Five Calvin University men's lacrosse players received Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Communicators on Tuesday.
Ethan Boelens (Round Lake, Ill./Grayslake Central),
Braden Carpenter (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville),
Josh Gage (Livonia, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central),
Nate Hanson (Naperville, Ill./Naperville) and
Micah VanDeBurg (Lowell, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) each won the award.
In order to qualify for nomination for Academic All-District, student-athletes must meet the following qualifications:
- Sophomore athletically or higher
- 3.50 cumulative grade point average (GPA) or higher
- Been enrolled at the institution for at least one calendar year
- Starter or key reserve
- Played at least 50 percent of their team's games in the 2023 season.
Ethan Boelens
A three-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Week and MIAA Defensive Most Valuable Player, Boelens was dominant on defense for the Knights and set a new Calvin single-season record with 53 caused turnovers while starting all 18 games on defense.
An operations supply chain management major, Boelens graduated in May with a career 3.705 GPA. He is also an eight-time Calvin Dean's List and three-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll honoree.
Along with Academic All-District honors, Boelens made the cut as a finalist to be considered for CSC Academic All-America honors. This also marks the second time Boelens has been named CSC Academic All-District after he also won the award as a junior in 2023.
Braden Carpenter
Carpenter took a big step forward during his sophomore season, finishing third on the Knights with 29 goals and totaling 33 points on the season. He also added 44 grounds balls and scored two game-winning goals.
A kinesiology major with a 3.893 GPA, Carpenter is also a four-time Calvin Dean's List and one-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll recipient.
Josh Gage
Gage was named All-MIAA Second Team after a strong junior season in which he finished second on the Knights with 31 caused turnovers. He is also on the Academic All-District team for the second straight season, and is a two-time All-MIAA member.
An engineering major with a 3.741 GPA, Gage is a six-time Calvin Dean's List and two-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll honoree.
Nate Hanson
Hanson was a big factor for the Knights as a sophomore season in 2024, winning 212 of 374 faceoffs and winning MIAA Specialist of the Week three times this season. His .557 winning percentage on faceoffs was the fourth-best mark in program history.
A finance major with a 3.91 GPA, Hanson is a four-time Calvin Dean's List and one-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll honoree.
Micah VanDeBurg
VanDeBurg combined with Boelens and Gage to form an experienced and formidable defense in 2024. The senior defender played all 18 games, causing 17 turnovers and adding 31 ground balls.
An engineering major, VanDeBurg graduated with a 3.788 career GPA. He is also an eight-time Calvin Dean's List and three-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll honoree.
