Three individuals representing Dordt College were honored at the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF) Championship held April 9-11 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Eric Geels and Mark Tiemersma were both named All-Tournament honorable mention at the conclusion of the tournament. Geels is a junior from Sheldon, Iowa and occupies a right side position and Tiemersma, also a junior, is a middle blocker from South Holland, Illinois.
Dr. Brian Hoekstra was named the 2015 Men’s Division II Coach of the Year. NCVF programs were given the opportunity to nominate coaches they felt were worthy for the award. Hoekstra helped guide the Defenders, in their second year of existence to a 27-4 mark this season and an eventual berth in the Gold Bracket of the Men’s Division II Tournament. The Defenders won three tournaments over the course of the season and claimed a runner-up finish. Dordt moved all the way to a no. 4 ranking in Division II with a 22-1 mark.
In his recommendation, Eric Geels (Co-Captain and Co-President of the Dordt College volleyball club) wrote, “Coach Hoekstra is the reason Dordt College is ranked #4 and has a 22-1 record. He has done a phenomenal job of bringing together a team that only played in one NCVF recognized tournament last year to a current #4 national ranking. With his coaching, the Defenders have been able to more fully reach their playing potential both as a team and as individual players.”
Geels went on to say, “As team captains, we looked for a coach at the beginning of the year that was going to challenge us to be more than good volleyball players. Instead, we wanted someone who would encourage us in our Christian faith both on and off the court and Coach Hoekstra has done so much better than we ever anticipated and has naturally brought his faith into our practices. Coach Hoekstra does not just talk the talk, he is walking the walk.”
Hoekstra is currently a Professor of Business at Dordt College.
The Dordt College men’s volleyball program will transition to a varsity sport next school year and will compete against other NAIA schools.
