5. Adrian 69. 6. Saint Mary’s 65. 7. Kalamazoo 56. 8. Albion 55. 9. Trine 52.

Highlights

The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 20 sports for men and women.
The final Commissioner’s Cup standings is determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of ten sports for men and eight of ten sports for women.
Calvin won the 2012-13 Commissioner’s Cup.
The Commissioner’s Cup (All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 35 times, followed by Kalamazoo 15, Albion 14, Calvin 9 & Alma 5.

Click here for a complete 2013-14 season review, including finishes in each sport

MIAA Commissioner Neilson To Retire At End of 2013-14 School Year

David L. Neilson, the commissioner of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association since 2002, has announced he will retire from the position at the conclusion of the 2013-14 academic year.

The announcement of Commissioner Neilson’s retirement came Tuesday from Dr. Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran, president of Kalamazoo College and vice chairwoman of the MIAA Presidents’ Council. He is the eighth and third-longest serving commissioner in the MIAA’s 126-year history.

"These last 12 years have been a labor of love for me, and I will always regard this position as the highlight of my professional career," Commissioner Neilson said. "I have been blessed in being able to represent the nine great institutions that comprise the nation’s oldest collegiate athletic conference."

Commissioner Neilson has been a highly visible presence on MIAA campuses and in NCAA Division III athletics during his tenure. He has been a member of the NCAA Division III Commissioner’s Association for 12 years and was a founding board member of the association’s Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct Committee. He has also been a member of the NCAA Division III Strategic Planning and Finance Committee for six years, making him the committee’s longest-serving member.

"Dave Neilson has brought not only a passion for intercollegiate athletics, but also professionalism, fairness, and deep respect for the academic mission of the member schools in his role as MIAA commissioner," Dr. Wilson-Oyelaran said. "He has been a tireless advocate for our student-athletes and will be sorely missed."

Under Commissioner Neilson’s leadership, highlights included:

Increased recognition of student-athlete academic achievement and the introduction of the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik and Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented to the MIAA’s outstanding female and male senior scholar-athletes each spring;
Greater focus on student-athlete well-being protocols and implementation of a conference-based MRSA prevention program;
Standardization of conference championship and NCAA tournament Automatic Qualification (AQ) determinants;
The addition of men’s and women’s lacrosse as MIAA championship sports during 2012-13 season.

Commissioner Neilson’s involvement in intercollegiate athletics dates back to his days as a student-athlete at MIAA member Albion College. He lettered in football for four years at Albion and twice earned All-MIAA honors as quarterback for the Britons before graduating in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and economics. He earned All-American honors in his senior year and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

Prior to joining the MIAA, Commissioner Neilson had a successful career in the automotive industry for more than 30 years, most of them at Rockwell International. He launched manufacturing businesses in both North America and Europe, as well as engineering joint business ventures in Japan. He was instrumental in the launch of air bags as standard production equipment in automobiles in the 1990s.

Commissioner Neilson has coached most sports that the MIAA sponsors, including baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, football, cross country, basketball and track and field. He coached at Shady Side Academy Prep in Pittsburgh, Pa. and at the American School in London, England. He also served as president of the London Baseball Association while living in England.

Commissioner Neilson and his wife, Karen, live in Royal Oak. They have four children and five grandchildren.

The MIAA is the nation’s oldest collegiate athletic conference, founded in 1888. The MIAA consists of nine private colleges from Michigan and northern Indiana. Member institutions are Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Calvin College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Olivet College, Saint Mary’s College and Trine University.

A search for a new MIAA commissioner will begin immediately.

Calvin Picked to Host 2015, 2017 NCAA Finals In Basketball, Volleyball; Kalamazoo Hosts 2016 Tennis Championships

The NCAA has awarded Calvin and Kalamazoo colleges the opportunity to host NCAA Division III championship events over the next four years.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that Calvin will host the 2015 and 2017 Division III women's basketball Final Four, and the finals of the Division III volleyball tournament in 2015 and 2017. Kalamazoo will host the 2016 Division III men's and women's tennis national championships.

This will mark the first time since 1988 that Calvin has hosted a Division III championship final. The Knights hosted the men's basketball Final Four from 1982-88 and the 1977 Division III men's outdoor track and field championships.

The championship bids from Calvin and Kalamazoo were part of a competitive bidding process undertaken by the NCAA.

"The competitiveness of the bids made it extremely difficult for the sport committees to select sites as there just weren’t spots for all of the great bids we received," said Mark Lewis, NCAA executive vice president of championships and alliances. "Ultimately the sites that were selected will provide our student-athletes, coaches and fans the best experience possible."

The new NCAA championship bid process creates the largest host site announcement ever, spanning 82 championships across a four-year cycle. Previously, selection announcements varied by sport. This process now gives the NCAA and host sites more time to plan each championship experience.

MIAA schools hosted four NCAA Division III national championship events in 2012-13, as Hope hosted the volleyball and women's basketball finals and Kalamazoo hosted the men's tennis and women's tennis championships. Hope hosted the 2013 Division III volleyball finals, which were won by Calvin.

For more information on all of the NCAA championship sites awarded, log on to www.ncaa.com/site-selections.

MIAA, NACC Extend Challenge Series Through 2017

After a successful start, the MIAA and Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference have announced that they have extended their Challenge Series in football by an additional two years.

The two conferences will now continue to meet on the gridiron through the 2017 season. In addition to having the Challenge Series where opponents will be generally determined by the previous year's standings in both conferences, the MIAA and NACC have also reached an "interlock" agreement in which the teams that have the bye in conference play each week will meet each other.

In the first two years of the Challenge Series, the conferences went 7-7 against each other, with the NACC posting a 5-2 record in 2012, when its schools had home-field advantage, and MIAA schools going 5-2 this year when they were playing at home. NACC member schools will host next year's games in the series.

MIAA Leads Division III In Men's Basketball Attendance Again; Hope, Calvin Rank 1-2

The MIAA continues to be the dominant Division III conference in America when it comes to men's basketball attendance.

The MIAA led all Division III conferences in the country in attendance for the 22nd consecutive year, averaging 923 fans a game for 88 home dates during the 2012-13 season. The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) finished a distant second with an average attendance of 772 fans per contest.

MIAA members Hope and Calvin finished one-two in attendance for the season. Hope won the Division III team attendance title for the 11th year in a row with an average attendance of 2,748 fans per game at DeVos Fieldhouse. Calvin averaged 1,949 fans per game at Van Noord Arena, a 39 percent increase from a year ago, in moving up from fourth to second among Division III schools.

Click here for the complete NCAA men's basketball attendance figures

MIAA SAAC Holds Retreat at NCAA Headquarters

Representatives of Student-Athlete Advisory Committees of MIAA schools gathered at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis earlier this month for their annual retreat.

The student-athletes had a chance to tour the NCAA headquarters during the Aug. 2-3 retreat and meet with association staff, who gave a number of presentations on topics ranging from how the NCAA is governed to upcoming proposals being considered. They also toured the NCAA Hall of Champions, which currently features an exhibit honoring the MIAA's 125th anniversary.

NCAA presenters included Tucker Glass (governance), Tyrone Lockhart (championships), Lydia Bell (research) and Jean Orr (legislation/2014 proposals).

During the meeting, Kaitlin Teichman, a women's soccer student-athlete at Saint Mary's, was elected MIAA SAAC president. Trine track and field student-athlete Dakota Bagwell was chosen vice president. Olivet advisor Chris Stewart was selected as the MIAA SAAC advisor/coordinator.

MIAA student-athletes who participated in the retreat were:
Adrian: Matthew Hamilton, Laurel Van't Hof
Alma: Casimer Strzynski, Autumn Root, Rebecca Trosper
Calvin: Jake Hoogstrate, Stacey Kamp
Hope: Michael Atwell, Courtney Earles
Kalamazoo: Grant Carey
Olivet: Preston Treend
Saint Mary's: Kaitlin Teichman, Callie Selner
Trine: Dakota Bagwell, Luke Fimreite

SAAC advisors attending the retreat were Chris Stewart (Olivet), Katie Miller (Kalamazoo), Julie Schroeder-Biek (Saint Mary's), Caroline Hannema (Hope), Nancy Meyer (Calvin), Jordan Timmerman (Adrian), Charlie Massi (Trine) and Kendall Jackson (Alma).

MIAA Announces 2012-13 Academic Honor Roll, Team GPA Awards

MIAA academic honors for the 2012-13 academic year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

The league has released its Academic Honor Roll for the 2012-13 season, as well as its Team GPA Award.

The Academic Honor Roll is presented to student-athletes who achieve a grade point average of 3.500 or better during the academic year while lettering in an MIAA-sponsored sport. About 1,000 MIAA student-athletes, competing in each of the conference's 20 sports, achieved the distinction during the 2012-13 academic year.

Included on this year's AHR list are 59 student-athletes who were named to the Honor Roll all four years of their career. Here is the list of those four-year recipients:

Shelby Alexander, Alma
Megan Altieri, Hope
Sannie Anderson, Trine
Cody Barnes, Adrian
Ashley Bauman, Hope
Casey Baxter, Hope
Andrew Bieber, Albion
Lauren Burns, Trine
Cody Carr, Kalamazoo
Zachary Caverley, Alma
Jobadiah Christiansen, Calvin
Kylie Clark, Hope
Sarah Copi, Saint Mary’s
Matthew DeBoer, Calvin
Luke DeJong, Calvin
Wesley Dolen, Albion
Eric Doornbos, Calvin
Rachel Doud, Hope
Elizabeth Ellis, Hope
Jordenne Ferenczi, Adrian
Mariah Fiorillo, Albion
Rebecca Gaarde, Olivet
Abigail Hess, Albion
Erin Holstad, Hope
Jordan Ipema, Calvin
Kelsey Irwin, Calvin
Daniel Kerr, Calvin
Samantha Klaasen, Calvin
Jessica Koehler, Albion
Sarah Krueger, Hope
Annalisa Krug, Trine
Courtney Kust, Hope
Leah LaBarge, Hope
Sara Lang, Hope
Caitlin LaValley, Olivet
Lindsey Maas, Olivet
Dane Macdonell, Kalamazoo
Elizabeth Majewski, Saint Mary’s
Megan Martinez, Kalamazoo
Morgan McCardel, Hope
Maddie Meckes, Saint Mary’s
Kristin Nelson, Albion
Dennis O’Dowd, Albion
Holly Payne, Adrian
Sarah Radekin, Trine
Rachel Reem, Albion
Jamey Sackett, Adrian
Cory Schmidt, Hope
Kyleigh Sheldon, Hope
Derek Shell, Adrian
Heather Strong, Adrian
Laura Tjepkema, Hope
Kelsi VandeGuchte, Hope
John VanderVeen, Hope
Sarah Venlet, Hope
Amanda Weaver, Albion
Jessica Weiler, Albion
Gregory Whittle, Calvin
Samantha Willmann, Trine

Meanwhile, the Team GPA Award is presented to conference teams that achieve a 3.300 or better grade point average for an entire academic year. This award is administered by the Faculty Athletic Representatives of the MIAA member colleges.

A total of 64 teams achieved the honor this year. The honorees include two teams - Calvin women's cross country and Hope women's cross country - who have received the award every year (15) since it was initiated in 1998-99.

Click here for the 2012-13 MIAA Academic Honor Roll
Click here for the complete MIAA Team GPA Award list

MIAA Announces 2012-13 Deal, Kovalchik Awards

Awards by the MIAA to the outstanding senior athletes from its member schools during the 2012-13 academic year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Cory Schmidt of Hope College has received the Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award, while Carissa Verkaik of Calvin College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award.

"Cory and Carissa have had marvelous careers these last four years in the classroom, on the field, and as role models in our conference. They will be missed, but their selection for these awards from such an exceptional group of nominees is an achievement for which they should take great pride," Commissioner Neilson said.

The awards recognize senior class athletes who have excelled in academics and athletics, as well as displayed outstanding leadership in their respective communities.The awards honor two former MIAA commissioners, Albert Deal (1971-91) and Sheila Wallace Kovalchik (1991-2002).

Cory Schmidt

A native of Milan, Ohio and graduate of Edison High School, Cory Schmidt lettered four times in baseball at Hope during his career. He was named to the All-MIAA second team in baseball in 2012 and 2013.

A left-handed pitcher, Schmidt compiled a 15-5 record during his career, allowing only one home run in 136 innings and posting a 2.93 earned run average. He posted a 6-2 record with a 3.23 ERA in 55-2/3 innings pitched this past spring for the Flying Dutchmen. In league play, he was 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA, walking only six batters over nearly 40 innings as Hope won a share of its first MIAA championship since 2007.

A psychology major at Hope, Schmidt graduated Phi Beta Kappa in May with a 3.95 grade point average. He was selected to the Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-America second team this spring and was a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.

Schmidt was involved in numerous campus and community activities during his four years at Hope. He worked in the college’s Writing Center for three years, was a help session leader for organic chemistry classes, took part in student-faculty research, served as an orientation leader on campus and was a member of a student panel on health professions.

In addition, he worked with at-risk students for two years as a tutor in Hope’s Children’s After School Achievement program, and volunteered with Heights of Hope, a faith-based neighborhood outreach ministry in Holland, Mich.

Schmidt was named this spring as the recipient of Hope’s Otto van der Velde All-Campus Award, given to a senior male student-athlete for outstanding contributions in athletics, scholarship and participation in student activites. He will begin classes this fall at the University of Toledo College of Medicine.

Cory Schmidt is the son of Dr. Eric and Dr. Jane Schmidt of Milan, Ohio.

Other nominees for the Albert L. Deal Award were C.J. Carroll of Albion, Dan Kerr of Calvin, Alex Armstrong of Kalamazoo, Cole Dehen of Olivet and Matt Zurbriggen of Trine.

Carissa Verkaik

A native of Holland, Mich. and graduate of Holland Christian High School, Carissa Verkaik won eight letters as a student-athlete at Calvin, four in basketball and four in track and field. She was a seven-time All-MIAA selection during her career, four times in basketball and three in track and field.

In basketball, Verkaik became the first women’s basketball player in MIAA history to be named the conference’s Most Valuable Player four consecutive years and only the third player to be named first team All-MIAA all four years. She also graduated as the conference’s all-time career scoring leader, scoring 1,219 points in 64 league games for an average of 19.0 points per game. She finished as Calvin’s all-time leader in career scoring (2,236 points), rebounding (1,071) and blocked shots (440).

Verkaik won numerous national honors in her senior year, including the 2013 Jostens Trophy as the most outstanding NCAA Division III women’s basketball student-athlete. She was also named the national Player of the Year by d3hoops.com and Women’s Division III News, and was a two-time finalist for the State Farm/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division III Player of the Year award.

Verkaik also excelled as a high jumper for the Knights, winning the MIAA championship in the event three times and qualifying for the NCAA national meet twice.

Verkaik graduated in May from Calvin with a degree in education, finishing with a 3.77 grade point average. She was a member of the Dean’s List at Calvin all four years, a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, and a two-time Capital One Academic All-America selection (2012 and 2013). Last winter, she was named the national Division III Academic All-America of the Year in women’s basketball by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Verkaik was also active in numerous activities in the community. Some of her volunteer activities include serving as a mentor in the Special Olympics program, serving as a tutor with local elementary school children, serving as a praise and worship leader in her church and organizing a middle-school book club group. This past spring she has served as a student teacher at Potter's House Christian School in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Verkaik was recently was named the co-recipient of the Kay Tiemersma Award, presented annually to Calvin’s most outstanding senior female student-athlete. She was also named Michigan Female College Athlete of the Year by the Detroit Athletic Club.

Carissa Verkaik is the daughter of Mike and Dawn Verkaik of Holland, Mich.

Other nominees for the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Award were Kelly Eberhardt of Adrian, Kristin Nelson of Albion, Libby Westrate of Hope, Megan Martinez of Kalamazoo, Caitlin LaValley of Olivet, Morgan Bedan of Saint Mary’s and Andrea Gasco of Trine.

MIAA Announces Hartman, Renner Award Recipients

The MIAA has announced the winners of two awards honoring outstanding publicity efforts by its member schools – the Hartman Writing Award and the Renner Associate SID Award.

Bobby Lee, director of news and sports information director at Albion College, has been named the recipient of the Hartman Award, while Mitch Blankespoor, a student assistant in Calvin College’s sports information office, and Forrest Tarsa, a student assistant in Hope College’s sports information office, shared the Renner Award.

Bobby Lee

Bobby Lee is the director of news and sports information at Albion College. Lee came to Albion in the summer of 2001 as the college’s sports information director. He oversees all athletic publicity functions for Albion’s 22 intercollegiate sports, including design and development of athletic publications, coordinating of sports photography and statistical updates. He also oversees all news and information functions for the college.

Lee was honored for his story on Albion football student-athlete Zach Brewer, who caught a game-winning touchdown pass in an upset victory over Wheaton, Ill. last fall. Brewer dedicated the game to his late mother, who died in a traffic accident two years ago. The Wheaton game fell the day before Heidi Brewer’s birthday.

Click here to read this story

The second-place entry for the Hartman Award was a story by Calvin sports information director Jeff Febus on the history of the college's field hockey program, while the third-place entry was a feature on Albion men's lacrosse student-athlete Kevin Riley, who took a year off from school to help care for his best friend, who had been paralyzed in a swimming accident.

Click here for the Calvin field hockey story
Click here for the Kevin Riley story

Mitch Blankespoor

A native of Cutlerville, Mich. and graduate of Grand Rapids South Christian High School, Mitch Blankespoor has worked in Calvin’s sports information department for four years, most recently as a student intern during his senior year. He is being honored with the Renner Award for the second consecutive year.

Blankespoor has fulfilled numerous responsibilities in Calvin’s SID office, including writing game stories, producing feature stories for the college’s sports website, overseeing student statistics crews for home athletic events, and provided play-by-play broadcast coverage in numerous sports. He took on the role of teaching both professional staff and student crews proper statistical procedures for both volleyball and lacrosse during the past year.

Blankespoor served as the lead broadcaster with the Calvin volleyball team as the Knights captured the NCAA Division III national title in 2010, and was lead broadcaster and writer for volleyball and basketball during his senior year. He served as a play-by-play broadcaster for Calvin road basketball games on WFUR-FM (102.9) in Grand Rapids.

Blankespoor also volunteered to work at several NCAA national championship events, including the 2012 and 2013 Division III women’s basketball finals in Holland, and assisted other MIAA sports information directors during the past year, traveling to providing volleyball statistics assistance at several schools, and also to the MIAA cross country championships.

Blankespoor, who graduated in May from Calvin with a degree in sports management, is the son of Curt and Carmen Blankespoor of Cutlerville, Mich.

Forrest Tarsa

A native of Cedar, Mich., and graduate of St. Mary High School in Lake Leelenau, Forrest Tarsa worked in Hope College’s public and community relations office as a sports information assistant for nearly all four of his years at Hope.

Tarsa was responsible for coordinating schedules of other students who worked in Hope’s sports information office, trained students in keeping statistics, and managed the press box at home athletic events. He worked on numerous MIAA championship events and also provided support to professional staff when Hope hosted the 2012 and 2013 NCAA Division III women’s basketball championships and the 2012 NCAA Division III volleyball championships. He spent one summer at Hope determining all-time school records in several sports.

Tarsa, who graduated from Hope in May with a degree in economics, was an active member of the student body during his time at the college and as a senior received the college’s Dean of Students Greek Leadership Award. He will begin a job as a sales associate for the Chicago office of Good Harbor Financial in August.

He is the son of Stephen and Diana Tarsa of Cedar, Mich.

The awards honor two sports information directors who have given many years of service to the MIAA – the late Robin Hartman of Albion College and Tom Renner of Hope College, who is concluding his SID position at Hope after 47 years on July 1.

MIAA Establishes Distinguished Service Award; Hope's Hendrix Named First Recipient

The MIAA has announced the establishment of a new Distinguished Service Award, presented to an athletic administrator, faculty representative or other individual who has served the conference with distinction for a significant period of time.

The MIAA has named Lynne Hendrix, a faculty representative from Hope College for the past 24 years, as the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Hendrix received the award during the MIAA’s Board of Control meeting on Tuesday, May 21, at Olivet.

Hendrix, a professor of accountancy at Hope who is retiring this summer after 29 years of teaching of the college, has been a leader among MIAA faculty representatives for many years, and has served on numerous MIAA and NCAA committees, Commissioner David Neilson said.

"She has always been a strong supporter of student-athletes and their opportunities to participate in athletics, while at the same time being cognizant of the importance of academics as our primary purpose," Neilson said.

Among Hendrix’s responsibilities as a faculty rep for Hope including serving on various committees, calculating team grade-point averages, nominating student-athletes for awards and making sure they meet eligibility requirements.

"I was never a college athlete, but I saw the benefit of athletics – teamwork, listening skills, leadership skills, the realization that there’s something bigger than you: the team," Hendrix said in a recent article on Hope’s website.

"It’s an easy job at a Division III school and in particular at Hope because most of our coaches are also professors and athletic directors are primarily concerned about students’ academic performance."

Hendrix is often cited as the go-to person in explaining MIAA policies and procedures, and has served as a mentor to new faculty representatives to the conference. She has attended numerous FAR conferences and NCAA conventions and shares information on best practices with her colleagues, Neilson said.

Nominations for the new Distinguished Service Award are to be reviewed by presidents of MIAA member colleges and submitted to athletic directors and faculty representatives for final approval.

Calvin Wins 2012-13 MIAA Commissioner's Cup

Final Commissioner's Cup (All-Sports) Standings: 1. Calvin 216. 2. Hope 205. 3. Adrian 157. 4. Trine 131. 5. Alma 127. 6. Albion 118. 7. Olivet 96. 8. Kalamazoo 87.

Final Men's All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 102. 2. Hope 93. 3, Adrian 80. 4. Trine 67. 5. Albion 60. 6. Kalamazoo 45. 7. Olivet 42. 8. Alma 36.

Final Women's All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 114. 2. Hope 112. 3. Alma 91. 4. Adrian 77. 5. Trine 64. 6. Saint Mary's 60. 7. Albion 58. 8. Olivet 54. 9. Kalamazoo 42.

The MIAA Commissioner's Cup is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 20 sports for men and women.
The final Commissioner's Cup standings are determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of 10 sports for men and eight of 10 sports for women.
Hope College had won the Commissioner's Cup 12 consecutive years before Calvin won this year's Cup.
The Commissioner's Cup (All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 34 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9 and Alma 5.

Defending Champions Picked To Repeat In MIAA Basketball Preseason Polls

The defending champions in MIAA men's and women's basketball have been picked to repeat as champions for the 2012-13 season.

Hope College has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the MIAA men's basketball championship, while Calvin College is the preseason pick for the MIAA women's basketball title.

In the men's poll, the Flying Dutchmen captured six first-place votes, while Calvin received two first-place votes. Adrian is picked to finish second in the poll, followed by Calvin.

In the women's poll, Calvin received eight of the nine first-place votes, while fHope received the other. The Flying Dutch are picked to finish second in the poll, with Albion third.

Men's Poll Results (First-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Hope (6) 9 pts. 2. Adrian 15. 3. Calvin (2) 17. 4. Trine 23. 5. Albion 31. 6. Alma 39. 7. Olivet 42. 8. Kalamazoo 48.

Women's Poll Results (First-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Calvin (8) 8 pts. 2. Hope (1) 15 pts. 3. Albion 26. 4. Adrian 34. 5. Olivet 37. 6. Saint Mary’s 43. 7. Alma 46. 8. Trine 51. 9. Kalamazoo 64.

MIAA teams will tip off their season Nov. 15. The women will start league play Nov. 28, while the men launch MIAA play Jan. 3.

Calvin Picked to Repeat as MIAA Volleyball Champs

Defending MIAA champion Calvin has been chosen as the preseason favorite to win the conference volleyball championship this fall.

The Knights, who didn't lose a match until the NCAA Division III regional tournament last fall, received six of the nine first-place votes in the MIAA preseason coaches poll that was announced Wednesday. Hope, which finished second to Calvin last season, received the other three first-place votes.

Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Calvin (6) 10 pts. 2. Hope (3) 13. 3. Alma 26. 4. Trine 29. 5. Kalamazoo 38. 6. Saint Mary's 40. 7. Adrian 48. 8. Olivet 58. 9. Albion 62.

Calvin and Hope are ranked among the top 10 teams in NCAA Division III in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll. The Knights are ranked third, while the Flying Dutch are eighth.

Hope Tabbed As MIAA Men's Soccer Favorite

Defending tournament champion Hope has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the MIAA men’s soccer championship.

The Flying Dutchmen, who finished second to Calvin in last year’s conference race and defeated Olivet 4-1 in the championship game of the conference tournament, received six out of a possible eight first-place votes in the preseason poll of the league’s coaches. Calvin was picked to finish second and Olivet third, with both teams receiving one first-place vote.

Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Hope (6) 8 pts. 2. Calvin (1) 16. 3. Olivet (1) 17. 4. Trine 28. 5. Adrian 33. 6. Albion 34. 7. Alma 43. 8. Kalamazoo 45.

Bulldogs Picked to Repeat as MIAA Women’s Soccer Champions

Defending champion Adrian has been chosen as the preseason favorite to win the MIAA women’s soccer championship.

The Bulldogs, who won their first MIAA title in school history last fall with a 14-2 league record, received seven out of a possible nine first-place votes in the preseason poll of the league's coaches.

Alma, which defeated Adrian in the championship game of the MIAA tournament, received one first-place vote and was chosen to finish second. Hope received the other first-place ballot.

Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Adrian (7) 9 pts. 2. Alma (1) 18. 3. Kalamazoo 27. 4. Hope (1) 28. 5. Calvin 29. 6. Saint Mary’s 45. 7. Trine 51. 8. Olivet 53. 9. Albion 64.

MIAA Announces Academic Honors for 2011-12

More than 920 MIAA student-athletes and more than 50 teams achieved academic honors from the conference during the 2011-12 academic year.

The MIAA has announced its Academic Honor Roll and Team GPA Award recipients for the past year. Student-athletes who achieve a 3.5 grade point average for the year and letter in a sport receive Academic Honor Roll recognition, while teams that posted at least a 3.3 grade point average are named recipients of the Team GPA Award.

This year's Academic Honor Roll list included 63 student-athletes who made the list all four years of their college career. Here are the honorees:

Joanne Almond, Saint Mary’s
Emilee Anderson, Hope
Matthew Ankenbrandt, Albion
Ashley Arnoldi, Kalamazoo
Jenna Baker, Olivet
Sarah Brooks, Adrian
Christian Calyore, Hope
Lauren Campbell, Olivet
Kevin Carron, Albion
Jakeniah Christiansen, Calvin
Eric Clark, Albion
Aaron Croad, Albion
Luke DeJong, Calvin
Thomas Dickman, Albion
Caroline Dobbins, Albion
Alexander Dombos, Kalamazoo
Steven Esbin, Hope
Sarah Fennema, Calvin
Kyle Gibson, Hope
Michael Harden, Olivet
Kelsey Hassevoort, Kalamazoo
Zane Havens, Albion
Valerie Headley, Hope
Alex Hughes, Hope
Kellie Irwin, Adrian
John Jacisin, Albion
Philip Jackson III, Kalamazoo
Rebecca Kamp, Calvin
Jacqueline Kirsch, Hope
Kevin Lodewyk, Kalamazoo
Caitlin Lohr, Olivet
Kelly Lufkin, Hope
Travis Martin, Hope
Steven Mauk, Adrian
Courtney Nartker, Kalamazoo
Kate Nelson, Hope
Rachelle Newberry, Trine
Danielle Petzak, Hope
Rachel Pitzer, Kalamazoo
Rachael Restum, Albion
Aaron Rittenhouse, Hope
Kirstin Robinson, Hope
Megan Scholten, Hope
Danielle Senf, Trine
Jeffrey Shade, Hope
Kelsey Singer, Olivet
Sarah Sohn, Hope
Leanna Stockard, Adrian
Derek Stoll, Adrian
Chad Stripling, Alma
Annette Stromberg, Alma
Laura Sybesma, Calvin
Kelly Tresick, Trine
Kristin VanKampen, Calvin
Zachary Van Noord, Hope
Tyler Vegter, Calvin
Chelsea Wiese,Hope
Hollis Williams, Albion
Shannon Woods, Adrian
Katrina Wotten, Adrian
Brian Yount, Hope
Lauren Zandstra, Hope
Alex Ziajor, Adrian

Click here for this year's Academic Honor Roll recipients
Click here for this year's Team GPA Award recipients

MIAA Elects SAAC Officers

The MIAA's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has elected its officers for the 2012-13 academic year.

Albion football student-athlete Spencer Krauss (pictured left) and Saint Mary's women's soccer student-athlete Kaitlin Teichman (center) have been named co-presidents of the committee, while Albion volleyball student-athlete Jalyn Ingalls (right) was elected vice president.

The SAAC, which is a committee made up of student-athlete representatives from the MIAA's nine member colleges, elected its officers during a retreat last week at the Pretty Lake Camp in Mattawan.

The committee's purpose is to provide insight on the student-athlete experience and to offer input on the rules, regulations, and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on campus. The SAAC is an excellent vehicle to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunities to foster a positive image for student-athletes.

MIAA Partners With PrestoSports For Conference Web Site

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the nation’s oldest collegiate athletic conference, has announced that it has begun a new partnership with PrestoSports to provide website services for the conference.

The MIAA site will retain its present domain name, miaa.org, but will continue to feature comprehensive information about the conference and its 20 sports.

The MIAA was one of the first college athletic conferences in the country to offer its own Web site when miaa.org went online in 1997, offering users the ability to quickly access game results, schedules, statistics and historical information about the conference. The site has been hosted by Hope College up until now.

“We would like to thank Hope College for its outstanding service in maintaining the MIAA website over the years, and we look forward to our new partnership with Presto,” MIAA Commissioner David Neilson said.

Founded in 1888, the MIAA consists of nine private liberal arts colleges – Adrian, Albion, Alma, Calvin, Hope, Kalamazoo, Olivet, Saint Mary’s and Trine – in Michigan and northern Indiana.

PrestoSports, founded in 2002, is a leading provider of athletic content management software to colleges and conference offices. It markets solutions for website design and hosting, live stats, award management, merchandising, officiating and photo hosting. The company currently provides Web services to more than 30 NCAA Division III conferences.

Hope's Wiese Named NCAA "Elite 89" Recipient In Women's Swimming and Diving

Hope swimmer Chelsea Wiese has been named the recipient of the NCAA's Elite 89 Award in Division III women's swimming and diving.

Wiese, a senior from Rochester (Rochester Adams HS) was honored Tuesday night for maintaining the highest cumulative grade point average among all of the competitors in this year's NCAA Division III championships.

The Elite 89, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships.

Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must be an active member of the team, traveling and a designated member of the squad size at the championship.

An accounting major at Hope, Wiese has maintained a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average during her career.

Wiese is the second MIAA student-athlete this academic year and the fourth overall to receive the Elite 89 award. Calvin's Brad Wassink was the Elite 89 recipient in Division III men's soccer last fall. Calvin's Melissa Oosterhouse was the recipient in women's tennis in 2010, while Olivet's Kellen Beckwith won the award twice in men's swimming and diving, in 2010 and 2011.

Hope Leads Commissioner's Cup Standings After Winter Sports Season

Commissioner's Cup Standings: 1. Hope 136. 2. Calvin 121. 3. Adrian 84. 4. Alma 78. 5. Albion 72. 6. Trine 68. 7. Olivet 64. 8. Kalamazoo 63.

Men's All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 64. 2. Calvin 49. 3. Trine 43. 4. Albion 40. 5. Adrian 38. 6. Alma 32. 7. Olivet 30. 8. Kalamazoo 24.

Women's All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 72. 1. Hope 72. 3. Adrian 46. 3. Alma 46. 5. Saint Mary's 40. 6. Kalamazoo 39. 7. Olivet 34. 8. Albion 32. 9. Trine 25.

Highlights

• The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women.

• The final Commissioner’s Cup standings is determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. All eight fall sports and four winter sports are included in the current tabulation.

• Hope won the 2010-11 Commissioner’s Cup.

• The Commissioner’s Cup (All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 33 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9 & Alma 5.

Calvin's Kamp Named Division III Academic All-America of the Year in Volleyball

Calvin senior Rebecca Kamp has been named the Capital One Academic All-America® of the Year award winner for NCAA Division III volleyball by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Kamp, a senior from Orland Park, Ill. (Chicago Christian HS), was also named to the Division III Academic All-America® first team. A special education major with a 3.91 grade point average, Kamp last month was named the national Division III Player of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She also was a four-time All-MIAA first team selection and the first player in conference history to win Most Valuable Player honors in volleyball three times.

Kamp's sister, Lizzie, a junior at Calvin, was a second team Division III Academic All-America® selection, bringing to four the number of MIAA student-athletes who achieved Capital One Academic All-America® recognition this fall, joining Adrian's Steve Mauk (first team, football) and Calvin's Miles Colago (second team, men's soccer).

Rebecca Kamp is the third Calvin student-athlete and fifth MIAA student-athlete to be named a recipient of the Academic All-America of the Year award. The past Academic All-America of the Year recipients are Chris Knoester of Calvin (men's basketball, 1994), Joel Klooster of Calvin (men's cross country/track and field, 2002), Nora Kuiper of Hope (women's cross country/track and field, 2009), and Kellen Beckwith of Olivet (men's at-large, 2011).

This year marks the first year that Division III has its own separate Academic All-America® recognition program. In previous years, Division III student-athletes were combined with NCAA Division II and NAIA student-athletes in a College Division.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Since 1973, more than 200 MIAA student-athletes have achieved Academic All-America® recognition.

Click here to read more about Rebecca Kamp

Calvin's Wassink Named NCAA "Elite 89" Recipient

Calvin senior Brad Wassink has been named the recipient of the NCAA's "Elite 89" award in Division III men’s soccer.

Wassink received the honor Thursday in San Antonio, Texas, where the Knights will play Friday night in the Final Four of the Division III men's soccer championship.

A native of Long Beach, Calif., and a graduate of Valley Christian High School, Wassink carries a 3.94 grade point average as a double major in English and political science.

The Elite 89, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student- athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships.

Wassink is the second Calvin student-athlete and third MIAA student-athlete to receive this award. In 2010, Calvin’s Melissa Oosterhouse was the Elite 89 Award winner in Division III women's tennis. Olivet's Kellen Beckwith won the award twice in Division III men's swimming and diving, in 2010 and 2011.

Click here to learn more about the Elite 89 Award

MIAA, NAC To Begin Football “Challenge Series” In 2012

The MIAA and Northern Athletics Conference have announced they will launch a “Challenge Series” in football that will pit member schools from the two conferences against each other, beginning with the 2012 season.

The two NCAA Division III conferences have signed a four-year agreement in which home sites will alternate each year between NAC schools and MIAA schools. In the 2012 season, NAC schools will host the Challenge Series matchups, while MIAA institutions will host the 2013 matchups.

"The four-year Challenge Series is an outcome of several years’ work, and we are very pleased to enter into football competition with the outstanding colleges of the NAC," MIAA Commissioner David Neilson said. "We look forward to the inaugural games next fall."

"The development and implementation of the series seemed to be a natural progression, as many of our teams were already playing one another in nonconference games," NAC Commissioner Steven Larson said. "We also had a bridge already built between the MIAA and the NAC, as Wisconsin Lutheran College had previously competed in the MIAA prior to the formation of the NAC."

Matchups for the series in 2012 will be determined based on each school’s finish in the previous year’s conference standings. For example, 2011 MIAA champion Albion will travel to 2011 NAC co-champion Benedictine in one of the seven matchups.

Here is the complete schedule for the first year of the MIAA/NAC Challenge:

• Albion at Benedictine, Ill.
• Hope at Concordia-Chicago
• Adrian at Wisconsin Lutheran
• Trine at Concordia-Wisconsin
• Kalamazoo at Lakeland, Wis.
• Alma at Aurora, Ill.
• Olivet at Rockford, Ill.

All games will take place on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 1 p.m. local time.

The MIAA is the nation’s oldest collegiate athletic conference, founded in 1888. The MIAA consists of nine private liberal arts colleges from Michigan and northern Indiana. Member institutions are Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Calvin College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Olivet College, Saint Mary’s College and Trine University.

The Northern Athletics Conference began its first season of competition in 2006. The NAC consists of 13 private colleges and universities from the shared-border states of Illinois and Wisconsin. Many have shared traditional rivalries dating back to predecessor conferences, the Lake Michigan Conference and the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference. Member institutions are Alverno College, Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University Chicago, Concordia University Wisconsin, Dominican University, Edgewood College, Lakeland College, Maranatha Baptist Bible College, Marian University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Rockford College and Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Hope Leads Commissioner's Cup Standings After Fall 2011 Sports Season

Commissioner's Cup Standings: 1. Hope 103. 2. Calvin 81. 3. Adrian 64. 4. Alma 58. 5. Trine 55. 6. Albion 48. 7. Olivet 40. 8. Kalamazoo 35.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 50. 2. Trine 34. 3. Albion 32. 3. Calvin 32. 5. Adrian 26. 6. Alma 22. 7. Olivet 20. 8. Kalamazoo 8.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 53. 2. Calvin 49. 3. Adrian 38. 4. Alma 36. 5. Saint Mary’s 28. 6. Kalamazoo 27. 7. Trine 21. 8. Olivet 20. 9. Albion 16.

Highlights

• The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women.

• Hope won the 2010-11 Commissioner’s Cup.

• The Commissioner’s Cup (All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 33 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9 & Alma 5.

MIAA To Add Men’s, Women’s Lacrosse As Conference Sports in 2012-13

The MIAA has announced that it will add men’s lacrosse and women’s lacrosse as varsity conference sports, effective with the 2012-13 season, the 125th anniversary season for America’s oldest collegiate athletic conference.

Competition in men’s and women’s lacrosse will begin with the fall non-traditional season in 2012 and conclude with conference regular season and tournament play in the spring of 2013, Commissioner David Neilson said.

The addition of these sports brings to 20 the number of varsity sports the MIAA will sponsor in 2012-13, and marks the first new sports to be added to the conference’s lineup since it added women’s golf in 1991.

Seven MIAA member schools will sponsor men’s and women’s lacrosse in the 2012-13 season – Adrian, Albion, Alma, Calvin, Hope, Olivet and Trine, Neilson said.

With the minimum of seven participating conference schools, the MIAA will receive an automatic qualification to NCAA Division III postseason competition immediately.

Founded in 1888, the MIAA is the nation’s oldest collegiate athletic conference. Member institutions are Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Calvin College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Olivet College, Saint Mary’s College and Trine University.

Alma Tabbed To Repeat as MIAA Women's Soccer Champs

Last fall, Alma won its first MIAA championship in women’s soccer in school history.

The Scots have been picked to repeat as champions in the MIAA this fall in the first-ever conference preseason women’s soccer coaches poll. Alma received six of a possible nine first place votes in the poll, with defending MIAA tournament champion Calvin receiving the other three first-place tallies.

Calvin was picked to finish second, followed by Kalamazoo, Adrian, Hope, Olivet, Saint Mary’s, Albion and Trine.

Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Alma (6) 10 pts. 2. Calvin (3) 13. 3. Kalamazoo 22. 4. Adrian 34. 5. Hope 36. 6. Olivet 40. 7. Saint Mary’s 53. 8. Albion 56. 9. Trine 60.

MIAA teams will begin non-conference action Thursday, Sept. 1, with the first conference games set for Wednesday, Sept. 14.

Calvin Picked To Win MIAA Volleyball Championship

Defending NCAA Division III national champion Calvin has been selected the preseason favorite to win the 2011 MIAA volleyball championship.

The Knights, who shared the MIAA championship with Hope last fall before going on to win the national championship, received eight of a possible nine first-place votes in the first-ever MIAA preseason volleyball coaches poll. The Flying Dutch, who received the other first place vote, were picked to finish second in the poll.

Alma was selected to finish third, followed by Kalamazoo, Olivet, Trine, Adrian, Saint Mary’s and Albion.

Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Calvin (8) 8 pts. 2. Hope (1) 16. 3. Alma 24. 4. Kalamazoo 30. 5. Olivet 38. 6. Trine 39. 7. Adrian 50. 8. Saint Mary’s 55. 9. Albion 64.

MIAA teams will begin non-conference action Friday, Sept. 2, with the first conference matches set for Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Hope Named Favorite In First MIAA Preseason Men's Soccer Poll

Defending co-champion Hope has been chosen the preseason favorite in the MIAA men’s soccer race for the 2011 season.

The Flying Dutchmen, who shared the MIAA title with Calvin last fall, received five of a possible eight first-place votes to nose out the Knights in the first-ever men’s soccer preseason coaches poll.

Olivet was selected third, followed by Adrian, Kalamazoo, Trine, Alma and Albion.

Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Hope (5) 10. 2. Calvin (3) 11. 3. Olivet 21. 4. Adrian 28. 5. Kalamazoo 32. 6. Trine 37. 7. Alma 39. 8. Albion 46.

This year’s season will feature the first-ever MIAA men’s soccer tournament, with the top four teams in regular season conference play to advance to play the first weekend in November to determine the MIAA’s representative to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Trine Picked to Repeat As MIAA Football Champs

Defending champion Trine has been picked to win the MIAA football championship for the fourth consecutive year in a preseason poll of the league’s coaches.

The Thunder, who have won 20 consecutive MIAA contests dating back to 2007, received six of the seven first-place votes in the coaches poll released Monday. Coaches could not vote for their own team.

Albion, which received the other first-place vote, was picked to finish second, followed by Adrian, Hope, Alma, Kalamazoo and Olivet.

Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Trine (6) 6 pts. 2. Albion (1) 12. 3. Adrian 15. 4. Hope 23. 5. Alma 25. 6. Kalamazoo 31. 7. Olivet 35.

Last fall, Trine finished with a perfect 6-0 record in MIAA play (11-1 overall) and defeated DePauw, Ind. 45-35 in a first-round game in the NCAA Division III football playoffs. The Thunder were defeated in the second round by eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater, 45-31.

The MIAA will kick off its 114th season of intercollegiate football action Thursday, Sept. 1, as Trine visits Manchester, Ind. League play begins Saturday, Oct. 1.

MIAA Announces Academic Honor Roll, Team GPA Awards

The MIAA has announced its Academic Honor Roll of student-athletes for the 2010-11 academic year, as well as announced its recipients of the conference's Team GPA Award.

The Academic Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who achieve a minimum 3.5 grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) for the entire 2010-11 academic year and won a varsity letter for the year. The MIAA Academic Honor Roll program was begun in 1990 to recognize students at MIAA member colleges who excel both in athletics and in the classroom. This year’s list includes 67 student-athletes who were named to the Honor Roll four consecutive years.

The MIAA also is recognizing 50 teams who received the conference's Team GPA Award. The award is presented to conference teams that achieve a 3.300 or better grade point average for an entire academic year. This award is administered by the Faculty Athletic Representatives of the MIAA member colleges.

This year's Team GPA honorees include four teams who have received the award every year (13) since it was initiated in 1998-99. They are Albion women’s tennis, Albion women’s soccer, Calvin women’s cross country and Hope women’s cross country.

Click here for the complete Academic Honor Roll list
Click here to see this year's Team GPA recipients

Former Kalamazoo Coach George Acker Dies; Led Hornets to 35 MIAA Tennis Titles, Seven National Championships

Longtime Kalamazoo coach and physical education professor George Acker died July 20 at the age of 83.

Acker served as a coach and professor at Kalamazoo from 1958 to 1993 and

was inducted into the college's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998. As men's tennis coach, he led the Hornets to seven NCAA Division III championships while winning 35 consecutive MIAA championships. The 35 MIAA championships are the most by any coach, regardless of sport, in the conference's history.

His tennis teams were 537-231 overall and an incredible 209-1 in MIAA play.

Acker also served as head coach of the Hornets' wrestling (1960-74) and cross country (1985-88) teams, was line coach for the football team from 1959-69, and served as the college’s athletic trainer and director of intramurals at different times during his career.

Read Kalamazoo Gazette story on George Acker
Click here to read more about George Acker and his contributions to Kalamazoo

MIAA Announces Hartman, Renner Awards

The MIAA has announced the winners of two awards honoring outstanding publicity efforts by its member schools – the Hartman Writing Award and the Renner Associate SID Award.

Andrew Knot, a student assistant in the sports information office of Calvin College, has been named the recipient of the Hartman Award, while Nate Triezenberg, a recent Calvin graduate who also worked in the college’s sports information office, received the Renner Award.

Andrew Knot

A native of Flossmoor, Ill. and graduate of Illiana Christian High School in Lansing, Ill., Andrew Knot recently completed his junior year at Calvin. Knot has served as a student assistant in the Calvin sports information office the past two years. As a student assistant, Knot has served as a writer and as a broadcaster. As a writer, he has filed game and feature stories. As a broadcaster, he has served as both a play-by-play announcer and color commentator for Calvin volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball and softball games.

A Dean’s List student at Calvin, Knot holds a double major in English and German and a minor in writing. Knot spent the spring semester of the 2009-10 academic year studying in Austria and while there, participated in an internship where he taught English in Vienna. He is currently serving as a writing intern with Bruce Buursma Communications/Words Well Done.

After graduating from Calvin, Knot plans to teach overseas and eventually pursue post-doctoral education.

Nate Triezenberg

A native of Highland, Ind. and graduate of Illiana Christian High School in Lansing, Ill., Nate Triezenberg was graduated from Calvin this past May with a degree in political science and international relations.

While at Calvin, Triezenberg spent three years working in the Calvin sports information office as a student assistant. Triezenberg served as a statistician for men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s soccer. He also broadcast soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball games through Calvin's website while also filling in occasionally as a play-by-play basketball announcer for radio station WFUR-FM (102.9) in Grand Rapids, Mich.

In addition, he contributed to Calvin's publications and website, producing feature and game stories along with taking digital photographs. He also compiled and updated records for various sports archives and represented the Calvin sports information office frequently on road trips. He also conducted audio interviews with a variety of Calvin athletes and coaches which have been turned around into podcasts for the Calvin website.

Triezenberg spent one year as a member of the Calvin men's basketball junior varsity team. He also served as a student administrative assistant with the Calvin men's basketball program during the 2010-11 academic year.

He spent a portion of the 2011 spring semester on an internship with the Federal Government in Washington, D.C. He is currently seeking a position in law enforcement.

The awards honor two sports information directors who have given many years of service to the MIAA - Robin Hartman of Albion College and Tom Renner of Hope College. The Hartman Award honors outstanding writing in a sports information capacity, either by a sports information director or assistant, while the Renner Award honors outstanding efforts by student assistants in sports information offices at MIAA schools.

Click here to read Andrew Knot's winning entry

Here are links to other entries for the Hartman Award:
2nd place, Sarah Miesle, Saint Mary's, feature on Belles' swimmer and future Marine officer Katie Griffin

3rd place, Bobby Lee, Albion, feature on Britons' track and field student-athlete Effrem Grettenberger

4th place, Andrew Knot, Calvin, feature on relay run by Calvin and Hope cross country teams

Andrew Knot and Jeff Febus, Calvin, another story on Calvin volleyball's national championship run

Geoff Henson, Olivet, story on sportsmanship by Olivet cheerleaders and staff during men's basketball game with Hope last winter

Geoff Henson, Olivet, feature on MIAA men's basketball Most Valuable Player Michael McClary

Dean Jackson, Trine, feature on lacrosse player Kayla Grieser and her experiences competing with a U.S. women's team at a tournament in Berlin, Germany

Dean Jackson, Trine, story on wrestler Alex Fleet, demonstrating his support of a teammate at the NCAA Division III championships last winter

Marv Zuidema, Longtime Calvin Coach/AD and MIAA Secretary, Dies At Age 75

Longtime Calvin College coach and athletic director Dr. Marvin Zuidema died June 18 after

battling an illness for the past year. He was 75.

Known as "Dr. Z" to those in the Calvin community, Zuidema touched many lives at Calvin, the MIAA and in collegiate athletics across the country.

A native of Muskegon, Zuidema graduated from Calvin in 1957. He continued on to earn a master's degree at Michigan State University and in 1961, returned to Calvin as an instructor and coach in the school's physical education department. For the next 43 years, he served the Calvin physical education department as a prof

essor, department chair, coach and director of men's athletics.

As a coach, Zuidema was the head coach of the Calvin men's tennis team for seven years as well as the head baseball coach for 10 years. As baseball coach, he led Calvin to three MIAA titles. His most storied coaching run, however, came in men's soccer as he served as Calvin's head coach for 36 years.

Zuidema took over the reins of the Calvin men's soccer program in 1961 and remained in that position through the 1997 season, missing only the 1968 season while completing work on his Ph.D at Indiana University. In 36 years as men's soccer coach at Calvin, Zuidema posted a won-loss record of 341-175-48 for a .647 winning percentage, which included 14 MIAA titles and four NCAA Division III Tournament berths, including an appearance in the national quarterfinals in 1980. He is ranked 16th all-time in Division III men’s soccer for career victories. In 1993, he became the first coach in the state of Michigan - at any level - to reach the 300-win plateau in soccer.

In addition, Zuidema served the MIAA as the conference men's soccer coordinator for over 20 years. In 1999, the MIAA instituted the Dr. Marvin Zuidema Award for men's soccer. The award honors a senior men's soccer player in the MIAA each fall. The recipient is selected for his contributions to team play, leadership qualities, demonstration of ethical virtues and excellence in athletics and academics - all principles that Zuidema cherished deeply.

After retiring as men's soccer coach at Calvin at the conclusion of the 1997 season, Zuidema transitioned into an administrator's role, taking on the position of Calvin's director of men's athletics, a position he held from 1997 to 2003. During his six-year term as Calvin's director of men's athletics, the Knights captured four national championships - two in women's cross country and one each in men's basketball and men's cross country. Calvin also captured 19 MIAA team championships during that time.

While serving as the men's AD at Calvin, Zuidema took on the additional role as MIAA secretary to the Committe on Athletics. Zuidema served as MIAA secretary up through this winter.

Zuidema is survived by his wife Virginia, sons Roger and Kevin, daughter Vonnie and nine grandchildren.

Visitation will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Zaagman Memorial Chapel in Grand Rapids. To visit the Zaagman website for directions, please visit: http://www.zaagman.com

Zuidema's funeral will take place on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Shawnee Park Christian Reformed Church, 2255 Tecumseh Dr. SE in Grand Rapids, directly behind (east side) Grand Rapids Christian High School. The church website can be found online at: http://www.shawneepark.com

Click here to read more about Marv Zuidema and his contributions to Calvin and the MIAA

MIAA Announces 2010-11 Deal, Kovalchik Awards

Awards by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association to the outstanding senior athletes from its member schools during the 2010-11 academic year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Eric Watt of Trine University has received the Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award, while Melissa Oosterhouse of Calvin College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award.

"Eric and Melissa have had marvelous careers these last four years in the classroom, on the field, and as role models in our conference. They will be missed, but their selection for these awards from such an exceptional group of nominees is an achievement for which they should take great pride," Commissioner Neilson said.

The awards recognize senior class athletes who have excelled in academics and athletics, as well as displayed outstanding leadership qualities. The awards honor two former MIAA commissioners, Albert Deal (1971-91) and Sheila Wallace Kovalchik (1991-2002).

Eric Watt

A native of Kentland, Ind. and graduate of South Newton Junior-Senior High School, Watt lettered in football all four years for Trine, moving into the starting lineup at quarterback his freshman year and remaining the full-time starter from his sophomore year on. He was a three-time First Team All-MIAA selection and was named the conference’s Most Valuable Player on offense his junior and senior seasons. Last season, he was named the recipient of the Gagliardi Trophy, the most prestigious individual honor in NCAA Division III football, for his play on the field as well as his academics and community service. He was also selected to the American Football Coaches’ Association Division III All-America team.

Watt set numerous Trine school records during his career as he led the Thunder to three consecutive MIAA championships. He completed 58.7 percent of his passes (650 of 1,108) for 8,464 yards and 82 touchdowns during his career. He added another 1,834 yards rushing on 443 attempts and scored 18 touchdowns, giving him more than 10,000 yards total offense in his career. As a senior, he led Division III quarterbacks in passing efficiency with a rating of 182.05, completing 67 percent of his pass attempts (197 of 294) for 2,873 yards and 33 touchdowns, while throwing only six interceptions. With Watt as the starting quarterback, Trine went 29-1 in regular season games, including a perfect 18-0 record in MIAA play, over the last three years and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs each of the last two years.

A finance major with an emphasis on international business, Watt graduated with his bachelor’s degree in December after just 3 ½ years of study. He was a three-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, and was also active in Delta Mu Delta, a business honor society, Alpha Chi Omega, an athletic honor society and Who’s Who in America (Colleges and Universities).

Watt was also active in community and campus activities off the field as well. He was a four-year participant in a community reading program at Carlin Park Elementary School, in Angola, Ind., took part in cleanup efforts at Pokagon State Park, and was involved in on-campus charity fundraisers, the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, and the football program’s talent show.

Eric Watt is the son of Ron and Luanne Watt.

Other nominees for the Deal award included David Sreiberg of Adrian, Ben Alger of Albion, Andrew Schaar of Alma, Scott Hooker of Calvin, John Donkersloot of Hope, Craig Fleming of Kalamazoo and Kellen Beckwith of Olivet.

Melissa Oosterhouse

A resident of Grand Rapids, Mich., and graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School, Oosterhouse was a four-year letter winner in women’s tennis for Calvin, earning All-MIAA First Team honors all four years. She was the MIAA’s Most Valuable Player in her junior and senior years and this spring became the first Calvin player in school history to earn Division III All-American honors. She was also named the recipient of the MIAA’s Karen Caine Scholar-Athlete Award each of the past two years and won the MIAA’s Sue Little Sportsmanship Award in 2009.

Oosterhouse set several Calvin school records during her career. This spring, she posted a 19-2 record at No. 1 singles for the Knights and earned her second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III women’s singles championship, advancing to the second round. She finished her career with a record of 78-14 at singles, the most victories ever by a Calvin women’s tennis player.

A biology pre-med major and dean’s list student at Calvin all four years, Oosterhouse graduated in May with a 3.955 grade point average, earning recognition to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll all four years of her career. She was a first-team selection to the College Division ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team in women’s tennis, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, in 2010 and is under consideration for the same honor this year. She was also named the recipient of the NCAA’s Elite 88 Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average among those competing in NCAA championship events, in Division III women’s tennis last year.

Oosterhouse volunteered for numerous school and community service projects during her collegiate career. She was a member of Calvin’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee each of the past two years and took part in Calvin’s Gainey Leadership Retreat. She also volunteered for two years at the Grandville Institute for the Arts, worked with special needs children at her church for four years, provided tennis lessons to third-grade students through a program called Quick Start, and did an internship at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Mich., last summer where she conducted research on breast cancer.

Melissa Oosterhouse is the daughter of Carl and Joy Oosterhouse. She has been admitted to the Wayne State University School of Medicine, where she plans to attend in the fall.

Other nominees for the Kovalchik Award were Kristin Toney of Adrian, Ashley Collins of Albion, Kelly Koenigsknecht of Alma, Kara VandeGuchte of Hope, Chelsea Smith of Kalamazoo, Amber Conrad of Olivet, Mary Kate Boyce of Saint Mary’s and Tori Bluhm of Trine.

Olivet's Beckwith Named Academic All-America of the Year

Olivet swimmer Kellen Beckwith has been named the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® of the Year for the College Division Men’s At-Large program by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

By virtue of this honor, he is also a first-team Academic All-America® selection.

The men’s at-large team recognizes athletes who compete in the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo and wrestling.

Beckwith is a two-time first-team Academic All-America® selection, as he also earned the honor in 2010. He is the first student-athlete in Olivet history and only the fourth in MIAA history to be selected as the Academic All-America® of the Year in any sport. The other recipients were Chris Knoester of Calvin (men's basketball) in 1994, Joel Klooster of Calvin (men's cross country/track and field) in 2002 and Nora Kuiper of Hope (women's track and field) in 2009.

A mathematics education major, Beckwith graduated in May with a perfect 4.00 grade point average. A four-time All-MIAA selection, he was a four-year letterwinner on the Comet swimming team. Beckwith is the only swimmer in school history to compete at the national championships each year of his collegiate career, finishing as high as seventh in the 100 backstroke in 2010. He is a two-time recipient of the NCAA Elite 88 award, which is given annually to the student-athlete competing at each of the 88 championships with the highest GPA.

Click here to read more about Kellen Beckwith.

Hope Edges Calvin for MIAA Commissioner's Cup

For the 11th consecutive year, Hope College has won the MIAA Commissioner's Cup, an award based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women.

Hope won the Commissioner's Cup with a total score of 206 points, while Calvin finished second with 202 points. Hope outscored Calvin 112-106 in the nine MIAA women's sports, while Calvin edged Hope 96-94 in the nine MIAA men's sports.

The final Commissioner’s Cup standings are determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women.

The Commissioner’s Cup (All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 33 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9 and Alma 5.

Commissioner's Cup Scores: 1. Hope 206. 2. Calvin 202. 3. Albion 132. 4. Adrian 125. 5. Alma 113. 6. Kalamazoo 98. 7. Olivet 95. 8. Trine 91.

Men's All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 96. 2. Hope 94. 3. Adrian 66. 4. Albion 61. 5. Trine 52. 6. Kalamazoo 47. 7. Alma 41. 8. Olivet 37.

Women's All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 112. 2. Calvin 106. 3. Alma 72. 4. Albion 71. 5. Saint Mary’s 69. 6. Adrian 59. 7. Olivet 58. 8. Kalamazoo 51. 9. Trine 39.

Click here for the complete roundup of finishes by sport for the 2010-11 season

Olivet's Beckwith Repeats as NCAA Elite 88 Recipient

Olivet senior swimmer Kellen Beckwith has been named a recipient of the NCAA's Elite 88 award for the second consecutive year.

Beckwith, who competed in the NCAA Division III swimming and diving championships, had the highest grade-point average among all the men's swimmers competing at the national championships. An All-MIAA selection this season, he swam the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley at the NCAA championships.

Click here to read more about Kellen Beckwith

What a Fall Season!

The 2010 fall sports season in the MIAA produced outstanding performances, including a first-time national championship in volleyball, along with dramatic comebacks, competitive races that remained unsettled until the season ended and in two sports, first-time conference champions.

Here are some of the highlights:

Volleyball: After an exciting MIAA season that saw Calvin and Hope go toe-to-toe all season long, each handing the other their only conference regular season loss, Hope defeated Calvin to win the MIAA tournament and the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. Calvin, which earned an at-large bid tournament bid, put together six consecutive victories, including a stirring comeback from a 2-sets-to-none deficit in the national semifinal against Juniata, Pa., to become the first MIAA team to win the national championship. Calvin coach Amber Warners is named the national Division III coach of the year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Men’s Golf: Calvin overcame a 19-stroke deficit entering the final tournament of the season to nip Trine by two strokes, matching the previous record for the closest finish in conference history. For the Knights, it was their first MIAA men’s golf championship in school history. As a sportsmanship postscript on this remarkable comeback, after the sixth league jamboree, Calvin brought to the attention of the MIAA office a clerical error in the posting of the league standings, which incorrectly showed Calvin’s third match score as a 294, instead of the correct score of 295. At the time, Calvin was sitting in fourth place, 21 shots off the lead, and the corrected score moved them back to 22 shots off the pace. Individually, Adrian’s Jordan Kelly tied the record for the lowest 18-hole score in conference history with a 65 in the jamboree hosted by Trine.

Men’s Soccer: A topsy-turvy race saw six different teams hold first place at one time or another during the season, with five teams still in the race in the final week. Despite being 3-4 and in sixth place at the midway point of the season, Hope ran off seven straight wins to tie with Calvin for the MIAA championship and earn the automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Calvin received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, then survived two penalty-kick shootouts to reach the sectional final.

Women’s Cross Country: The MIAA championship meet produced its closest finish ever, as Calvin edged out Hope by two points, 31-33, for its sixth straight championship. The Knights had the top three finishers, offsetting Hope taking six of the next seven places. Calvin and Hope went on to finish 1-2 at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional meet, and Alma’s Kellee Lemcke was an individual qualifier for the national meet. Calvin finished ninth and Hope 19th at the national meet.

Women’s Soccer: Another first-time champion was crowned as Alma posted a 7-0-1 record in league play, allowing just five goals against MIAA opponents. Five of the Scots’ wins were shutouts. Calvin won the conference tournament and the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament, falling in a first-round game to an Otterbein, Ohio team that advanced to the tournament’s Final Four.

Football: For the third consecutive season, Trine went unbeaten in MIAA play, extending the Thunder’s winning streak against conference foes to 20. Trine also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs for the second year in a row. Several new conference records were established, most notably by Albion’s Clinton Orr, who rushed for 1,030 yards in six MIAA games, marking the first time ever an MIAA player topped the 1,000-yard mark in conference games. Kalamazoo’s Travis Braun set another league mark by kicking 11 field goals, including four in one game, while Trine's Jeremy Howard booted 31 consecutive extra points without a miss. Trine's Eric Watt is named the recipient of the Gagliardi Trophy, presented to the most outstanding player in Division III.

Women's Golf: Saint Mary's repeated as MIAA champions, with conference medalist Mary Kate Boyce putting an exclamation mark on the season with a final round 72 at the MIAA championships at Bedford Valley Country Club, marking the lowest 18-hole score ever in conference history. Boyce also won the conference’s sportsmanship award, exemplified by a penalty she called on herself at one jamboree for inadvertently causing the ball to move prior to a shot, a move that cost her medalist honors for that meet.

Men’s Cross Country: Calvin continued its run of conference championships with its 24th straight MIAA title, the second-longest active streak of conference titles behind Kalamazoo’s 71-year run as men’s tennis champion. Calvin, Albion and Hope were all nationally ranked at one time during the season. Calvin won the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional meet for the 15th consecutive year, with junior Nick Kramer claiming the individual championship, while Albion finished third to gain an at-large berth for nationals and Hope finished sixth. Hope’s Nathan Love was an individual qualifier for the national meet. Calvin finished eighth at the national championships, with Kramer earning All-American honors, while Albion was 31st.

Trine's Watt Wins Gagliardi Trophy

Trine quarterback Eric Watt was named the winner of the 2010 Gagliardi Trophy, given to the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division III, on Thursday night in Salem, Va.

A senior from Kentland, Ind. (South Newton HS), Watt led the Thunder to three consecutive MIAA championships and was named the conference's offensive Most Valuable Player his junior and senior years. With Watt as a full-time starter, Trine went 29-1 over the past three years.

Watt completed 67 percent of his passes this season for 2,873 yards and 33 touchdowns, while throwing only six interceptions. He also rushed for 305 yards and five touchdowns as Trine posted an 11-1 record and reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

The Gagliardi Trophy, which is Division III football's most prestigious individual award, recognizes a student-athlete's excellence in football, academics and community service.

Watt becomes the second MIAA player to win the Gagliardi Trophy. Alma quarterback Josh Brehm was the 2006 recipient.

Click here for more details

Calvin Leads Commissioner's Cup Standings

Overall Standings: 1. Calvin 90. 2. Hope 86. 3. Adrian 63. 4. Alma 55. 5. Trine 52. 6. Olivet 48. 7. Albion 47. 8. Kalamazoo 39.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 41. 1. Hope 41. 3. Adrian 35. 4. Trine 34. 5. Albion 27.
6. Alma 17. 7. Olivet 16. 8. Kalamazoo 13.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 49. 2. Hope 45. 3. Alma 38. 4. Olivet 32. 4. Saint Mary’s 32. 6. Adrian 28. 7. Kalamazoo 26. 8. Albion 20. 9. Trine 18.

Highlights

The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women.
The final Commissioner’s Cup standings is determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. All eight fall sports are tabulated in this tabulation.
Hope won the 2009-10 Commissioner’s Cup.
The Commissioner’s Cup (All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 32 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9 & Alma 5.

Hope Picked as Preseason Favorite in MIAA Men's, Women's Basketball

Hope College has been picked as the preseason favorite to win both the MIAA men's basketball and women's basketball championships in the conference coaches' poll.

In the men's poll, the Flying Dutchmen captured six of the eight first-place votes, while defending MIAA champion Calvin received the other two votes. The Knights are picked to finish second in the poll, folllowed by Olivet.

In the women's poll, defending champion Hope received eight of the nine first-place votes, while Calvin received the other. The Knights are picked to finish second in the poll, with Saint Mary's third.

Men's Poll Results (First-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Hope (6) 9 pts. 2. Calvin (2) 14. 3. Olivet 17. 4. Adrian 28. 5. Albion 30. 6. Kalamazoo 38. 6. Trine 38. 8. Alma 49.

Women's Poll Results (First-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Hope (8) 8 pts. 2. Calvin (1) 15. 3. Saint Mary’s 22. 4. Albion 32. 5. Adrian 41. 6. Trine 45 7. Alma 50. 7. Olivet 50. 9. Kalamazoo 63.

MIAA teams will tip off their season Nov. 15 with two men's games and two women's games. The women will start league play Dec. 1, while the men launch MIAA play Jan. 5.

MIAA Partners With NCAA On Identity Initiative

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced that it will partner with the NCAA in its Division III identity initiative.

Beginning Sept. 1 and running through the entire 2010-11 academic year, the MIAA will highlight student-athletes, coaches and teams through a variety of stories that will appear on the conference Web site that highlight the MIAA Division III intercollegiate athletic experience.

These stories, which will be produced by MIAA member schools, will celebrate how student-athletes integrate their passion for sport with commitment to excellence in the classroom and service to their communities, as they prepare themselves to be tomorrow’s leaders.

The NCAA earlier this year launched the Division III identity initiative to tell about the unique athletic experience at the NCAA Division III level. The DIII initiative lists six key attributes that our student-athletes stand for. These attributes include:

• Proportion – Appropriate relation of academics, athletics and other passions
• Comprehensive Learning – Opportunity for broad-based education and success
• Passion – Playing for love of the game, competition, fun and self-improvement
• Responsibility – Development of accountability through personal commitment and choices
• Sportsmanship – Fair and respectful conduct toward all participants and supporters
• Citizenship – Dedication to developing responsible leaders and citizens in our communities

The NCAA Division III identity initiative page can be found at http://www.miaa.org/d3identity, or by clicking on the Division III identity logo on the left side of this page.

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.

Founded in 1888, the MIAA is the nation’s oldest athletic conference. It consists of nine member institutions – Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Calvin College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Olivet College, Saint Mary’s College and Trine University.

Trine Picked To Repeat As MIAA Football Champs

2009 MIAA football champion Trine has been picked to win the league championship in a preseason coaches poll.

The Thunder, who have won the last two MIAA championships, received six of the seven first-place votes in the coaches poll, released to the media at the start of a conference call Tuesday. Coaches could not vote for their own team.

Albion was picked to finish second, followed by Adrian, which received the other first-place vote.

Last fall, Trine became the first MIAA team in 16 years to advance to win an NCAA Division III playoff game, defeating Case Western Reserve, Ohio, 51-38, in a first-round game. The Thunder have won 14 consecutive MIAA games dating back to the 2007 season.

Poll Results (First-place votes in parenthesis): 1. Trine (6) 6 pts. 2. Albion 13. 3. Adrian (1) 14. 4. Hope 22. 5. Alma 25. 6. Kalamazoo 32. 7. Olivet 35.

The MIAA will kick off its 113th season of intercollegiate football action Thursday, Sept. 2, as Trine hosts Manchester, Ind., with league play to get underway Saturday, Oct. 2.

Click on each of the links below to read 2010 preseason previews and rosters for each school:

Adrian Preview / Adrian Preseason Roster
Albion Preview
Alma Preseason Roster
Hope Preview / Hope Preseason Roster
Kalamazoo Preview / Kalamazoo Preseason Roster
Olivet Preview / Olivet Preseason Roster
Trine Preview

MIAA Announces 2009-10 Hartman, Renner Awards

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the winners of two awards honoring outstanding publicity efforts by its member schools - the Hartman Writing Award and the Renner Associate SID Award.

Jeff Febus, sports information director at Calvin College, was named the winner of the Hartman Award, while Brent Willis, a student assistant in Alma College’s sports information office, was named the recipient of the Renner Award.

Jeff Febus

Jeff Febus, who has been sports information director at Calvin College since 1994, was honored by the MIAA for his feature story on Ben and Jon Kuiper, brothers who were members of the Calvin men’s golf team last fall. The story focused on the close ties between the brothers, both on and off the golf course.

A native of Grand Rapids, Febus is a 1992 Calvin graduate who majored in telecommunications and minored in journalism. While a student, he was a sports writer for the school's student newspaper Chimes and also served as sports director at Calvin's student television station CVN-Channel 4. As a senior in 1992, he served as the lead play-by-play broadcaster for CVN's telecast of the NCAA III Championship game in men's basketball between Calvin and the University of Rochester (NY).

Febus then earned a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from Drake University in 1994. As a Drake student, he served as a graduate assistant for the Dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Febus returned to Calvin as the school's sports information director in time for the 1994-95 academic year. In his 16 years as Calvin's sports information director, he has covered seven Calvin teams that have captured national championships - four in men's cross country, two in women's cross country and one in men's basketball. Febus has received awards from the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA) for his postseason publications celebrating Calvin's national championships. In 2000, he received a CoSIDA writing award for his coverage of Calvin's national championship men's basketball team.

He has also co-produced season highlight videos of Calvin's national championship men's basketball teams in 1992 and 2000. In addition, he has served as a free-lance writer for the Grand Rapids Business Journal and for the Advance Newspapers.

Febus also oversees a crew of Calvin student workers that produce stories, statistics and photos as well as internet broadcast coverage of Calvin athletics. Febus also contributes to Calvin's audio broadcast coverage and occasionally fills in as a broadcaster of Calvin basketball games for Grand Rapids radio station WFUR-FM.

Febus is married to the former Julie Post, a 1989 Calvin graduate who was the 1988 MIAA Most Valuable Player in women's basketball. They have two sons, Jarrett and Justin.

Brent Willis

A native of Edmore, Mich., and graduate of Montabella High School, Brent Willis graduated from Alma College in May with a degree in business administration. While at Alma, he worked in the sports information office for three years under two different directors, Josh Ernst and Mike Hanson.

Willis took on a wide variety of responsibilities as an SID assistant, ranging from writing game and feature stories to lending his voice to Internet broadcasts of Alma sporting events. He handled game-day statistics for Alma basketball games for two years and took on additional game-day management responsibilities when needed.

In addition, Willis was the main game-day contact for baseball games at Klenk Park. When Alma instituted Internet broadcasts of sporting events, he started as a color commentator and eventually worked his way into doing play-by-play. He also assisted with Internet features on Alma athletes and helped complete publications such as media guides. He is cited as someone who could be trusted to complete an assignment that represented Alma in a positive manner.

Willis’ activities were not limited to working behind the scenes at Alma’s athletic events. He was a member of the Scots’ football team for four years, starting at linebacker his junior and senior years. He was third on the team in tackles in 2008 with 56 and again in 2009 with 82, including 14 tackles in back-to-back games against Hope and Trine. He led the Scots in tackles for loss in 2009 with 8.5.

Willis is presently employed as a loan servicing portfolio manager for Quadrant Financial in Indianapolis, Ind. In his role, he deals with followup details after loan closing such as construction disbursements and collections.

Click here Jeff Febus' award-winning story

Here are links to other entries for the Hartman Award:
2nd place: Geoff Henson (Olivet), historical review on Olivet's wrestling success
3rd place: Jeff Febus (Calvin), feature on assistant volleyball coach Laura Bindon
Sarah Miesle (Saint Mary's), feature on women's soccer player Bridget Ronayne
Jeff Febus (Calvin), feature on reunion of Calvin 1986 national runnerup volleyball team with former coach Karla Wolters
Andrew Knot (Calvin), match story on Calvin's MIAA volleyball tournament championship win over Hope
Andrew Knot (Calvin), feature story on family connections with Calvin's men's soccer team
Derek Niece (Calvin), feature on graduating senior men's basketball player John Mantel
Geoff Henson (Olivet), feature on Olivet swimmer Kellen Beckwith's recognition by the NCAA for its Elite 88 scholar-athlete award.

MIAA Announces 2009-10 Deal, Kovalchik Awards

Awards by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association to the outstanding senior athletes from its member schools during the 2009-10 academic year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Brandon Luczak of Kalamazoo College has received the Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award, while Ashley Peterson of Saint Mary’s College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award.

"Brandon and Ashley have had marvelous careers these last four years in the classroom, on the field, and as role models in our conference. They will be missed, but their selection for these awards from such an exceptional group of nominees is an achievement for which they should take great pride," Commissioner Neilson said.

Brandon Luczak

A resident of Rochester Hills and graduate of Rochester High School, Luczak was an outstanding football and baseball player during his four years at Kalamazoo, earning All-MIAA honors three times. In football, he broke every school single-game and seasonal passing record during his senior year, and led all of NCAA Division III in total offense with 381.8 yards per game and passing offense with 366.3 yards per game. He was second in the nation in completions per game (32.2) and fourth in total passing yardage with 3,663 yards. A converted tight end, Luczak set MIAA single game records for attempts (79) and completions (56) in a game against Hope, and twice threw six touchdown passes in a game. He was a second-team All-MIAA selection. He finished his career as Kalamazoo’s career leader in completions with 613 and attempts with 1,058, second in career touchdown passes with 58, and third in career passing yardage (6,884) and total offense (7,176). He finished the 2009 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, then played in the D3 Football Senior Classic in December before having surgery.

In baseball, Luczak posted a 5-3 record with six complete games in conference play as a freshman, earning Second Team All-MIAA honors. As a sophomore, he batted .324 at the plate while pitching four complete games and earning two saves on the mound, repeating as a Second Team All-MIAA pick. This past spring, he returned from his ACL surgery to contribute to the Hornets on the mound. He also played first base, shortstop and designated hitter on the diamond for Kalamazoo, posting a .276 career batting average.

A chemistry major at Kalamazoo, Luczak graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a 3.879 grade point average, earning MIAA Academic Honor Roll honors all four years. In December, he was named the first team quarterback on the College Division Academic All-America® team by the College Sports Information Directors of America and ESPN The Magazine.

Luczak volunteered for numerous programs, both on and off campus, during his collegiate career. For three years, he was a mentor for the Kalamazoo Big Brothers program. He also was an assistant coach in a youth baseball program in Kalamazoo, was president of the college’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, volunteered for the college admissions office, served as a representative on its Student Health Advisory Board and was a class agent for the college’s annual fund drive. He also worked for the college’s athletic training and athletic facilities departments and was a supplemental instructional leader in the chemistry department.

Brandon Luczak is the son of Stephen and Cynthia Luczak.

Other Deal nominees were Alex Cowart of Adrian, Jacob Lee of Albion, Greg Snapper of Calvin, Phillip Heyboer of Hope and Nick Garstka of Trine.

Ashley Peterson

A resident of Lansing, Ill. and graduate of Marian Catholic High School, Peterson played four years of softball for Saint Mary’s, earning All-MIAA First Team honors the last three years and earning the league’s Most Valuable Position Player award this past spring. She was also named Saint Mary’s most outstanding senior athlete.

Peterson set numerous school and MIAA records during her career. This past spring, she led the MIAA in all three “triple crown” categories, setting single-season conference records for home runs with eight and runs batted in with 31. She also hit .549 at the plate and had a slugging percentage of 1.215. Peterson also won the MIAA batting title her sophomore year in 2008 with a .580 average, tying the conference record for most hits in a season with 29. She ended her career as the MIAA’s all-time leader in extra-base hits (44), doubles (26), RBIs (68) and total bases (171), and finished second on the career list in batting average (.482), hits (94) and home runs (15). She graduated as Saint Mary’s all-time career leader in batting average, hits, doubles, home runs and RBIs. She was named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America team twice – in 2008 (second team) and 2010 (third team).

A nursing major, Peterson graduated from Saint Mary’s in May with a 3.641 grade point average, earning recognition to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll all four years of her career. She was recently named to the College Division ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Softball second team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Peterson volunteered for numerous school and community projects during her career. A four-year member of Saint Mary’s Student Athlete Advisory Council, she organized group activities and crafts for children with cancer, children with special needs and children of the Saint Mary’s college community. She helped raise funds and food for local churches, soup kitchens and Operation Rice Bowl through the Yes We Can! Walk. She also participated in Belles for Africa, a Saint Mary’s program that raised more than $5,400 for the Sisters of Holy Cross in Uganda and collected more than 1,000 pairs of shoes for children in Africa. In addition, she worked for the past three years at a local hospital, providing nursing care for patients with cancer, chronic health conditions, as well as patients who were in urology, trauma and intensive care. She also was a respite care provider for five South Bend-area families with special needs or chronic illnesses.

Ashley Peterson is the daughter of Bruce and Chris Peterson.

Other Kovalchik nominees were Lindsay Chitwood of Adrian, Emily Magyar of Albion, Kelley Walsh of Alma, Emily Ottenhof of Calvin, Philana Greene of Hope, Megan Rimmel of Olivet, Jillian McLaughlin of Kalamazoo and Sarah Howe of Trine.

Hope Edges Calvin for 2009-10 MIAA Commissioner's Cup

Hope College has maintained its decade-long hold on the Commissioner's Cup of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) by the narrowest of margins.

The Commissioner's Cup is presented to the league member with the best cumulative finishes in the 18 men's and women's sports sponsored by America's oldest collegiate conference. The NCAA Division III affiliated conference consists of nine schools -- Adrian, Albion, Alma, Calvin, Hope, Kalamazoo, Olivet, Saint Mary's and Trine.

Hope's margin of victory over second place and rival Calvin College was a mere one point, 209-208. Except for a tie in the Cup standings between the same two schools in 2007-08, this is the closest margin in the 76-year-history of the award.

The final standings weren't determined until the final baseball games of the spring season. A four-game Hope sweep of Albion assured the Flying Dutchmen of second place in the baseball standings, two places ahead of Calvin.

It marks the tenth consecutive year that Hope has won or shared the honor, an alltime record. Overall, Hope has won the award a league-record 32 times, including 25 times over the last 30 years.

Hope ended on top of the men's all-sports standings by eight points over Calvin while Calvin won the women's all-sports standings over Hope by seven points.

The Commissioner's Cup has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award a record 32 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9 and Alma 5.

09-10 Commissioner's Cup Standings: 1. Hope 209. 2. Calvin 208. 3. Adrian 130. 4. Albion 128. 5. Alma 98. 5. Trine 98. 7. Kalamazoo 95. 8. Olivet 84.

Men's All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 100. 2. Calvin 92. 3. Albion 66. 4. Adrian 63. 5. Trine 52. 6. Kalamazoo 48. 7. Olivet. 39. 8. Alma 31.

Women's All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 116. 2. Hope 109. 3. Adrian 67. 3. Alma 67. 5. Saint Mary's 66. 6. Albion 62. 7. Kalamazoo 47. 8. Trine 46. 9. Olivet 45.

Olivet's Beckwith Receives NCAA "Elite 88" Honor

Olivet junior Kellen Beckwith has been named the recipient of the NCAA's Elite 88 award in Division III men's swimming and diving. The Elite 88 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s 88 championships.

Beckwith, who swam in three events at the Division III swimming and diving championships in Minneapolis, Minn., carries a 4.0 GPA with a major in mathematics. He earned All-American honors in the 100-yard backstroke with a seventh-place showing.

Click here to read more about Beckwith's honor.

Commissioner's Cup Standings (Through 2009-10 Winter Sports Season)

Overall Standings: 1. Calvin 136. 1. Hope 136. 3. Albion 83. 4. Adrian 73. 5. Kalamazoo 67. 6. Olivet 64. 7. Alma 62. 8. Trine 61.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 64. 2. Calvin 60. 3. Albion 44. 4. Adrian 37. 5. Olivet 33. 6. Kalamazoo 32. 6. Trine 32. 8. Alma 21.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 76. 2. Hope 72. 3. Saint Mary’s 46. 4. Alma 41. 5. Albion 39. 6. Adrian 36. 7. Kalamazoo 35. 8. Olivet 31. 9. Trine 29.

The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women.

The final Commissioner’s Cup standings is determined on the basis of each college's best standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. The tabulation through the winter season is based on 5-of-6 sports for men and 5-of-6 sports for women.

MIAA Student-Athletes Named Academic All-Americans

Six MIAA fall sports student-athletes have earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). These student-athletes are being recognized for their outstanding performance on the athletic field as well as in the classroom. Here is this fall’s list:

Football
Brandon Luczak, Kalamazoo (senior from Rochester Hills/Rochester HS, 1st Team) Details
Nate Kopydlowski, Kalamazoo (senior from Goodrich/Flint Powers HS, 1st Team) Details
Jeremy Howard, Trine (junior from Elkhart, Ind./Concord HS, 2nd Team) Details

Volleyball
Rebecca Kamp, Calvin (sophomore from Orland Park, Ill./Chicago Christian HS, 1st Team) Details

Men’s Soccer
Greg Snapper, Calvin (senior from Madison, Wis./West HS, 2nd Team) Details

Women’s Soccer
Allison Boender, Calvin (senior from Grandville/Calvin Christian HS, 3rd Team) Details

What a Fall Season!

The 2009 fall sports season in the MIAA was truly historic. For the first time in league history, at least one team that competed in NCAA competition in each sport advanced past the opening round, with three teams finishing in the top four nationally in Division III. Here’s a summary of the MIAA’s performance:

Men’s Soccer: Calvin became the first MIAA team ever to reach the national championship game. The Knights, who overcame a four-point deficit in the final week of the regular season to win the MIAA title, won three one-goal games and two others in penalty kick shootouts to reach the championship game in San Antonio, Tex.

Volleyball: Hope became the first MIAA team in 23 years to reach the Final Four of the NCAA Division III volleyball tournament. The Flying Dutch won the Great Lakes Regional by taking three matches, then won their quarterfinal match before falling in a five-set battle to eventual national champion Washington-St. Louis, Mo.

Women’s Cross Country: Calvin won its third consecutive Great Lakes Regional title, then went on to finish third at the NCAA national meet in Cleveland, Ohio, the fourth consecutive year the Knights finished in the top five nationally.

Women’s Soccer: Calvin became the first MIAA team to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA women’s soccer tournament. The Knights won three games to advance to the sectional final in Rock Island, Ill.

Football: Trine became the first MIAA team since 1994 to win an NCAA playoff game, defeating previously unbeaten Case Western Reserve, Ohio, 51-38, in a first-round contest.

Men’s Cross Country: Calvin won its 14th consecutive Great Lakes Regional championship, then finished 13th at the NCAA national meet in Cleveland, Ohio.

Commissioner's Cup Standings (Through 2009 Fall Sports Season)

Overall Standings: 1. Hope 94. 2. Calvin 92. 3. Albion 68. 4. Adrian 54. 5. Alma 50. 5. Trine 50. 7. Kalamazoo 39. 8. Olivet 34.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 45. 2. Calvin 38. 3. Albion 37. 4. Trine 30. 5. Adrian 27. 6. Kalamazoo 16. 6. Olivet 16. 8. Alma 15.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 54. 2. Hope 49. 3. Alma 35. 4. Saint Mary’s 33. 5. Albion 29. 6. Adrian 27. 7. Kalamazoo 23. 8. Trine 20. 9. Olivet 18.

• The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women.

Calvin, Hope Co-Favorites in Preseason Men's Basketball Poll; Hope Picked to Repeat as Women's Champs

2009 MIAA champion Calvin and tournament champion Hope have been installed as preseason co-favorites in the MIAA men's basketball race, while defending champion Hope is the preseason selection to repeat as women's basketball champions. Calvin and Hope each received four votes in the annual preseason men's poll, while the Flying Dutch picked up six first place votes in the women's poll.

Men's Poll Results: 1. Calvin 10 (4). 1. Hope 10 (4). 3. Olivet 23. 4. Albion 24. 5. Adrian 32. 6. Trine 34. 7. Alma 45. 8. Kalamazoo 46.

Women's Poll Results: 1. Hope (6) 8. 2. Calvin (2) 13. 3. Saint Mary's 22. 4. Albion 29. 5. Trine 30. 6. Adrian 38. 7. Olivet 46. 8. Alma 49. 9. Kalamazoo 53.

Trine picked to repeat as MIAA football champs

2008 MIAA football champion Trine has been picked to repeat as league champions in a preseason poll of coaches and media. The Thunder, who were the first team in MIAA history to win 10 regular season games a year ago, captured seven first-place votes in the poll released Thursday during the MIAA's 40th annual Fall Sports Media Day at Hope College's Haworth Inn and Conference Center. Adrian was picked to finish second, receiving five first-place votes, while Hope was picked for third.

Coaches and media had differing views on their preseason predictions, with Adrian being picked as the favorite of coaches with three first-place votes. Trine, however, received five first-place votes among media to rank as their favorite.

Poll Results (First-place votes in parenthesis):
1. Trine (7) 23 pts. 2. Adrian (5) 28. 3. Hope (2) 44. 4. Alma (1) 52. 5. Albion 53. Kalamazoo 84. Olivet 87.

The MIAA will kick off its 112th season of intercollegiate football action Thursday, Sept. 3, as Trine travels to Manchester, Ind., with league play to get underway Saturday, Oct. 3.

MIAA Announces Hartman, Renner Awards

Chaz Amidon, a student assistant in the Calvin College sports information director, was named the winner of the Hartman Award, while Bruce Van Baren, also a student assistant in Calvin’s SID office, was named the recipient of the Renner Award.

Chaz Amidon

Chaz Amidon, who graduated from Calvin in May with a bachelor’s degree in mass media, was honored for a story he wrote depicting the Knights’ thrilling last-second victory over rival Hope College in an MIAA men’s basketball game at Calvin last winter.

A native of Muskegon and graduate of Mona Shores High School, Amidon worked for two years in Calvin’s sports information office as a student assistant, writing recaps of Calvin sporting events and related features. He also was a play-by-play announcer on Calvin’s Internet broadcasts, covering soccer, volleyball, basketball and baseball, and also conducted audio interviews of student-athletes and coaches for the school’s sports information Web site.

Amidon also worked for two years as co-sports editor of Chimes, Calvin’s student newspaper. He has served several internships, including two years as a sports correspondent for the Grand Haven Tribune, public affairs and investigative reporting internships at WBBM-TV (CBS-2) in Chicago and a sports writing internship at The Daily Southtown in Tinley Park, Ill.

Amidon has enrolled in the graduate program at Michigan State University’s Department of Communication, starting this fall, and will be working part-time in MSU’s Department of Athletic Communications during that his graduate study.

Bruce Van Baren

A native of Crete, Ill., and graduate of Illiana Christian High School, Bruce Van Baren graduated from Calvin in May with a degree in business communications. He is being honored by the MIAA for the second consecutive year. Last year, Van Baren received the Hartman Writing Award for a story he wrote on the comeback from illness of Calvin men’s soccer player Michael Holwerda.

During his three years in Calvin’s sports information department, Van Baren produced game stories, features and columns for Calvin’s Web site, broadcast sporting events on the Internet, and recorded podcasts featuring interviews of Calvin student-athletes and coaches.

As a sophomore, Van Baren called play-by-play during Calvin’s run in the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament for Grand Rapids radio station WFUR-FM, and then followed the Knights’ women’s basketball team later that season in the sectional round of the NCAA tournament. He has filled in on play-by-play duties for Calvin men’s basketball road games the last two seasons on WFUR.

In addition, Van Baren provided broadcast coverage and photos of Calvin competing in the NCAA Division III men’s and women’s cross country championships last fall.

A dean's list student at Calvin, VanBaren served as the co-sports editor and world news editor of the school's student newspaper, Chimes, and served internships at WMVP-AM in Chicago, WOOD Radio in Grand Rapids and for the nationally-syndicated Michael Reagan Talk Show, based in Washington D.C. He also hosted a television program, “Beyond the Game,” that was produced by Calvin students.

Van Baren has enrolled in law school at Loyola University in Chicago, starting this fall.

The awards honor two sports information directors who have given many years of service to the MIAA - Robin Hartman of Albion College and Tom Renner of Hope College. The Hartman Award honors outstanding writing in a sports information capacity, either by a sports information director or assistant, while the Renner Award honors outstanding efforts by student assistants in sports information offices at MIAA schools.

Click here to read Chaz Amidon's winning entry for the Hartman Award.

Here are links to other entries for the Hartman Award:
Chaz Amidon (Calvin) feature on Marcia Harris
Bruce Van Baren (Calvin) feature on Caleb Veldhouse
Bruce Van Baren (Calvin) feature on Mike Zwier
Jeff Febus (Calvin) story on Calvin track performance at NCAA national meet
Chaz Amidon (Calvin) feature on Trent Salo
Sarah Miesle (Saint Mary's) feature on Laura Halper
Geoff Henson (Olivet) feature on wrestling standouts Jason Brew and Kyle Vanderhyde
Geoff Henson (Olivet) feature on Comets' men's and women's MIAA golf titles
Dean Jackson (Trine) feature on football alum Otto Shragal
Dean Jackson (Trine) story on Thunder's wrestling victory over Olivet

MIAA Announces 2008-09 Deal, Kovalchik Awards

Awards by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association to the outstanding senior athletes from its member schools during the 2008-09 academic year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Jed Christiansen of Calvin College has received the Albert H. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award, while Nora Kuiper of Hope College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award.

"Jed and Nora have had marvelous careers these last four years in the classroom, on the track, and as role models in our conference. They will be missed, but their selection for these awards from such an exceptional group of nominees is an achievement for which they should take great pride," Commissioner Neilson said.

Jed Christiansen

A resident of New Ipswich, N.H., and graduate of Greenville (Pa.) High School. Christiansen was an eight-time All-MIAA selection during his career at Calvin, earning all-conference honors in both cross country and track and field all four years.

In cross country, Christiansen helped the Knights to four consecutive MIAA championships, earning Most Valuable Runner honors in his senior year. He also earned All-American honors all four years for Calvin, becoming just the 14th runner in NCAA Division III history to accomplish that feat, and played a key role as Calvin won the national championship in 2006. He finished fifth in the 2006 NCAA national meet and sixth in the 2008 national championships. He was twice named Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year by the Cross Country Coaches Association, in 2007 and 2008. He served as team captain in both his junior and senior years.

In track and field, Christiansen was a four-time MIAA champion, winning the 5,000 meters in 2006, 2007 and 2009, and the 1,500 meters in 2009 as Calvin extended its run of consecutive MIAA titles to 23. He earned All-American honors three times, finishing fifth in the 10,000 meters in 2008, and fourth in the 10,000 meters and eighth in the 5,000 meters in 2009. In addition, Christiansen earned All-American honors in indoor track and field in 2009, finishing third in the 5,000 meters. He was captain for Calvin’s men’s track team this past spring.
A major in secondary education and physical education with a 3.55 grade point average, Christiansen will graduate from Calvin in May 2010 after completing his student teaching. He was a member of the Cross Country Coaches All-Academic Team in 2006, 2007 and 2008, and of the U.S. Track Coaches Association All-Academic Team in 2008. Jed was also named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll for the 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years.

Christiansen was a student mentor leader at Calvin for four years, served as student chairperson for the Area 11 Michigan Special Olympics, and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Raybrook Retirement Home in Grand Rapids, Christ Community Church, and the Greenville (Pa.) Nursing Home. He served on Calvin’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for two years and last fall contributed to an NCAA student-athlete blog.

Jed Christiansen is the son of Joshua and Marcia Christiansen.

Other nominees for the Deal Award were Todd Meyers of Adrian, Ryan Gunderson of Albion, William “Buddy” Scarborough of Alma, Jesse Reimink of Hope, Bobby Dekker of Kalamazoo and Mark VanLente of Olivet.

Nora Kuiper

A graduate of Parchment High School, Kuiper earned All-MIAA honors in track and field all four years at Hope. She was an eight-time MIAA champion, winning the 100-meter dash all four years for the Flying Dutch. She also won the 200 meters in 2008 and 2009, and was part of Hope’s winning 4x100-meter relay teams in 2008 and 2009. She set the MIAA record in the 100 meters in 2008 with a time of 12.13 seconds, then broke that mark in 2009 with a time of 12.10 seconds.
Kuiper was named the MIAA’s most valuable runner in 2009, and was also named the recipient of the Jack Schouten Award, given to Hope’s outstanding senior female student-athlete, in 2009.

Kuiper earned All-American honors three times during her career. She finished fifth in the 100 meters at the NCAA Division III national meet in 2008, then won the 100 meters in 2009 with a time of 11.84 seconds, the best time in the nation on the season. In the process, she became the first Hope female track athlete in school history to win a national championship. Kuiper also finished second in the 200 meters in 2009.

A chemistry major, Kuiper graduated from Hope in May with a grade point average of 3.93. She received numerous academic honors, including Phi Beta Kappa recognition and being named general chemistry student of the year and recipient of the Kleinheksel Award in Mathematics at Hope. She was named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll four consecutive years, and also was named

Kuiper was a teaching assistant in Hope’s chemistry department for three years, served on Hope’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for two years and was a member of Omnicron Delta Kappa, a leadership society. She also gave a presentation at an American Chemistry Society conference on utilizing fluorescent spectroscopy in DNA protein-building.

In addition, Kuiper was a group Bible study leader, tutored at-risk elementary students in Hope’s Children’s After School Achievement (CASA) program, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and participated in a mission trip to Mozambique. She plans to spend a year in Mozambique working on a project to improve water supplies.

Nora Kuiper is the daughter of Scott and Ann Kuiper.

Other nominees for the Kovalchik Award were Krissy Sheets of Adrian, Dorinda Williams of Albion, Erica Deur of Calvin, Katie Stefl of Kalamazoo, Lindsay Pipkin of Olivet, Caitlin Brodmerkel of Saint Mary’s and Sallie Richardson of Trine.

Final 2008-09 Commissioner's Cup Standings

Overall Standings: 1. Hope 208. 2. Calvin 197. 3. Albion 138. 4. Adrian 109. 5. Olivet 104. 6. Alma 97. 7. Trine 94. 8. Kalamazoo 91.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 94. 2. Calvin 93. 3. Albion 66. 4. Adrian 58. 5. Olivet 54. 6. Trine 50. 7. Kalamazoo 42. 8. Alma 31.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 114. 2. Calvin 104. 3. Saint Mary’s 74. 4. Albion 72. 5. Alma 66. 6. Adrian 51. 7. Olivet 50. 8. Kalamazoo 49. 9. Trine 44.

The Commissioner's Cup is presented to the MIAA member with the best cumulative finishes in the 18 men's and women's sports sponsored by America's oldest collegiate conference. It marks the ninth consecutive year that Hope has won or shared the honor and the 24th time since 1980. A year ago Hope and Calvin shared the Commissioner's Cup, a first in the 71-year history of the award.

The Commissioner's Cup has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 31 times, followed by Albion with 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9 and Alma 5.

Commissioner's Cup Standings
Through Fall 2008 Sports Season

Overall Standings: 1. Hope 98. 2. Calvin 80. 3. Albion 67. 4. Adrian 53. 5. Trine 49. 6. Olivet 47. 7. Alma 36. 7. Kalamazoo 36.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 44. 2. Trine 36. 3. Calvin 34. 4. Albion 33. 5. Adrian 29. 6. Olivet 25. 7. Alma 12. 8. Kalamazoo 11.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 54. 2. Calvin 46. 3. Saint Mary’s 36. 4. Albion 34. 5. Kalamazoo 25. 6. Adrian 24. 6. Alma 24. 8. Olivet 22. 9. Trine 13.

The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women. The final Commissioner’s Cup standings is determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. All eight fall sports are tabulated in this tabulation. Calvin and Hope tied for first place in the 2007-08 Commissioner’s Cup standings.

Calvin favored for MIAA men's title, Hope women picked to repeat

Calvin College has been installed as the preseason favorite to win the 2008-09 MIAA men’s basketball title, while defending champion Hope College is the preseason pick of coaches to win the MIAA women’s basketball crown.

According to the preseason coaches’ poll, the Knights, who finished third in the MIAA a year ago and reached the championship game of the league tournament, narrowly edged defending champion Hope. Calvin picked up five first-place votes to three for the Flying Dutchmen, who graduated four starters from a team that finished third in last year’s NCAA Division III tournament.

In the women’s poll, Hope picked up six of the nine first-place votes, while runnerup Calvin received 2 ½ first place votes. The Flying Dutch, who graduated four starters from a team that won 30 consecutive games and reached the Elite Eight of last year’s NCAA tournament, are seeking their fourth MIAA title in five years.

2008-09 MIAA Men's Basketball Preseason Poll:
1. Calvin 10 (5). 2. Hope 11 (3). 3. Albion 20. 4. Olivet 29. 5. Adrian 30. 6. Trine 32. 7. Kalamazoo 45. 8. Alma 47.

2008-09 MIAA Women’s Basketball Preseason Poll:
1. Hope 11 (6). 2. Calvin 14.5 (2.5). 3. Albion 21.5 (0.5). 4. Saint Mary’s 31. 5. Adrian 34. 6. Olivet 46. 7. Alma 53. 7. Trine 53. 9. Kalamazoo 60.

Hope picked to win MIAA football title

Defending MIAA co-champion Hope College has been installed as the preseason favorite to win the 2008 league football championship. Despite losing 15 starters to graduation, including nine on offense, a poll of coaches and media gave the Flying Dutchmen a slight nod over Adrian and Olivet, who shared last year’s championship with Hope and made its first appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Coaches and media had differing views on the season. Olivet was the favorite among coaches, picking up four of seven first-place votes, while Adrian, which picked up the other three first-place votes, was the second choice. Among media, Hope was the favorite, even though it only picked up two of eight first-place votes. Adrian, which was picked second, had four first-place votes and Olivet, which was chosen third had two first-place votes.

Poll Results (first-place votes in parenthesis):
1. Hope (2) 27 pts, 2. Adrian (7) 33, 3. Olivet (6) 34, 4. Alma 56, 5. Trine 64, 6. Albion 67, 7. Kalamazoo 100.

The nation's oldest collegiate athletic conference, the MIAA begins its 111th season of competition Sept. 6, with league play to begin Oct. 4.

New Hartman and Renner Awards Announced

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the winners of two newly-established awards honoring outstanding publicity efforts by its member schools - the Hartman Writing Award and the Renner Associate SID Award.

The first recipients of the new awards both come from Calvin College. Bruce Van Baren, a student assistant in the Calvin sports information department, was named the winner of the Hartman Award, while Annalise VenHuizen, also a student assistant at Calvin, was named the recipient of the Renner Award.

Hartman Writing Award

Bruce VanBaren, who will be a senior at Calvin this fall, was honored for a story he wrote on the comeback of Michael Holwerda, a member of the Knights' men's soccer team who overcame a serious medical problem to earn All-MIAA honors last season. continue

A native of Crete, Ill., VanBaren has worked for two years as a student assistant in the Calvin sports information department. A graduate of Illiana Christian High School in Lansing, Ill., VanBaren produces game stories, feature stories and columns. A business communications major, he also serves as a broadcaster on Internet broadcasts of Calvin sports events.

A dean's list student at Calvin, VanBaren has also served as the co-sports editor of the school's student newspaper, Chimes, and has served internships at WMVP-AM in Chicago and WOOD Radio in Grand Rapids. This summer, he served as an intern for the nationally-syndicated Michael Reagan Talk Show, based in Washington D.C.

Renner Associate SID Award

A May graduate of Calvin with a degree in English, Annalise VenHuizen worked in the school's sports information office all four years she attended. She started as a writer and became involved in producing game day programs. Soon, she picked up photography and took photos of numerous Calvin athletic events and athletes, highlighted by her photography at this year's NCAA Division III track and field championships.

VenHuizen also worked as a game day statistician for men's and women's basketball and updated the Calvin sports Web page with game stories, statistics and photos. Earlier this year, she was selected to serve as a chaperone for visiting writers at Calvin's Festival of Faith and Writing.

A native of Lansing, Ill., and also a graduate of Illiana Christian High School, VenHuizen has accepted a teaching position at Grand River Preparatory Academy in Kentwood, Mich.

The new awards honor two sports information directors who have given many years of service to the MIAA - Robin Hartman of Albion College and Tom Renner of Hope College. The Hartman Award honors outstanding writing in a sports information capacity, either by a sports information director or assistant, while the Renner Award honors outstanding efforts by student assistants in sports information offices at MIAA schools.

Here are links to other entries for the Hartman Award:
By Colin McWhertor, Calvin College student assistant
By Bobby Lee, Albion College Sports Information Director
By Geoff Henson, Olivet College Sports Information Director
By Geoff Henson, Olivet College Sports Information Director
By Sarah Miesle, Adrian College
From Calvin College
From Kalamazoo College
From Kalamazoo College

Recipients of Kovalchik and Deal Awards Announced

Awards by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association to the outstanding senior athletes from its member schools during the 2007-08 academic year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Sarah Wittingen of Calvin College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award, while Dustin Meisner of Olivet College has received the Albert H. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award.

"Dustin and Sarah have had marvelous careers these last four years in the classroom, on the track and in the pool, and as role models in our conference. They will be missed, but their selection for these awards from such an exceptional group of nominees is an achievement for which they should take great pride," Commissioner Neilson said.

Sarah Wittingen
A graduate of East Grand Rapids High School, Wittingen was an All-MIAA selection in track all four years at Calvin, leading the Knights to four straight conference championships. She was a 12-time league champion, winning the 400-meter hurdles in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and the 100-meter hurdles in 2006 and 2007. A team captain her junior and senior years, she was also part of Calvin's winning team in the 4x400-meter relay four consecutive years and the 4x100-meter relay team in 2005, 2006 and 2007. She holds the school record in both the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles, as well as the MIAA record in the 100 hurdles (:14.28) and 400 hurdles (1:01.37), and is part of another league record in the 4x400 relay (3:48.58). Wittingen was named the MIAA's most valuable runner three consecutive years, from 2006-08.

At the national level, Wittingen was a 10-time All-American, capping off her career this year by winning the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division III national championships in Oshkosh, Wis., in a school-record time of :59.39. She also finished seventh in the 100-meter hurdles and ran the leadoff leg for Calvin's 4x400 relay team, which finished fifth in the nation. Wittingen has earned All-American honors in the 400-meter hurdles in 2006-08, the 100-meter hurdles in 2007-08, the 4x400-meter relay all four years and the 4x100 relay in 2007. Sarah was named the Great Lakes Region Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 2007 and 2008.

An accounting major, Wittingen graduated from Calvin in May with a 3.96 grade point average. She was a member of the Calvin orchestra for three years, the Gioioso String Quartet for four years, and played the cello at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans and at local church services. Additionally, she served as an English as a Second Language tutor for foreign students.

Wittingen was selected to the Academic All-MIAA Team in 2005-07, a member of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team from 2005-07, and was named to the ESPN the Magazine College Division Academic All-America team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America in 2007 (second team). Sarah Wittingen is the daughter of Rosemary Fiedler and Terry Wittingen.

Other candidates for the Kovalchik award were Sara Morningstar of Adrian, Shauna Paradine of Albion, Melissa Morcom of Alma, Lindsay Lange of Hope, Laura Winkler of Kalamazoo, Shanna Fisher of Olivet, Allison Kessler of Saint Mary's and Amanda Steiner of Tri-State.

Dustin Meisner
A native of Temperance, Mich., and graduate of Erie-Mason High School, Meisner was a four-time All-MIAA selection in men's swimming at Olivet. He won the 200-yard breaststroke three times during his career (2005, 2006 and 2007) and finished runnerup in the 100-yard breaststroke four times, leading the Comets to conference championships in 2006 and 2007. Meisner also competed in three NCAA Division III national championships, earning honorable mention All-American honors in 2005 and 2007.

Dustin holds the Olivet school record in the 100-yard breaststroke (:57.19) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:04.61), and also swam the breaststroke leg on two school record-setting relay teams - the 200 individual medley (1:34.09) and 400 individual medley (3:26.46) relays.

Meisner, a double major in visual arts and biology, graduated summa cum laude from Olivet in May with a 4.0 grade point average. He received the college's Donald A. Morris award, given each year to the top graduating students with the highest GPA. On campus, he was a member of the Art Alliance, Omnicron Delta Kappa (a professional academic honor society), Hosford Society and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He also participated in Olivet's Service Day activities all four years in school.

Meisner was a three-time selection to the ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-America team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the first student-athlete in Olivet's history to achieve that honor. He was a third-team selection in 2006 and a first-team selection in 2007 and 2008. Dustin Meisner is the son of Dan and Alison Meisner.

Other candidates for the Deal award were Chris Elsey of Adrian, John Fileccia of Albion, Alex Catlin of Alma, Ricky Tilton of Calvin, Tommy Yamaoka of Hope, Mike Benson of Kalamazoo and Matt Eby of Tri-State.

Greg Chandler is Appointed MIAA Publicist

The appointment of Greg Chandler as publicist/statistician of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Chandler succeeds Tom Renner who is concluding his service to the conference as publicist/statistician after 42 years in that capacity. Chandler will begin on July 1.

Neilson further announced that Renner, who is associate vice president for public and community relations at member institution Hope College, will continue to serve the conference as MIAA historian. He will be responsible for the MIAA’s archives and will take the lead in preparing the MIAA for its celebration as American’s oldest collegiate conference in 2011-12.

“Tom’s contributions to the student athletes of the MIAA over the last 42 years have been immeasurable and I’m pleased that Tom has agreed to continue in a new role for a while longer. Tom’s strong working relationship with our new MIAA publicist, Greg Chandler, plus the depth of experience among our fellow MIAA SIDs, will be helpful to Greg as he steps into the role Tom has performed so well."

A native of Detroit, Chandler has worked in the print and broadcast media for more than 20 years. He has been a freelance news correspondent with the Grand Rapids Press since 1998, and also contributes to various other publications. He has broadcast college and high school football and basketball games and professional basketball games on WHTC-AM in Holland.

Prior to joining the Press, Chandler was sports editor at the Holland Sentinel from 1996-1998, and was news director at WHTC from 1988-1996. He has also worked at the former WMAX-AM in Grand Rapids and WMUB-FM in Oxford, Ohio. Chandler also has been a Great Lakes regional reporter for two Web sites devoted to NCAA Division III sports, d3football.com and d3hoops.com.

Chandler, 44, holds a bachelor's degree in broadcast and cinematic arts from Central Michigan University, a master of science degree in mass communication from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a master of business administration degree from Grand Valley State University. Chandler lives in Holland with his wife, Leanne, and daughters, Lindsay and Megan.

07-08 Commissioner's Cup Standings End in Tie Between Calvin, Hope

For the first time in the eight-decade-long history of the MIAA Commissioner's Cup (All-Sports) standings, there is a tie for first place. Calvin and Hope each accumulated 202 points in the compilation. The MIAA Commissioner’s Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women.

The Commissioner's Cup (MIAA All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. The standings have been based on men's and women's sports standings since 1981-82. The closest finish before this tie occurred in 1999-2000 when Calvin edged Hope edged Hope 178-176. Hope won the Commissioner’s Cup the next seven years (2000-01 thru 2006-07).

This year's "race" came down to the final MIAA athletic of the school year. By winnning its final baseball game, Calvin clinched the MIAA championship and garnered enough all-sports points to cause the tie.

Commissioner's Cup Standings:1. Calvin 202. 1. Hope 202, 3. Albion 153, 4. Olivet 110, 5. Alma 103, 6. Tri-State 102, 7. Adrian 89, 8. Kalamazoo 79

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 97, 2. Calvin 90, 3. Albion 68, 4. Olivet 60, 5. Tri-State 51, 6. Alma 45, 7. Kalamazoo 42, 8. Adrian 36.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 112, 2. Hope 105, 3. Albion 85, 4. Saint Mary’s 75, 5. Alma 58, 6. Adrian 53, 7. Tri-State 51, 8. Olivet 50, 9. Kalamazoo 37.

The final Commissioner’s Cup standings are determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women.

Hope has won the award 30 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 9 and Alma 5.

MIAA Commissioner's Cup Standings thru 2007-08 Winter Season

Posted February 27

Commissioner’s Cup Standings: 1. Hope 134, 2. Calvin 126, 3. Albion 99, 4. Olivet 85, 5. Kalamazoo 62, 6. Tri-State 61, 7. Alma 56, 8. Adrian 51.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 67, 2. Calvin 50, 3. Olivet 48, 4. Albion 44, 5. Tri-State 35, 6. Alma 30, 7. Kalamazoo 27, 8. Adrian 18.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 76, 2. Hope 67, 3. Albion 55, 4. Saint Mary's 48, 5. Olivet 37, 6. Kalamazoo 35, 7. Adrian 33, 8. Alma 26, 8. Tri-State 26.

The MIAA Commissioner's Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women. The final All-Sports standings will be determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. The standings after the winter season are based on 10 of 12 sports played to date (five for men and five for women).

Commissioner Emeritus Albert Deal Dies at Age 93

Albert L. Deal, Commissioner Emeritus of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), died on Thursday, Feb. 14, in Grand Haven, Mich. following a lingering illness. Mr. Deal was 93.

"This is, of course, a very sad day for the MIAA and our member schools," said current commissioner David Neilson. "Al Deal was a giant in the history of the MIAA, serving at a time of great transition in collegiate athletics. We extend our deepest sympathies to the entire Deal family."

Mr. Deal served as commissioner of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association from 1971-91. He guided the MIAA through a historic period in which the MIAA became one of the first collegiate conferences in America to have a combined governance structure for men's and women's sports. His efforts also increased the MIAA's stature among NCAA Division III conferences. Even in retirement, he and his wife, Connie, frequently attended conference events at the member campuses.

He received an A.B. degree from Kalamazoo College and the M.A. degree in school administration from the University of Michigan.

In 2003 the MIAA established the Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award, which is presented annually to the top graduating male scholar-athlete in the league.

In a distinguished career spanning 40 years in Michigan public education, he served four school districts as superintendent, including the Kent County Intermediate School District. He served as president of the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) and was active in the Michigan Association of School Administrators. In 1988 he was inducted into the Michigan Education Hall of Fame.

He received the Michigan Sport Sages' Humanitarian Award in 1991 and was voted into the Kalamazoo College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 . In 1999 his alma mater presented him the Distinguished Service Award. He was the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Olivet College.

He was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Naval Armed Guard in WW II, during which he saw duty in both the Atlantic and Pacific war operations.

He is survived by his wife Connie, three daughters: Ann M. VandenBerg, Emily J. Dood and Martha E. Butler; four stepsons: Richmond H. (Cindy) Jones, Douglas H. Jones, Dr. Donald H. (Maryvic Cuison) Jones, all of Spring Lake, and Craig H. (Lisa) Jones of Vero Beach, FL; and several loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be Sunday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church in Grand Haven, Mich. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Vanzantwick Bartels and Kammeraad Funeral Homes, 213 East Savidge St., Spring Lake, Mich. Memorial gifts are suggested to St. John's Episcopal Church.

MIAA Commissioner's Cup Standings thru 2007 Fall Season

Commissioner’s Cup Standings: 1. Hope 96, 2. Calvin 86, 3. Albion 67, 4. Olivet 51, 4. Tri-State 51, 6. Alma 46, 7. Adrian 39, 7. Kalamazoo 39.

Men’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 49, 2. Calvin 32, 3. Olivet 31, 4. Albion 30, 5. Tri-State 27, 6. Alma 26, 7. Kalamazoo 16, 8. Adrian 13.

Women’s All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 54, 2. Hope 47, 3. Albion 37, 3. Saint Mary’s 37, 5. Adrian 26, 6. Tri-State 24, 7. Kalamazoo 23, 8. Alma 20, 8. Olivet 20.

The MIAA Commissioner's Cup award is based on the cumulative performance of each member school in the league's 18 sports for men and women. The final All-Sports standings will be determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. The standings after the fall season are based on all eight sports played to date (four for men and four for women). As a single sport member (football), Wisconsin Lutheran was not computed into the all-sports standings.

Men's Basketball Coaches Pre-Season Poll
1. Hope (5) 10, 2. Calvin (3) 11, 3. Tri-State 23, 4. Albion 25, 5. Adrian 26, 6. Kalamazoo 38, 7. Olivet 42, 8. Alma 49.

Women's Basketball Coaches Pre-Season Poll
1. Hope (6) 10, 2. Calvin (3) 15, 3. Albion 23, 4. Saint Mary's 26, 5. Adrian 41, 6. Alma 45, 7. Tri State 52 , 8. Olivet 53, 9. Kalamazoo 59.

MIAA Athletes Have Unique International Experience

Posted September, 2007
Several member colleges of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association were hosts in recent days to members of the ASA Tel-Aviv women's soccer team, six of whom play on the Israeli national women's team, as part of a cultural exchange that included athletic-centered interactions. The visit was coordinated through the Academic Sports Association (ASA) in cooperation with the American Isreali Friendship League and the MIAA.

"This event proved to be a very successful time both from a competitive interaction and equally from a cultural exchange perspective," said MIAA Commissioner David Neilson. "Both our MIAA student-athletes and those from Isreal had plenty of opportunity to compete and interact both on and off the field. It was a special week."

Participating MIAA colleges included Albion, Alma, Calvin, Kalamazoo, Olivet and Tri-State.

Visit Albion College websites -- #1

/ #2
Visit Alma College website
Visit Calvin College website
Visit Olivet College website

Tri-State Closer to Full NCAA Membership

Posted August 6, 2007
The NCAA Division III Management Council has recommended that Tri-State University become a full member of the NCAA effective September 1st. The Thunder will be ending three years of provisional membership. Tri-State has been eligible for MIAA championships since the 2004-05 school year. Beginning in 2007-08, Tri-State will be eligible for all NCAA Division III championships.

MIAA Hosts First SAAC Retreat

Posted August 6, 2007
Student-athletes from the MIAA member colleges participated in the conference's first-ever Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) retreat the weekend of August 4-5 at Mackinac Island.

The retreat was organized as part of a league-effort to enhance student-athlete leadership and heighten institutional commitment to student-led initiatives on the various MIAA campuses. The Student Athletic Advisory Committee is part of the MIAA's governance system. The retreat was supported by the National College Athletic Association (NCAA).

The group of 40 students and advisors heard from league officials on topics such as the history of the nation's oldest collegiate conference and the philosophy of Division III athletics. They were also brought up-to-date on issues facing NCAA Division III.

Each school's representatives shared how they have sought to involve their campus communities through activities, service projects and educational initiatives such as sportsmanship, substance abuse and gambling. They also shared their plans for the upcoming school year.

"As this was our first retreat, I was very pleased by both the group that attended, and the energy and commitment they brought to our discussions and activities," said Commissioner David Neilson. "We expect to see some very positive outcomes as a result of our efforts. We are blessed to have outstanding student-athletes on our MIAA campuses."

Hope Favored in Pre-Season Football Poll

Posted August 3, 2007
Defending MIAA football champion Hope is the pre-season favorite of the league's coaches and the media. The Flying Dutchmen were the unanimous pick of the coaches and received 12-of-13 votes from the media during the 38th annual Media Day hosted by Albion College.

Poll Results: 1. Hope (19) 21 pts., 2. Adrian (1) 59, 3. Olivet 65, 4. Albion (1) 70, 5. Alma 85, 6. Tri-State 119, 7. Kalamazoo 121, 8. Wisconsin Lutheran 152.

The oldest collegiate conference in America, the MIAA will mark its 110th football season in 2007. After a month of conference play, the conference schedule will begin on Saturday, Sept. 29.

Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athletes Named

Posted June 13, 2007

Awards by the MIAA to the outstanding senior athletes from its member schools during the 2006-07 school year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Lisa Winkle of Calvin College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award while Josh Brehm of Alma College has received the Albert H. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award.

“The selection committees have chosen two exceptional scholar-athletes from an outstanding group of candidates,” said Commissioner Neilson.

The awards recognize senior class athletes who have excelled in academics and athletics and displayed outstanding leadership qualities. The awards honor two former MIAA commissioners, Albert Deal (1971-91) and Sheila Wallace Kovalchik (1991-2002).

This year’s awards recognize two students who excelled on a national level as well as in the MIAA. Each was named the national Division III player of the year in their sport, Winkle in basketball and Brehm in football.

A graduate of Grand Rapids South Christian High School, Winkle was a standout two-sport athlete, basketball and in track and field. In basketball, she finished her career as Calvin’s all-time leading scorer (1,722 points) and rebounder (1,034 rebounds). The only four-time first team All-MIAA selection in MIAA women’s basketball history, Winkle was a two-time MIAA MVP and was named a Kodak All-American as a senior. She also led the team to a pair of MIAA titles, three trips to the NCAA III tournament and two visits to the national quarterfinals. She was twice named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American and as a senior was presented the prestigious Jostens Trophy, an award that honors basketball and academic excellence as well as service in the community.

In track and field, she was a three-time All-MIAA selection, including a three-time league champion in the long jump. She was a part of four MIAA championship teams as well as three national runner-up squads. She finished her track and field career as a 10-time NCAA III All-American. Winkle was graduated from Calvin with a degree in secondary education and mathematics while carrying a 3.96 grade point average. This was recently named the 2006 Michigan Female College Athlete of the Year by the Detroit Athletic Club.

Hailing from Ithaca, Mich., Brehm led NCAA Division III football in three categories: total offense (4,084), passing yards (3,448) and passing yards per game (344.8). The MIAA’s 2006 most valuable offensive player, he set an NCAA record with 288 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, and set the NCAA Division III record with 10 consecutive games of 300 yards of total offense or more. He participated in the East Coast Bowl completing 20 of 28 passing for 240 yards, one touchdown and added another on the ground.

Brehm is the holder of 15 school records including passing yards (10,706), pass completions (919) and touchdown passes (85). A two-time All-MIAA first team selection, he collected 12,247 career yards of total offense and was honored as the MIAA offensive player of the week seven times over his career.

Brehm was the 2006 recipient of the Gagliardi Trophy, awarded annually to the best player in Division III football for excellence in academics, athletics and community service.

In addition to his expertise and agility on the football field, Brehm, a double major in business and psychology, had a 3.78 GPA. He had three consecutive semesters with a 4.0 GPA and has been awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. This past year, he was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America second team. An active member of Alma’s Students in Free Enterprise, Brehm dedicated countless hours of service in area schools. His many activities at Alma College included spearheading a fundraising effort in memory of Joe Nelson, a fellow football player, who tragically died in a car accident.

Other candidates for the Kovalchik award were Abby Sikora of Adrian, Emily Stocker of Albion, Kelsey Krull of Alma, Lisa Smith of Hope, Elizabeth Garlow of Kalamazoo, Stephanie Smith of Olivet, Anne Cusack of Saint Mary’s and Rainbow Bednarski of Tri-State.

Other candidates for the Deal award were Ryan Sulek of Adrian, Jason Bowman of Albion, Tim Finnegan of Calvin, Ryan TerLouw of Hope, Chris Werme of Kalamazoo, Ananta Fetters of Olivet, and Adam Garvin of Tri-State.

Hope Wins 06-07 Commissioner's Cup

Posted May 14, 2007
Hope College has won the 2006-07 MIAA Commissioner's Cup. The women's All-Sports Award was won by Calvin College and the men's All-Sports Award received the Men's All-Sports Award.

Commissioner's Cup Standings: 1. Hope 216, 2. Calvin 197, 3. Albion 152, 4. Olivet 116, 5. Alma 102, 6. Kalamazoo 101, 6. Tri-State 101, 8. Adrian 77.

Men's All-Sports Award Standings: 1. Hope 108, 2. Calvin 86, 3. Albion 73, 4. Olivet 54, 4. Tri-State 54, 6. Kalamazoo 46, 7. Alma 42, 8. Adrian 41.

Women's All-Sports Award Standings: 1. Calvin 111, 2. Hope 108, 3. Albion 79, 4. Saint Mary's 74, 5. Olivet 62, 6. Alma 60, 7. Kalamazoo 55, 8. Tri-State 47, 9. Adrian. 36.

The MIAA presents separate awards for the best cumulative finish in men's and women's sports as well as an award for the best cumulative finish in all league sports (men and women). The separate awards are known as the Men's All-Sports Award and the Women's All-Sports Award while the cumulative award is known as the Commissioners' Cup.

The final standings for the all-sports awards are determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. These point-totals are added together to determine the winner of the Commissioners' Cup. As a single sport member (football), Wisconsin Lutheran is not computed into the all-sports standings.

The Commissioner's Cup (MIAA All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 29 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 8 and Alma 5.

All-Sports Standings After Winter Sports

Posted February 24, 2007
Hope tops the Commissioner's Cup standings after the winter sports season. Winter sports champions were: men's basketball, Hope; women's basketball, Calvin; men's swimming and diving, Olivet; women's swimming and diving, Calvin. Fall sports champions were: men's and women's cross country, Calvin; men's soccer, Hope; women's soccer, Calvin; football, Hope; volleyball, Calvin; women's golf, Olivet and men's golf, Hope.

Commissioner's Cup Standings thru Winter 1. Hope 138, 2. Calvin 130, 3. Albion 92, 4. Olivet 84, 5. Kalamazoo, 6. Tri-State 61, 7. Alma 56, 8. Adrian 49.

Men's All-Sports Standings thru Winter: 1. Hope 68, 2. Calvin 50, 3. Olivet 44, 4. Albion 41, 5. Tri-SDtate 37, 6. Kalamazoo 30, 7. Alma 25, 8. Adrian 23.

Women's All-Sports Standings thru Winter: 1. Calvin 80, 2. Hope 70, 3. Albion 51, 4. Saint Mary's 49, 5. Kalamazoo 40, 5. Olivet 40, 7. Alma 31, 8. Adrian 26, 9. Tri-State 24.

The MIAA presents separate awards for the best cumulative finish in men's and women's sports as well as an award for the best cumulative finish in all league sports (men and women). The separate awards are known as the Men's All-Sports Award and the Women's All-Sports Award while the cumulative award is known as the Commissioners' Cup.
The final standings for the all-sports awards will determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. These point-totals will be added together to determine the winner of the Commissioners' Cup.
The standings after the winter season are based on five of six sports for men and five of six for women.
As a single sport member, Wisconsin Lutheran is not computed into the all-sports standings.
The Commissioner's Cup (MIAA All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 28 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 8 and Alma 5.
In 2005/2006, Hope won the Commissioner's Cup and both the Men's and Women's All-Sports Awards.

2006-07 Pre-Season Women's Basketball Poll

1. Hope 9 (7), 2. Calvin 14 (2), 3. Olivet 25, 4. Albion 28,
5. St. Mary's 40, 6. Adrian 47, 7. Alma 49, 8. Tri-State 54, 9. Kalamazoo 58.
First place votes in parentheses

2006-07 Pre-Season Men's Basketball Poll

1. Calvin 10 (4), 2. Hope 11 (3), 3. Albion 19 (1), 4. Tri-State 28, 5. Olivet 34, 6. Kalamazoo 38, 7. Adrian 41, 8. Alma 43.
First place votes in parentheses

MIAA Takes Measures to Protect Athletes

Posted January 15, 2007
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) member schools have implemented a program designed to lessen the risk of the transmission of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) among its athletes.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other SSTIs are being recognized and transferred with increasing frequency in community settings. If left untreated, MRSA can cause significant disability or even death.

The MIAA has provided its member schools with CleenFreek® anti-microbial towels for use during athletic contests and other “shared” towel situations. The towels are treated to eliminate the transfer of bacteria from one athlete to another in a “shared” towel situation.

The MIAA member institutions are Adrian, Albion, Alma, Calvin, Hope, Kalamazoo, Olivet, Saint Mary’s and Tri-State.

The league-wide action, approved by the MIAA Board of Control, was in response to concerns by the sports medicine staffs at member colleges. It was noted that athletes might be put at risk of serious infectious disease by “shared” bench towel environments.

“The conference felt appropriate education prevention measures, including the introduction of a conference-sponsored purchase program of anti-microbial towels, was warranted,” said Commissioner David Neilson.

The MIAA is believed to be the first collegiate conference in the nation to provide the anti-microbial towels to its member institutions. The towels are distinctively green, matching one of the conference’s logo colors.

The MIAA has also adopted a policy aimed at helping its member colleges implement practices that reduce the risk of skin and soft tissue infections for its student/athletes at all conference competitions. The policy was prepared using the recommended practice guidelines of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and National Athletc Trainer’s Association (NATA.) Dr. Kirk Brumels, head athletic trainer at Hope College, chaired a sub-committee that developed the policy and action plan.

06-07 All-Sports Standings Through Fall

Posted December 7, 2006
Hope tops the Commissioner's Cup standings after the fall sports season. Fall sports champions were: men's and women's cross country, Calvin; men's soccer, Hope; women's soccer, Calvin; football, Hope; volleyball, Calvin; women's golf, Olivet and men's golf, Hope.

Commissioner's Cup Standings: 1. Hope 102, 2. Calvin 80, 3. Albion 68, 4. Olivet 48, 5. Tri-State 47, 6. Alma 45, 6. Kalamazoo, 8. Adrian 40

Men's All-Sports Standings: 1. Hope 54, 2. Albion 32, 3. Calvin 30, 4. Olivet 27, 4. Olivet 27, 6. Alma 21, 7. Kalamazoo 17, 8. Adrian 16

Women's All-Sports Standings: 1. Calvin 50, 2. Hope 48, 3. Saint Mary's 37, 4. Albion 36, 5. Kalamazoo 28, 6. Adrian 24, 6. Alma 24, 8. Olivet 21, 9. Tri-State 20

The MIAA presents separate awards for the best cumulative finish in men's and women's sports as well as an award for the best cumulative finish in all league sports (men and women). The separate awards are known as the Men's All-Sports Award and the Women's All-Sports Award while the cumulative award is known as the Commissioners' Cup.
The final standings for the all-sports awards will determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. These point-totals will be added together to determine the winner of the Commissioners' Cup.
The standings after the fall season are based on all four sports for men and all four for women.
As a single sport member, Wisconsin Lutheran is not computed into the all-sports standings.
The Commissioner's Cup (MIAA All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 28 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 8 and Alma 5.
In 2005/2006, Hope won the Commissioner's Cup and both the Men's and Women's All-Sports Awards.

2006-07 Pre-Season Women's Basketball Poll

1. Hope 9 (7), 2. Calvin 14 (2), 3. Olivet 25, 4. Albion 28,
5. St. Mary's 40, 6. Adrian 47, 7. Alma 49, 8. Tri-State 54, 9. Kalamazoo 58.
First place votes in parentheses

2006-07 Pre-Season Men's Basketball Poll

1. Calvin 10 (4), 2. Hope 11 (3), 3. Albion 19 (1), 4. Tri-State 28, 5. Olivet 34, 6. Kalamazoo 38, 7. Adrian 41, 8. Alma 43.
First place votes in parentheses

MIAA Honors Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athletes

Posted June 15, 2006
Awards by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) to outstanding senior athletes from its member schools during the 2005-06 school year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Christine Hendricks of Calvin College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Women Scholar Award while Travis Sleight of Olivet College has received the Albert H. Deal Male Scholar-Athlete Award.

Travis Sleight was a four-year football letterwinner. A running back, he was an All-MIAA first team honoree as a junior and senior and received ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors in both 2004 and 2005. As a senior, he was the recipient of the MIAA’s Pete Schmidt Scholar-Athlete Award for excellence on the football field and in the classroom and received the Morley Fraser Scholar-Athlete Award from the Michigan Chapter of the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame. He holds the Olivet career scoring record with 51 touchdowns. He majored in health, physical education, recreation and sport. He is the son of John Sleight of Delton, Mich.

Christine Hendricks was an All-MIAA honoree in volleyball and track & field. She lettered four years in both sports. This spring she was crowned the NCAA Division III champion in the heptathlon with a national record performance. She was the conference field MVP as both a junior and senior, won the league javelin crown her sophomore, junior and senior years, and was an NCAA All-American in the heptathlon for three consecutive years. She majored in mathematics. She is the daughter of Carla and Steve Hendricks of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Other nominees for the Kovalchik award were Jamie Fornetti, Albion; Erin Fralick, Alma; Anneliese Fox, Hope; Christie Zakar, Kalamazoo; Jill Lingbeek, Olivet; and Kayla Cheesman, Tri-State. Other nominees for the Deal award were Tony Vennekotter, Adrian; Eric Johnson, Albion; Calvin Hilson, Alma; Nate Meckes, Calvin; Greg Immink, Hope; Kyle Konwinski, Kalamazoo.

Hope College Wins MIAA Commissioner's Cup

Posted May 9, 2006
Hope College has repeated as winner of the MIAA Commissioner's Cup and the league Men's and Women's All-Sports Awards.

Commissioner's Cup Standings:

1. Hope 216, 2. Calvin 198, 3. Albion 167, 4. Olivet, 5. Alma 108, 6. Kalamazoo 99, 7. Adrian 63, 7. Tri-State 63.

Men's All-Sports Standings:

1. Hope 99, 2. Calvin 89, 3. Albion 80, 4. Kalamazoo 52, 5. Olivet 51, 6. Alma 42, 7. Adrian 38, 7. Tri-State 38.

Women's All-Sports Standings:

1. Hope 117, 2. Calvin 109, 3. Albion 87, 4. Saint Mary's 78, 5. Alma, 5. Olivet 66, 7. Kalamazoo 47, 8. Adrian 25, 8. Tri-State 25.

The MIAA presents separate awards for the best cumulative finish in men's and women's sports as well as an award for the best cumulative finish in all league sports (men and women). The separate awards are known as the Men's All-Sports Award and the Women's All-Sports Award while the cumulative award is known as the Commissioners' Cup.

The final standings for the all-sports awards are determined on the basis of each college's standings in eight of nine sports for men and eight of nine sports for women. These point-totals are added together to determine the winner of the Commissioners' Cup.

As a single sport member, Wisconsin Lutheran is not computed into the all-sports standings.

The Commissioner's Cup (MIAA All-Sports Award) has been presented since 1934-35. Hope has won the award 28 times, followed by Albion 14, Kalamazoo 13, Calvin 8 and Alma 5.

In 2004/2005, Hope also won the Commissioner's Cup, the Men's All-Sports Award and the Women's All-Sports Award.

Joe Cooper, long-time Supervisor of Officials for Football and Basketball
assumes a new role in the nation’s oldest athletic conference

Posted February 23, 2006
Joe Cooper will assume the newly created position of Assistant to the Commissioner on Officiating for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), according to Commissioner David Neilson.

A special ceremony honoring Cooper and his wife Willo will be held between games of the men’s semi-final basketball games Friday, Feb. 24 at Calvin College.

“Although we are losing Joe in the day-to-day and game-to-game oversight and assigning of officials, I’m delighted to announce that he has agreed to stay with the MIAA. In his role he will continue to help in the recruitment of new officials as well as assisting the conference with its officiating improvement programs.” said Neilson.

“One of the strengths of the MIAA has been our ability to retain the long serving experienced personnel, who have worked in the MIAA – Marv Zuidema, the retired Calvin College AD, now secretary to the MIAA Committee on Athletics, being another example. These individuals carry with them the heritage and values of our conference, and now Joe Cooper has agreed to continue and bring his 46 years of officiating experience to this new assignment. It is through these commitments that we are able to sustain the values we want our conference to exemplify.

Cooper first joined the MIAA as a football referee and basketball official in 1960. In 1971, under former Commissioner Al Deal, he was named Supervisor of Officials for football and men's basketball; expanded to include women’s basketball in 1978 when women’s sports were added under the MIAA banner.

As Cooper steps down, the condition of the MIAA’s officiating is on solid footing, Neilson noted. "Joe has re-stocked and enhanced the performance of our football crews to the point that an MIAA crew has been selected to work the NCAA Division III national championship game in football two of the last four years, including this past fall.

These selections are merit-based, determined by evaluations conducted during the preliminary rounds of the NCAA playoffs," said Neilson.

The condition in basketball is similar. “For basketball, I use a different metric,” said Neilson. “The number of phone calls and e-mails offering video tapes of the previous games’ ‘bad calls’ are way down this year, and I attribute this to Joe, his efforts and a group of hard working, dedicated officials,” Neilson added. The MIAA is the nation’s oldest athletic conference dating back to 1888; and Joe Cooper has been involved in almost 40% of that 118-year history. "With his departure from his role as Supervisor of Officials, the only one the MIAA has ever had, we are truly witnessing the end of an era," said Neilson.

MIAA Football Crew Officiates DIII Stagg Bowl

Posted December 15, 2005
For the second time in four years, officials from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association officiated the NCAA Division III championship football game. The Stagg Bowl was played Saturday in Salem, Va.

The MIAA officials in the crew included Tom Essenberg of Grand Rapids (referee), Bob Holcomb of Muskegon (umpire), Eddie Steenbergen of Jenison (head linesman), Steve Hendrickson of Wyoming (field judge), Jeff Stille of Spring Lake (side judge) and Tom Schramm of Southgate (line judge). The crew earlier officiated a first round game. Hendrickson was officiating in the championship game for a second time while it was a first for the rest.

Basketball Coaches' Pre-Season Poll

Posted November 3, 2005

Men's Basketball Poll:

1. Hope (7) 7, 2. Albion (1) 13, 3. Calvin 19, 4. Adrian 28, 5. Olivet 33, 6. Alma 34, 7. Tri-State 42, 8. Kalamazoo 48

Women's Basketball Poll:

1. Hope (8) 8, 2. Albion 19, 3. Calvin 21, 4. Alma (1) 32, 5. Olivet 37, 6. Tri-State 47, 7. Saint Mary's 51, 8. Kalmazoo 53, 9. Adrian 56

Alma Scots the Team to Beat in MIAA Football

Posted August 4, 2005
The defending MIAA football champion Alma Scots are the team to beat in 2005 according to a pre-season poll of coaches and the media released Thursday during the annual Fall Sports press day hosted by Tri-State University.

The Scots, who posted an 8-3 record last year in winning the conference championship for the second time in three years, received seven of a possible 20 first place votes. Five of the league's eight teams received a first place vote.

The predicted order of finish in the poll with first place votes in parentheses: 1. Alma (7) 40, 2. Albion (4) 47, 3. Hope (5) 51, 4. Adrian (3) 56, 5. Olivet (1) 81, 6. Tri-State 122, 7. Wisconsin Lutheran 126, 8. Kalamazoo 133.

The MIAA is the oldest collegiate conference in America. The 108th season of football begins with three non-league games followed by a seven-week conference schedule. The league champion receives a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

MIAA Honors Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athletes

Posted July 1, 2005
Awards by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) to outstanding senior athletes from its member schools during the 2004-05 school year have been announced by Commissioner David Neilson.

Julia Adams of Saint Mary’s College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Women Scholar Award while Peter Boumgarden of Calvin College has received the Albert H. Deal Male Scholar-Athlete Award.

Julia Adams was an All-American golfer at Saint Mary’s. She achieved NCAA All-America honors this spring after finishing ninth at the Division III championships. She was the conference medalist in 2002 and 2004. She was the valedictorian of her senior class, achieving a cumulative 4.0 grade point average with a major in biology. She is the daughter of Dr. Phillip and Barbara Adams of Peoria, Ill. (Notre Dame HS). Her future plans include attending Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine next fall.

Peter Boumgarden achieved distinction as a freestyle swimmer. He was an NCAA Division III All-American 10 times in his career. He was the MIAA conference champion four consecutive years in both the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly. His name appears on nine Calvin school records. He majored in business communication and plans to pursue his graduate education at Washington University. He is the son of Rev. David and Jane Boumgarden of Naperville, Ill.

Other nominees for the Kovalchik award were Catherine Converse, Adrian; Katie Gustavson, Albion; Leigh Ann La Fave, Alma; Susan Abbring, Calvin; and Dawn Gillam, Hope.

Other nominees for the Deal aware were Adam Novak, Adrian; William Green, Albion; and Scott Barriger, Alma.

2004-05 Academic Honor Roll is Announced

Posted July 1, 2005
A total of 725 students-athletes at MIAA member colleges have been named to the league's 2004-05 Academic Honor Roll. To be eligible, a student needed to maintain a 3.5 or higher grade point average the entire school year. 2004-05 Academic Honor Roll

2004-05 MIAA Team GPA Honorees Announced

Posted July 1, 2005 The MIAA Team GPA Award winners for the 2004-05 academic year have been announced. The award is presented to conference teams that achieve a 3.300 or better grade point average for an entire academic year. This award is administered by the Faculty Athletic Representatives of the MIAA member colleges. A total of 41 teams are being recognized for the 2004-05 academic year. The honorees include five teams who have received the award every year (seven) since it was initiated in 1998-99. They are Adrian’s women’s track & field, Albion women’s golf and women’s tennis, Calvin women’s cross country and Hope women’s cross country. Unique to this year's listing is that every MIAA women’s cross country squad (nine schools) received the Team GPA Award. Team GPA Honor Roll

MIAA Donation Supports Tsunami Relief Effort

Posted June 8, 2005
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), on behalf of its member institutions, has donated the net proceeds of its winter championship meets and tournaments to a church working with an international agency on tsunami relief in Indonesia.

Commissioner Dave Neilson announced that $4,337 has been donated to the New Hope Church in Chapel Hill, N.C. to support their volunteer efforts through Professionals International, an international faith-based organization.

" The members of our conference donate this in Christian spirit for the work being doing done, and pray for the victims and relief workers dealing with the tsunami tragedy," said Neilson.

The MIAA contributions came from the net proceeds of admission charges to its men's and women's swimming/diving championships and men's and women's basketball tournaments as well as contributions received from spectators attending the events.

Support of the work of New Hope Church was stimulated by Andrew and Shanna Ten Clay Norden, graduates of Hope College. Shanna is currently a resident anesthesiologist at Duke University Medical Center and Andrew is an assistant athletic trainer at Duke University. Shanna recently joined a group of volunteers from New Hope Church in providing aid in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Their efforts were coordinated by Professionals International. In Indonesia, Professionals International is supporting the reconstruction of more than 2,000 homes in 14 villages in Banda Aceh and helping meet medical needs such as infectious disease control, follow-up care of traumatic injuries, pre and post-natal care and treatment of respiratory distress that resulted from airborn silt. Engineers among the volunteers are redesigning water and waste removal systems. Another group of volunteers plans to return this summer.

The member colleges of the MIAA include Adrian, Albion, Alma, Calvin, Hope, Kalamazoo, Olivet, Saint Mary's, Tri-State and Wisconsin Lutheran.

Hope Tabbed As MIAA Men's Soccer Favorite

MIAA Announces Academic Honors for 2011-12

MIAA Elects SAAC Officers

MIAA Partners With PrestoSports For Conference Web Site

Hope's Wiese Named NCAA "Elite 89" Recipient In Women's Swimming and Diving

Hope Leads Commissioner's Cup Standings After Winter Sports Season

Highlights

Calvin's Kamp Named Division III Academic All-America of the Year in Volleyball

Calvin's Wassink Named NCAA "Elite 89" Recipient

MIAA, NAC To Begin Football “Challenge Series” In 2012

Hope Leads Commissioner's Cup Standings After Fall 2011 Sports Season

Highlights

MIAA To Add Men’s, Women’s Lacrosse As Conference Sports in 2012-13

Alma Tabbed To Repeat as MIAA Women's Soccer Champs

Calvin Picked To Win MIAA Volleyball Championship

Hope Named Favorite In First MIAA Preseason Men's Soccer Poll

Trine Picked to Repeat As MIAA Football Champs

MIAA Announces Academic Honor Roll, Team GPA Awards

Former Kalamazoo Coach George Acker Dies; Led Hornets to 35 MIAA Tennis Titles, Seven National Championships

MIAA Announces Hartman, Renner Awards

Marv Zuidema, Longtime Calvin Coach/AD and MIAA Secretary, Dies At Age 75

MIAA Announces 2010-11 Deal, Kovalchik Awards

Olivet's Beckwith Named Academic All-America of the Year

Hope Edges Calvin for MIAA Commissioner's Cup

Olivet's Beckwith Repeats as NCAA Elite 88 Recipient

What a Fall Season!

Trine's Watt Wins Gagliardi Trophy

Calvin Leads Commissioner's Cup Standings

Hope Picked as Preseason Favorite in MIAA Men's, Women's Basketball

MIAA Partners With NCAA On Identity Initiative

Trine Picked To Repeat As MIAA Football Champs

MIAA Announces 2009-10 Hartman, Renner Awards

MIAA Announces 2009-10 Deal, Kovalchik Awards

Hope Edges Calvin for 2009-10 MIAA Commissioner's Cup

Olivet's Beckwith Receives NCAA "Elite 88" Honor

Commissioner's Cup Standings (Through 2009-10 Winter Sports Season)

MIAA Student-Athletes Named Academic All-Americans

What a Fall Season!

Commissioner's Cup Standings (Through 2009 Fall Sports Season)

Calvin, Hope Co-Favorites in Preseason Men's Basketball Poll; Hope Picked to Repeat as Women's Champs

Trine picked to repeat as MIAA football champs

MIAA Announces Hartman, Renner Awards

MIAA Announces 2008-09 Deal, Kovalchik Awards

Final 2008-09 Commissioner's Cup Standings

Commissioner's Cup Standings Through Fall 2008 Sports Season

Calvin favored for MIAA men's title, Hope women picked to repeat

Hope picked to win MIAA football title

New Hartman and Renner Awards Announced

Recipients of Kovalchik and Deal Awards Announced

Greg Chandler is Appointed MIAA Publicist

07-08 Commissioner's Cup Standings End in Tie Between Calvin, Hope

MIAA Commissioner's Cup Standings thru 2007-08 Winter Season

Commissioner Emeritus Albert Deal Dies at Age 93

MIAA Commissioner's Cup Standings thru 2007 Fall Season

MIAA Athletes Have Unique International Experience

Tri-State Closer to Full NCAA Membership

MIAA Hosts First SAAC Retreat

Hope Favored in Pre-Season Football Poll

Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athletes Named

Hope Wins 06-07 Commissioner's Cup

All-Sports Standings After Winter Sports

2006-07 Pre-Season Women's Basketball Poll

2006-07 Pre-Season Men's Basketball Poll

MIAA Takes Measures to Protect Athletes

06-07 All-Sports Standings Through Fall

2006-07 Pre-Season Women's Basketball Poll

2006-07 Pre-Season Men's Basketball Poll

MIAA Honors Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athletes

Hope College Wins MIAA Commissioner's Cup

Commissioner's Cup Standings:

Men's All-Sports Standings:

Women's All-Sports Standings:

Joe Cooper, long-time Supervisor of Officials for Football and Basketball assumes a new role in the nation’s oldest athletic conference

MIAA Football Crew Officiates DIII Stagg Bowl

Basketball Coaches' Pre-Season Poll

Men's Basketball Poll:

Women's Basketball Poll:

Alma Scots the Team to Beat in MIAA Football

MIAA Honors Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athletes

Commissioner's Cup Standings
Through Fall 2008 Sports Season

Joe Cooper, long-time Supervisor of Officials for Football and Basketball
assumes a new role in the nation’s oldest athletic conference