GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan -- Calvin University has announced the 2025 recipients of its highest athletics honors: the Beré Memorial Award and the Kay Tiemersma Athletic Award. 

Uchenna Egekeze of Huntley, Illinois, and Luke Witvliet of Grandville, Michigan, are this year's co-recipients of the Beré Memorial Award while Sydney Sonday of Portage, Michigan, is the recipient of the Tiemersma Award. 

The Beré Memorial Award has been presented annually by Calvin since 1951. The Beré honors the top senior male student-athlete, based on athletic ability, scholastic rank, character and leadership. It is given in memory of Joe Beré, a Calvin student who was killed in a 1949 auto accident on his way to watch a Calvin basketball game. The winner is selected by the coaches of the school's men's sports and an Athletics Committee made up of students and non-physical education department faculty members. 

This is the 52nd year that Calvin has given the Tiemersma award--presented annually to the top senior female student-athlete. The award honors Kay Tiemersma, the first woman physical education teacher in the member schools of the Christian Schools International organization, and a pioneer in women's sports. Its presentation is based on athletic ability, scholastic standing, and character and leadership. The winner is selected by the coaches of the school's women's sports and an Athletics Committee made up of students and non-physical education department faculty members. 

UCHENNA EGEKEZE

Uchenna Egekeze has been a five-year standout with the Calvin men's basketball program including a three-year captain. During his five-year career which began with the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season, he was a part of three MIAA regular season championship teams, one MIAA Tournament title-winning team and three teams that reached the NCAA III Tournament. Egekeze appeared in 123 games and started in 121, helping Calvin compile an overall won-loss record of 98-23 that included four straight 20-win campaigns. As a sophomore, he was a part of a team that reached the NCAA III Tournament Round of 16. As a senior in 2024, he played a key role on a Calvin team that reached the Elite Eight Round of the NCAA III Tournament.

As a sophomore in 2022, he was named to the All-MIAA Second Team. He was then voted to the All-MIAA First Team in 2023, 2024 and 2025. He was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 20022, 2023 and 2025. This past season, he was named the MIAA's Most Valuable Player in addition to the MIAA's Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in MIAA men's basketball history to receive both awards in the same season.

He was named to the D3hoops.com All-Region Third in 2023 and to the D3hoops.com All-Region First Team in both 2024 and 2025. He was the D3hoops.com Region 7 Player of the Year in 2025.

In 2024, he was named to the D3hoops.com All-America Third Team and in 2025, he was named to the D3hoops.com All-America Second Team. In addition, he was named the 2025 NABC District 7 Player of the Year and to the NABC Division III All-America First Team. He concluded his collegiate career by playing in the prestigious NABC Division III All-Star game, pitting many of the top seniors from around the NCAA Division III men's basketball landscape together for a contest preceding the Division III Men's Basketball National Championship Game.

He finished his career as Calvin's career record holder in steals (221) while finishing ninth in points scored (1,581), fourth in assists (277), fifth in blocked shots (135) and 11^th in rebounds (601).

In the classroom, Egekeze graduated last May with his bachelor's degree in business marketing. He is currently completing his graduate degree in Calvin's MBA program. He has been a two-time honoree to the NABC Honor's Court program for posting a grade point average of 3.20 or higher.

He has served as a volunteer in the Grand Rapids community, serving as a volunteer painter in the city, reading books to elementary school children and working with Calvin's involvement in the "Gotta be the Shoes" program, providing gym shoes to elementary school students in need.

Egekeze is the son of Gilbert and Liza Egekeze.

LUKE WITVLIET

A native of Grandville, Michigan. Witvliet has been a standout with the Calvin men's cross country and men's indoor and outdoor track and field teams over the last four years. In cross country, he was a part of four consecutive MIAA Titles and helped Calvin captured its first Great Lakes Regional crown since 2019. He was a two-time captain of the Calvin men's cross country program. A graduate of Grandville Calvin Christian High School, Witvliet was the 2024 MIAA's Most Valuable Runner in men's cross country. He was a member of the All-MIAA 1^st Team in men's cross country in 2023 and 2024 and a member of the All-MIAA Second Team in in 2021. He earned Great Lakes All-Region honors in men's cross country in 2023 and 2024, finishing fifth at the 2023 regional meet and second at the 2024 regional meet. He was a four-time participant at the NCAA III Cross Country Championships which included an 80^th place individual finish this past fall.

At the 2024 MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, he was the league champion in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters to earn a spot on the All-MIAA team. He earned 2024 Great Lakes All-Region indoor track and field honors for a top-five regional time in the 5,000 meter run. During the outdoor track and field season, he was the MIAA Champion in the 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters, earning a spot on the All-MIAA Outdoor Track and Field team. He later earned Great Lakes All-Region honors with a top-five regional time in the 10,000 meters. He then competed in the 10K at the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, placing 20^th individually.

This past winter, he captured the MIAA Indoor Track and Field title in the 5,000 meter run while earning league runner-up honors in the 3,000 meters. He was named to the 2025 All-MIAA Indoor Track and Field Team and later earned a spot on the Great Lakes All-Region Indoor Track and Field. He followed by qualifying for the 2025 NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships where he earned Division III Second Team All-America honors with a 10^th place finish in the 5,000 meter run. He concluded his outdoor campaign last week at the MIAA Championships, taking third in the 10,000 meter run.

Witvliet is a biochemistry major with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. He has been a seven-time member of the Calvin Dean's List and a three-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. He has also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors four straight years in cross country and has been a three-time honoree in track and field. Last summer, he was named a College Sports Communicators Third Team Academic All-American. As part of his academic experiences, he studied abroad in Nepal under the direction of Calvin Chemistry professor Dr. Kumar Sunniah, participating in a course focusing on cross-cultural medicine. He also spent a week in New Mexico with the Native America Navajo tribe, learning about the tribe's water crisis as well as its vision for a sustainable future. He has also volunteered at various medical centers and clinics during his four years at Calvin including each Thursday at the Exalta Health Community Clinic where he serves uninsured, underinsured and refugee populations.

Next fall, he plans to begin medical school at Michigan State University.  In addition he has served as a Calvin Student Admissions Counselor.

He is the son of John and Charlotte (vanOyen) Witvliet.

SYDNEY SONDAY

A native of Portage, Michigan, Sonday has been a standout with the Calvin women's swimming and diving team the last four years. As a member of the Calvin women's swimming and diving team, she has been a standout freestyle sprinter, earning All-MIAA honors four consecutive years. A graduate of Portage Central High School, Sonday has qualified for the NCAA III Swimming and Diving Championships four consecutive years and earned NCAA III All-America honors nine times. During her career, she has been a part of five Calvin relay teams (200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle, 200 medley and 400 medley) that have set new school records.

As a freshman in 2022, she captured a league title in the 200 freestyle (1:54.91). She also placed second in the 100 freestyle (52.19) and third in the 50 freestyle (24.14). She was a member of Calvin's first place 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams. In addition, she was a member of Calvin's second place 800 freestyle relay team and its third place 400 medley relay. At the 2023 MIAA Championships, she came up with a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle (23.53) that was just 0.02 behind Farrell. She also added a second-place finish in the 100 freestyle (51.43) and fifth place in the 100 breaststroke. She was then a part of Second Team All-America swims in the 400 freestyle relay (10^th place) and 200 freestyle relay (11^th place) to help Calvin finish 18^th in the team standings.

At the 2024 MIAA Championships, she was a part of Calvin's first place 800 freestyle and 200 medley relay teams. Individually she placed second in the 100 butterfly, third in the 50 freestyle and fifth in the 100 freestyle. During the season, she was a two-time MIAA Swimmer of the Week. At the NCAA III Championships, she was a part of a First Team All-America swim in the 400 freestyle relay (6^th place) and Second Team All-America swims in the 200 medley relay (!0^th place), 200 freestyle relay (13^th place) and 800 freestyle relay (16^th place) while helping Calvin finish 14^th in the team standings.

At the 2025 MIAA Championships, she placed fifth in the 50 freestyle (23.60) and 100 freestyle (51.49) and sixth in the 100 butterfly (57.92). She later led off Calvin's 400 freestyle relay team with a career-best 100 freestyle split of 51.20. She was a part of Calvin's second place 200 and 400 freestyle relays and its 200 and 400 medley relays with the 200 freestyle relay setting a new school record. At the NCAA III Championships this past March, she was a part of First Team All-America swims in the 200 medley relay (7^th place) and 200 freestyle relay (8^th place) and Second Team All-America swims in the 400 medley relay (10^th place) and 400 freestyle relay (10^th place). The relay performances helped Calvin finish 12^th in the final NCAA III team standings for its highest national team finish since 2018.

Sonday is a biochemistry major with an added concentration in computer science. She has been a member of the Calvin Dean's List and the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.

This past fall, she was part of the Paddles for a Purpose charity fundraiser. Sonday was one of four individuals in the event that played pickleball for 14.5 consecutive hours while raising funds for the Gift of Life Organization that supports organ, eye and tissue donation in Michigan. She has also participated in charity pickleball tournaments raising money for Van Andel Institute. After graduation, Sonday plans to pursue a profession career as a pickleball athlete.

Sonday is the daughter of Jim Sonday and Linda Hubbard.