2001
The Voice: Spring 2001
Sports notes
By Corey Westra
Women's basketball season ends on a good note
The Dordt College women's basketball team ended its season on a good note by defeating
Martin Luther College of Minnesota by a score of 80-66. The Lady Defenders had a rough, yet
hard-fought season, posting a record of 4-22.
Junior forward Serena Van Beek from Hartley, Iowa, was the Lady Defenders' biggest offensive
threat this year, leading the team with 324 points and leading in three pointers with 31. Freshman
Alexis Smith from Castlewood, South Dakota, was second in scoring with 309 points, but led the
team in field goal percentage with 52 percent from the floor and in rebounding with 252.
The women's basketball team lose only one senior this year, Heather Broekhuis from Mountlake
Terrace, Washington. As starting point guard this season, Broekhuis dished off a team high 99
assists and was third in scoring with 165 points, shooting 77 percent from the free throw line.
Broekhuis's leadership on and off the court, along with her offensive and defensive talent, will be
missed next year.
Men's basketball season rolls into playoffs
The Dordt College men's basketball team advanced into Great Plains Athletic Conference
playoffs under the direction of Coach Greg Van Soelen. Dordt's 13-12 (7-9 GPAC) record
allowed the team to claim the eighth spot in tournament play. The first tournament game became
a battle of Sioux County basketball when Dordt faced number one Northwestern.
The season ended with a heartbreaking loss to the Red Raiders who were ranked eighth in the
nation.
Dordt's team was led in offense by sophomore Evan Beimers from Sioux Center, who netted 383
points and was second in total assists with 65. He also led the squad in rebounds, taking down
139. Close behind Beimers was senior Dylan Haak from Outlook, Washington, who led the team
in three pointers with 57 (47 percent). He also recorded 351 points, pulled down 123 rebounds,
and shot 82 percent from the free throw line.
Dordt will lose four key players to graduation this May, including Haak. Graduating seniors
include guard Michael Ribbens from Sioux Center, who leads the team in assists with 76; Brent
Tapper from Dike, Iowa, who led the team with 28 blocks; and Matt Van Essen from Hull, Iowa,
a guard who creates a major defensive threat for Dordt's opponents.
Indoor track boasts eight All-Americans
Dordt's indoor track season started with the Dordt College Invitational in Dordt's recreation
center. Three events qualified for nationals already at this first meet: the women's 4x800-meter
relay team of Lisa Cannegieter, Emily Kauk, Jessica Rowenhorst, and Rebecca Demerest;
women's high jumper Susan Schaap; and men's 800 meter runner Ron Kingma.
The men's 4x800-meter relay team of Ron Kingma, Jeff Taylor, Marcus Scholten, and Jon
Dekkers qualified for nationals at the Defender Gold Club Invitational during Homecoming.
The Dordt College Indoor team also competed in two meets at the University of South Dakota in
Vermillion, where the women's 4x400-meter relay team of Jackie Eekhoff, Sarah Haan, Kristi
Meendering, and Lisa Cannegieter; triple jumper Erica Ton; pole vaulter Jill Starkenburg; and
the men's 4x400 meter relay team of Eric Carlson, Mark Buwalda, Jon Dekkers, and Ron
Kingma qualified for the national meet.
At that meet in Johnson City, Tennessee, Dordt College gained eight new NAIA All-Americans.
Both the women's and men's 4x800 meter relay teams earned NAIA All-American status with
their finishes at the meet. The women ran a time of 9:32.12 and finished sixth.The men ran a
time of 7:45.74 and finished fifth. Ron Kingma was named an individual All-American by
placing sixth in the 800 meters with a time of 1:54.29 in the finals.
