Guy Dierikx May 24, 2008

Dierikx, Dutch second in NCAA relay

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Central College senior Guy Dierikx (Port Byron, Ill., Riverdale HS) capped a record-breaking career in sizzling fashion at the NCAA Division III track and field championships Saturday, anchoring the Dutch to a second-place national finish in the men’s 4x400-meter relay, just over two hours after taking fourth in the 400-meter dash.

Dierikx helped power the Dutch to a tie for 17th in the national team standings. It’s the program’s 11th top-25 national team finish and the highest since placing seventh in 2002. McMurry (Texas) captured the title with 35 points, two points better than Cortland State (N.Y.).

The 4x400-meter relay squad of Matt Patrick (sophomore, Dallas Center, Dallas Center-Grimes HS), Alex Miller (sophomore, Adel, Van Meter HS), Luke Bolander (sophomore, Des Moines, East HS) and Dierikx raced to a 3:12.75 finish, the second-fastest time in Division III this spring. Champion Wis.-Stevens Point posted the top time of 3:12.09.

Dierikx earlier finished in 47.82 seconds in the 400 meters.

Central, which was making its 16th national appearance in the relay in the past 17 years, has now achieved all-America status in the event 12 times since 1993 and it was the seventh top-two national finish for the Dutch. They’ve won the event three times and placed second four times.

Dierikx has now earned all-America distinction nine times, matching the most in Central men’s track and field history. Chris McCullough (2000-02) and Peter Wagner (2000-03) did it nine times as well.

Coach Kevin Sanger said the relay unit’s progress in recent weeks was impressive.

“If you would have told us after the Drake Relays that we would get second in Division III, I’m not sure we would have thought that would be possible,” Sanger said. “But we told the kids every week, ‘keep working, keep working, keep working’ and that good things would happen if they would just get in there and compete. It all came together at the end of the year, which was a great thing to see.”

Sanger noted that each member of the foursome showed improvement.

“It was a tremendous team effort,” he said. “Matt Patrick led off and ran about 48 (seconds) flat, which is a full second under his PR (personal record). Then Alex Miller ran about 48.4, Luke Bolander ran about 48.6 and Guy (Dierikx) ran around 47 flat. It was a phenomenal performance by everybody.”

Dierikx, who won his qualifying heat of the 400 meters in 48.26 seconds Friday, came back with an even stronger effort Saturday. His time of 47.82 seconds was a season best. Hanneus Ollison of McMurry was an easy winner in 46.40 seconds, the year’s fastest Division III time.

“Guy ran a good race,” Sanger said. “He got out pretty aggressively.

“This is a great way for him to finish his career. He’s been so important to our program with his leadership and he’s such a great competitor.”

Meanwhile Sanger noted that both the Central men’s and women’s 4x400-meter relay squads competed in the national meet this week with three underclassmen.

“This was a great thing for these young kids to see,” Sanger said. “The opportunity is certainly there for them to come back.”

 

NCAA Division III men’s track and field championships
at Oshkosh, Wis.

4x400-meter relay final

    1 Wisconsin Stevens Pt (Brad Koback, Nick Ver Duin, Kyle

      Steiner, Pat Leonard)                           3:12.09          

                                           DIII Season's Best

    2 Central College (Matt Patrick, Alex Miller, Luke

      Bolander, Guy Dierikx)                          3:12.75          

                                           DIII Season's Best

    3 McMurry University (Terry Smith, Bryce Williamson,

      John Mikalik, Hanneus Ollison)                  3:13.30          

    4 Williams College (Andrew Arons, Deividas Seferis,

      Taylor Fitzgerald, Alex Hoerman)                3:13.52          

    5 Emory University (Alex Greenhouse, Tyler Faits, Jason

      Campbell, Freddy Linton)                        3:14.22          

    6 North Central College (Jon Howard, Adam Pennington,

      Adam Johnson, Greg Jackson)                     3:14.23          

    7 Bethel University(Mn) (Taylor Ferda, Zach Schlegel,

      Eric Rhode, Josh Otto)                          3:14.77          

    8 Augustana (Illinois) (Evan Holschbach, Kyle Ekberg,

      Matt Somers, Ted McMillan)                      3:15.00          

    9 Illinois Wesleyan (Segun Olopo, Mike Conti, Noah

      Dunham, Matthew Harden)                         3:18.93          

 

400-meter dash

1 Hanneus Ollison, Jr, McMurry University           46.40          

                                           DIII Season's Best

                                     J.J. Keller Field record

             Was 46.75; Bobby Young, Lincoln University, 2007

    2 Freddy Linton, Sr, Emory University               47.03          

    3 Luke Reschke, Jr, Monmouth College (Il)               47.63          

    4 Guy Dierikx, Sr, Central College                    47.82          

    5 Patrick Roach, Jr, Messiah College                47.90          

    6 Charles Washington, So, Christopher Newport       47.91          

    7 Alex Eaton, So, Thiel College                     48.02          

    8 Adam Pennington, Sr, North Central College        48.15          

    9 Ryan Martin, Sr, ClaremontMuddScripps             48.44          

 

NCAA Division III team standings

 1   McMurry University     35.0

   2   Cortland S U N Y       33.0

   3   Whitworth University   31.0

   4   Mount Union College    27.0

 5=   Wartburg College       25.0

 5=   Univ of St. Thomas     25.0

 7=   Wisconsin Oshkosh      23.0

 7=   St. John's (Minn)      23.0

 7=   Emory University       23.0

 10   Monmouth College (Il) 22.0

11=   Wisconsin Stevens Pt   20.0

11=   Hamilton College       20.0

13=   Wisconsin Platteville 19.0

13=   Williams College       19.0

13=   Christopher Newport    19.0

 16   Augustana (Illinois)   18.5

17=   Moravian College       18.0

17=   Central College (Ia)   18.0

19=   Thiel College          16.0

19=   Oneonta S U N Y        16.0

 21   Rochester Inst Tech    14.0

 22   Tri-State University   13.0

23=   Montclair State        12.0

23=   Messiah College        12.0

25=   Illinois Wesleyan      11.0

25=   Greenville College     11.0

25=   University of Dubuque 11.0

25=   Bridgewater (Virginia 11.0