Two Hope College students have been honored as scholar athletes by being named to the all-district team in the fall/winter at-large category of the GTE Academic All-America program.
Senior Becky Timmer of Pella, Iowa and sophomore Elizabeth VandenBerg of Beverly Hills, Mich. are among 10 female athletes honored from NCAA Division II and III colleges and NAIA institutions in Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama.
The program honors outstanding athletes who are also high achievers in the classroom. Timmer and VandenBerg are now eligible for GTE Academic All-America consideration.
The GTE Academic All-America program is sponsored by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Timmer is a standout distance runner. She is a two-time NCAA cross country All-American. This past fall she finished 19th at the NCAA Division III nationals. She also competes in track and already this spring has a provisional qualifying time for the NCAA championships in the 5,000 meter run.
As a junior she was presented the college's Miner Stegenga Award which is given to a student in recognition of exemplary performance in athletics enhanced by leadership qualities consistent with the Christian life. She is a member of the Mortar Board national honor society.
VandenBerg has already achieved NCAA All-America status in swimming nine times in her collegiate career. She has finished second in the nation as both a freshman and sophomore in the 200-yard breaststroke. This past winter she was voted the most valuable swimmer in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
Both students have a near-perfect grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Timmer is a chemistry and Spanish double major with a 3.988 GPA while VandenBerg is a biology major with a 3.973 GPA.