Evan Biesterveld does not play hooky. He plays tennis.
Biesterveld, criminal justice senior, said he has never skipped a single class in his college career. He has only missed to compete in tennis matches.
That dedication has not gone unnoticed.
Biesterveld was recently named one of the 2012 Daktronics-National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Scholar Athletes.
This honor was presented by the NAIA to 86 male tennis players nationwide. Biesterveld was the only recipient from IU Southeast.
“It just shows me that the hard work I put in over the first couple of years really paid off,” Biesterveld said of receiving the honor. “[It] was always kind of a goal of mine. It was more about trying to keep my GPA up for law school, as well, but it was just kind of an added bonus to get to represent the tennis program like that.”
Recipients are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and junior academic status. They are nominated by their head coach.
Yancey Walters, IUS men’s tennis head coach, said it feels great to have one of his players honored in this way.
“He deserves it,” Walters said. “He’s a good leader and excellent student.”
Biesterveld places importance on academics, an ideal passed onto him by his parents.
“I think once I look back after everything I’ve done, I think I’ll be most proud about my grades,” Biesterveld said. “Whether I win matches or not, I’m here to get an education.”
Teammate Brent Rogers, elementary education sophomore, notices Biesterveld’s dedication.
“He puts more time in the classroom than he does [on the tennis court], and it’s amazing what he can do,” he said.
Biesterveld said he chose to pursue his education at IU Southeast because it was close to his hometown of Petersburg, Ind. He was able to play tennis, and his parents were able to come see him play.
He lives on campus in Grove Lodge.
“Same room, four years,” Biesterveld said. “I’m the old guy on campus now, losing my hair.”
He lives with his teammate and best friend Tyler Jackson, accounting senior.
Jackson said he is proud of his friend’s recent accomplishment.
“[I’m] very happy for him,” Jackson said. “It is a big honor.”
As for his tennis playing, both Jackson and Rogers agree that Biesterveld is the team’s most improved player.
“He has really great ground strokes,” Rogers said. “He’s improved a lot.”
Biesterveld has competed in tennis since high school. While in high school, he was named all-conference for two years, as well as in college last year.
He also played basketball and baseball in high school, but said he has since limited himself to make more time to spend with the people he cares about most.
“I played three sports, and there was just not a lot of time to go around,” he said.
There still isn’t a lot of time to go around; Biesterveld said a typical day consists of classes, tennis practice and doing homework. Then, if he has time, he sees his girlfriend.
“I was pretty glad my girlfriend ended up coming here,” he said. “I’ve been pretty fortunate.”
Biesterveld has been dating his girlfriend Brittney Coan, biology junior, for five years. She plays women’s tennis for IU Southeast.
Being able to spend time with Coan, as well as his friends, is important to Biesterveld.
When he gets time off from tennis in October, he and his friends plan to go camping at Red River Gorge. Last year, they went to Clifty Falls.
In fact, Biesterveld said the friends he has made have been his favorite part of playing tennis for IU Southeast. He said he hopes being on the team has made him life-long friends.
It seems it has.
“He’s always there for me,” Rogers said. “He’s one of those guys I can see being at my wedding. He’s just a good guy to get to know.”
Biesterveld will graduate this spring. He said he plans on enrolling in law school next fall.
As for tennis, Biesterveld said he does not plan on continuing at the collegiate level.
“I’ll probably play recreationally, but my playing career is done after this year,” he said.
He plans on becoming a circuit court judge like his father.
By SAMANTHA FRAZIER
Staff
sefrazie@ius.edu
