GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan -- Calvin University has announced the 2026 recipients of its highest athletics honors: the Beré Memorial Award and the Kay Tiemersma Athletic Award.
Charles Platt of Downers Grove, Illinois, is this year's recipients of the Beré Memorial Award while
Sophie Bull of Denver, Colorado, 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 53rd 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.
CHARLES PLATT
Charles Platt graduated from Calvin last Saturday with a degree in accounting. He plans to complete his master's in accounting at Calvin next year. A consistent member of the Calvin Dean's List and MIAA Academic Honor Roll, he was recently named a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American, earning CSC Second Team Academic All-America honors.
This past March, he completed one of the most distinguished men's swimming careers in the modern history of Calvin University athletics, establishing himself as a record-setting performer, national-level competitor, and cornerstone of the Knights' continued excellence in NCAA Division III swimming. A native of Downers Grove, Illinois, and a graduate of Downers Grove North High School, Platt competed for Calvin University in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), excelling as a freestyle and backstroke specialist across four collegiate seasons.
From the outset of his career, Platt quickly emerged as a high-impact contributor in both individual and relay events. His versatility and speed made him a fixture in Calvin's championship lineups, particularly in sprint freestyle and middle-distance races. As his career progressed, Platt developed into one of the premier swimmers in the conference, consistently posting top finishes at the MIAA Championships while helping Calvin maintain its status as a perennial league contender.Platt's senior season represented the pinnacle of an already outstanding career. At the 2026 MIAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, he delivered a historic performance, earning MIAA Most Valuable Swimmer honors after capturing conference titles in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 200 freestyle. In the process, he set new Calvin and MIAA records in both the 100 and 200 freestyle, highlighting his dominance at the conference level. Platt also played a central role in Calvin's relay success, contributing to first-place finishes and helping set an MIAA record in the 800 freestyle relay.
Beyond the conference stage, Platt consistently proved himself among the nation's elite Division III swimmers. He qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships multiple times, culminating in a standout senior showing in Indianapolis. There, Platt earned three All-America finishes, placing third in the 200 freestyle, third in the 100 backstroke, and sixth in the 100 freestyle, while also contributing to an All-America relay performance. His efforts helped Calvin finish 12th nationally, reinforcing the program's national reputation. He finished his Calvin career as a 20-time All-American.
Over the course of his career, Platt was a multiple-time All-MIAA honoree and earned MIAA Men's Swimmer of the Week recognition on six separate occasions, reflecting both his consistent excellence and his big-meet performances. His success continued a legacy of elite swimmers at Calvin, as he became the seventh Knights swimmer to earn MIAA Most Valuable Swimmer honors and extended a long conference tradition of award-winning Calvin athletes.
Charles Platt leaves Calvin University with a legacy defined by championship success, record-breaking performances, and national achievement. His career stands as a benchmark for future Calvin swimmers and as a testament to sustained excellence at both the conference and NCAA Division III levels.
SOPHIE BULL
Sophie Bull is in the home stretch of one of the most accomplished and impactful athletic careers in Calvin University history, emerging as a national champion, record-setter, and program-defining competitor across cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track and field. A native of Denver, Colorado, and graduate of Denver Christian High School, Bull competed for the Calvin Knights in NCAA Division III and within the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), where she consistently distinguished herself among the nation's elite distance runners.
Bull graduated from Calvin last Saturday with a degree in kinesiology. She is a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-American, earning second team honors in 2024 and first team accolades in 2025. She has been a consistent member of the Calvin Dean's List and MIAA Academic Honor Roll. She has future plans to attend graduate school with a career goal of becoming a physician's assistant.
Next weekend at the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, she will complete one of the most accomplished and impactful athletic careers in Calvin University history, emerging as a multiple-time national champion, school record-setter, and program-defining competitor across cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track and field. A native of Denver, Colorado, and graduate of Denver Christian High School, Bull competed for the Calvin Knights in NCAA Division III and within the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), where she consistently distinguished herself among the nation's top distance runners.
Bull's rise began with steady improvement during her early seasons, including a fifth-place finish as a sophomore in the 3,000m Steeplechase, but her career reached historic heights as an upperclassman. She has developed into one of the premier distance runners in all of Division III, highlighted by a dominating performance at the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. There, Bull captured the national title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:11.73, setting a Calvin University school record and posting one of the fastest times in Division III history. The victory marked the first steeplechase national championship in Calvin women's track and field history. To date in 2026, Bull has lowered her school record to 10:07.18, which currently sits as third all-time mark in the event. She will compete at next week's NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the steeplechase and 5,000 meter run.
Bull's success extended indoors as well. During the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, she delivered one of the meet's most dramatic performances, winning the 3,000 meters in a school-record time of 9:32.19 after a powerful closing surge. The title gave her multiple national championships across different seasons and events, an achievement reached by only a select few athletes in program history. She also helped her team to a sixth-place national finish with her efforts.
In cross country, Bull was equally influential. She earned recognition as the 2025 NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year and captured the individual regional championship, guiding Calvin to strong postseason finishes. In 2025, she finished 5th overall in the National Championships in Spartanburg, South Carolina, surpassing 10 athletes in the final 1,000m of the 6,000m race. Across her collegiate career, she has accumulated seven All-America honors, spanning cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track—testament to her versatility, durability, and consistency at the highest levels of Division III competition.
Beyond results, Bull served as a leader within the Calvin athletic community. She was a two-year team captain for the women's cross country and track programs, helping set standards for preparation, accountability, and team culture. Her leadership combined competitive excellence with academic achievement, as she earned multiple CSC Academic All-America honors. She attended the Gainey Leadership Retreat with selected peers in the summer of 2025.
Sophie Bull leaves Calvin University having redefined excellence for distance runners in the program. Her legacy includes multiple national championships, multiple school records, at least seven
All-America performances, and a lasting influence on Calvin's presence on the NCAA Division III stage.
