MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Knight2Day]

The knight have a very talented bunch of freshmen and sophomores and there are only four (functional) upperclassmen on the team. The team is improving fast and I think they'll continue improving for about two and a half more years.

There are no roster-fillers or "best of the rest" players on the Calvin bench. The future is definitely bright, the present shouldn't be too bad either.

I have to say, despite the fact that the future looks bright, losing to Grace (despite the fact that they are on the upswing) is not something that should be acceptable at Calvin. I realize that Calvin isn't the powerhouse it used to be (which I think in and of itself is a problem) but losing to schools like Davenport and Grace shouldn't be seen as something that is alright. This is a young team, but the amount of talent Calvin has, losing close games to these schools shouldn't be seen as something that  is alright. You look back and see how former Calvin teams used to handle business, usually beating these sorts of teams by double digit points without blinking.....you've got to wonder when those days will return.....I've got to think I'm not the only frustrated Calvin fan out there.

[KnightSlappy]

The knight have a very talented bunch of freshmen and sophomores and there are only four (functional) upperclassmen on the team. The team is improving fast and I think they'll continue improving for about two and a half more years.

There are no roster-fillers or "best of the rest" players on the Calvin bench. The future is definitely bright, the present shouldn't be too bad either.

I have to say, despite the fact that the future looks bright, losing to Grace (despite the fact that they are on the upswing) is not something that should be acceptable at Calvin. I realize that Calvin isn't the powerhouse it used to be (which I think in and of itself is a problem) but losing to schools like Davenport and Grace shouldn't be seen as something that is alright. This is a young team, but the amount of talent Calvin has, losing close games to these schools shouldn't be seen as something that  is alright. You look back and see how former Calvin teams used to handle business, usually beating these sorts of teams by double digit points without blinking.....you've got to wonder when those days will return.....I've got to think I'm not the only frustrated Calvin fan out there.

Calvin never played this sort of Grace team until last year.

[Knight2Day]

The knight have a very talented bunch of freshmen and sophomores and there are only four (functional) upperclassmen on the team. The team is improving fast and I think they'll continue improving for about two and a half more years.

There are no roster-fillers or "best of the rest" players on the Calvin bench. The future is definitely bright, the present shouldn't be too bad either.

I have to say, despite the fact that the future looks bright, losing to Grace (despite the fact that they are on the upswing) is not something that should be acceptable at Calvin. I realize that Calvin isn't the powerhouse it used to be (which I think in and of itself is a problem) but losing to schools like Davenport and Grace shouldn't be seen as something that is alright. This is a young team, but the amount of talent Calvin has, losing close games to these schools shouldn't be seen as something that  is alright. You look back and see how former Calvin teams used to handle business, usually beating these sorts of teams by double digit points without blinking.....you've got to wonder when those days will return.....I've got to think I'm not the only frustrated Calvin fan out there.

Calvin never played this sort of Grace team until last year.

No but Calvin also used to beat Ferris teams that were much better than Grace could ever hope to be. I guess I'm just tired of the excuses for mediocrity at Calvin. We've gone from hoping for Elite 8's to hoping for conference titles....

[KnightSlappy]

The knight have a very talented bunch of freshmen and sophomores and there are only four (functional) upperclassmen on the team. The team is improving fast and I think they'll continue improving for about two and a half more years.

There are no roster-fillers or "best of the rest" players on the Calvin bench. The future is definitely bright, the present shouldn't be too bad either.

I have to say, despite the fact that the future looks bright, losing to Grace (despite the fact that they are on the upswing) is not something that should be acceptable at Calvin. I realize that Calvin isn't the powerhouse it used to be (which I think in and of itself is a problem) but losing to schools like Davenport and Grace shouldn't be seen as something that is alright. This is a young team, but the amount of talent Calvin has, losing close games to these schools shouldn't be seen as something that  is alright. You look back and see how former Calvin teams used to handle business, usually beating these sorts of teams by double digit points without blinking.....you've got to wonder when those days will return.....I've got to think I'm not the only frustrated Calvin fan out there.

Calvin never played this sort of Grace team until last year.

No but Calvin also used to beat Ferris teams that were much better than Grace could ever hope to be. I guess I'm just tired of the excuses for mediocrity at Calvin. We've gone from hoping for Elite 8's to hoping for conference titles....

Are you talking like over the past 20 years or 5 years?

[KnightSlappy]

Grace downs Heidelberg by 10 to claim the Calvin Tip-off championship. Was never much closer than that in the last ten (or so) minutes.

[oldknight]

    Calvin also used to beat Ferris teams that were much better than Grace could ever hope to be. I guess I'm just tired of the excuses for mediocrity at Calvin. We've gone from hoping for Elite 8's to hoping for conference titles....

Calvin hasn't beaten teams from Ferris with any regularity unless you're old enough to remember that school when it was Ferris Institute. Grace did beat Ferris last year so I guess the Bulldogs shouldn't offer any excuses either. As for "hoping for conference titles" apparently you've been living out of town the last two years when Calvin has won regular season conference championships.

When I left Van Noord after last night's disappointing loss a Calvin "fan" walking in front of my wife and me louldy trumpeted "I'm not coming back; this team will never get better." I suppose I could tell you what my normally placid wife said when our car door closed but Pat Coleman would prefer that I not do so. KVS mentioned that he has never coached a team so young as this one but they thoroughly outplayed an NCAC opponent today. This is a talented and athletic club and assuming normal development, no one will be eager to play them in late February.

[maroonandgold]

I am amazed that "fans" would be so disappointed that Calvin has had close losses to teams such as Davenport and Grace.  Davenport has all kinds of size and scholarship athletes and Grace far more game experience.  With the small amount of game experience and such a young team Calvin is showing tremendous potential.  I was particularly impressed with Kruis, who is big, has long arms and big hands, and seems to know what he is doing.  Their biggest problem so far is consistency.  With a team so young, it will take a while to be consistent and to know how to close games.  But their defense has come so far in just 3 games.  The offense is starting to come together, but has much farther to go.  The problem at the end of games is related to not having a "go to" player, but both Snikkers and Powell are coming on strong.

[knights2000]

I've got to say, I can see where Knight2Day is coming from. A couple weeks ago we had a poll asking about MVP candidates and Danny Rodts was listed for Calvin. It seems to me this is a significant drop-off from former MVP candidates like Aaron Winkle, Jeremy Veenstra, Dan Aultman, Caleb Veldhouse, etc...    Even the non-MVP players of the past few years (Shilts, Trewhella, Meckes, Broene, Draayer, etc) seem to be better players than guys like Schuster, Powell, etc. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree, but my opinion is that the talent level has perhaps declined.

This weekend was a good weekend for the Knights. After Friday's game I was very disappointed with the lack of movement in Calvin's half court sets. Way too much standing around, guys didn't seem to know where to go. Saturday's game was much better (granted, against a worse defensive team) and I liked the way the offense moved around. I liked the play of Brink and Kruis. I expected Brink to be more of a shooter, but he seems to take what the defense gives him and doesn't force. Kruis has potential to be a great player, had a few nice blocked shots in the game this afternoon.  Overall I'm encouraged by what I saw this weekend and am excited to see what this team looks like in January and February.

[ziggy]

I've got to say, I can see where Knight2Day is coming from. A couple weeks ago we had a poll asking about MVP candidates and Danny Rodts was listed for Calvin. It seems to me this is a significant drop-off from former MVP candidates like Aaron Winkle, Jeremy Veenstra, Dan Aultman, Caleb Veldhouse, etc...    Even the non-MVP players of the past few years (Shilts, Trewhella, Meckes, Broene, Draayer, etc) seem to be better players than guys like Schuster, Powell, etc. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree, but my opinion is that the talent level has perhaps declined.

Some with a few more years on me will have to validate this, but the pull of NAIA scholarship money is much greater today that it was even ten years ago. The talent level has perhaps declined at Calvin, as it probably has across DIII in general.

If you want to size up a guy like Powell to someone like Kyle Trewhella then you need to compare him to the sophomore Trewhella, not the guy you remember as a senior. The older guys get some criticism because none of them are true go to guys. That being said, I'd still rather have Rodts than Broene.

This weekend was a good weekend for the Knights. After Friday's game I was very disappointed with the lack of movement in Calvin's half court sets. Way too much standing around, guys didn't seem to know where to go. Saturday's game was much better (granted, against a worse defensive team) and I liked the way the offense moved around. I liked the play of Brink and Kruis. I expected Brink to be more of a shooter, but he seems to take what the defense gives him and doesn't force. Kruis has potential to be a great player, had a few nice blocked shots in the game this afternoon.  Overall I'm encouraged by what I saw this weekend and am excited to see what this team looks like in January and February.

and 2012! I'm already dreaming about what the team will be like when the current sophs are seniors and the frosh are juniors. (assuming no one goes pro early)

[Knight2Day]

    Calvin also used to beat Ferris teams that were much better than Grace could ever hope to be. I guess I'm just tired of the excuses for mediocrity at Calvin. We've gone from hoping for Elite 8's to hoping for conference titles....

As for "hoping for conference titles" apparently you've been living out of town the last two years when Calvin has won regular season conference championships.

No, I haven't been out of town, and that's my point exactly. We had a center who should have been an all-american by his senior year as well as one of the best three point threats to go through Calvin and we had to settle for a regular season conference championship and have not made the NCAA tourny in 4 years, after losing to Hope team which had less talent than us the last two years. That's what I have a problem with, not necessarily losing to Grace Bible.

[sac]

Adrian 54 Wentworth 43

Anderson 78 Kalamazoo 53   no Joe Prepolec for K?

Lake Superior State 79 Albion 69  Kyle Hunt with 30 for LSSU

[GoKnights68]

Calvin volleyball advances to the National Championship game just now.

[Dark Knight]

UN-believable!

Calvin was down 2 sets to 0 in sets that weren't even close, down 8-16 in the third set, and came back to beat Juniata in a semifinal volleyball match. Wo-hoo!

[CalvinChelseaMom]

UN-believable!

Calvin was down 2 sets to 0, down 8-16 in the third set, and came back to beat Juniata in a final for volleball game. Wo-hoo!

It was incredible to listen to (though had to follow live stats during final set). Amazing!!! I wish I could have heard the crowd after the win.

[GoKnights68]

UN-believable!

Calvin was down 2 sets to 0, down 8-16 in the third set, and came back to beat Juniata in a final for volleball game. Wo-hoo!

It was incredible to listen to (though had to follow live stats during final set). Amazing!!! I wish I could have heard the crowd after the win.

I watched it online.  The Calvin crowd was way louder than the opposing crowd throughout the entire match.