Hope College senior Cory Schmidt is being honored by the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as one of its outstanding senior athletes during the 2012-13 academic year.
Schmidt has received the Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award, while Carissa Verkaik of Calvin College has been presented the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award.
The awards recognize senior class athletes who have excelled in academics and athletics, as well as displayed outstanding leadership in their respective communities. The awards honor two former MIAA commissioners, Albert Deal (1971-91) and Sheila Wallace Kovalchik (1991-2002).
"Cory and Carissa have had marvelous careers these last four years in the classroom, on the field, and as role models in our conference. They will be missed, but their selection for these awards from such an exceptional group of nominees is an achievement for which they should take great pride," Commissioner David Neilson said.
A native of Milan, Ohio and graduate of Edison High School, Cory lettered four times
in baseball at Hope during his career. He was named to the All-MIAA second team in
baseball in 2012 and 2013.
A left-handed pitcher, Cory compiled a 15-5 record during his career, allowing only
one home run in 136 innings and posting a 2.93 earned run average. He posted a 6-2
record with a 3.23 ERA in 55-2/3 innings pitched this past spring for the Flying Dutchmen.
In league play, he was 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA, walking only six batters over nearly 40
innings as Hope won a share of its first MIAA championship since 2007.
A psychology major at Hope, Cory graduated Phi Beta Kappa in May with a 3.95 grade point average. He was selected to the Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-America second team this spring and was a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.
He was involved in numerous campus and community activities during his four years
at Hope. He worked in the college's Writing Center for three years, was a help session
leader for organic chemistry classes, took part in student-faculty research, served
as an orientation leader on campus and was a member of a student panel on health professions.
In addition, he worked with at-risk students for two years as a tutor in Hope's Children's
After School Achievement program, and volunteered with Heights of Hope, a faith-based
neighborhood outreach ministry in Holland, Mich.
Cory was named this spring as the recipient of Hope's Otto van der Velde All-Campus Award, given to a senior male student-athlete for outstanding contributions in athletics, scholarship and participation in student activites. He will begin classes this fall at the University of Toledo College of Medicine.
He is the son of Dr. Eric and Dr. Jane Schmidt of Milan, Ohio.