Hope College senior Kim Grotenhuis of Hamilton (Hamilton HS) has been named an Academic All-American in a second sport.
Grotenhuis is one of six players nationwide named to the Verizon Academic All-America college division women's volleyball first team. Last spring she received the same first team distinction in softball.
She is the first Hope student-athlete to be honored in two different sports. Nine athletes have been honored twice in the same sport. Since 1973, a total of 34 Hope student-athletes have been recognized through this program.
This recognition program has been sponsored since 1952 by the College Sports Information Directors Association. It was previously known as the GTE Academic All-America program. Verizon Communications was formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE. The program rewards college student-athletes who excel in the classroom and on the playing field.
This fall Grotenhuis was co-captain of Hope's MIAA champion volleyball team. The team's setter and holder of school records for assists, she lettered four seasons in volleyball. She played on three conference championship teams all of which qualified for the NCAA Division III playoffs. Hope's record her four seasons was 110-38, including 47-3 in conference play.
A social studies composite major, Grotenhuis has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She is one of six Academic All-Americans with a perfect GPA.
Grotenhuis is also an outstanding pitcher on the Flying Dutch softball team. Last spring she threw two no-hitters and tied a single season marking for victories (16) and lowest earned run average (0.96).
The daughter of Larry and Beverly Grotenhuis of Hamilton, she is a 1997 graduate of Hamilton High School.
Other first team honorees include junior Deanna Behnfeldt of Findlay, Ohio, senior Kasey Jungwirth of Cal State-Los Angeles, senior Alysia Kern of North Florida, senior Jill Quast of Northwest Missouri State and senior Leah Rausch of Wisconsin- LaCrosse.