Former Illiana Standout To Compete for Trinity Christian  (4/17/06)
Andy Jellema, a 2005 graduate of Illiana Christian High School (Lansing, Illinois), will transfer to Trinity in the fall and compete for the cross country and track and field teams. Jellema is currently a freshman at the University of Southern Indiana and will arrive at Trinity with three years of eligibility remaining.

Jellema had an impressive high school career, including three consecutive top-20 finishes in the Illinois High School Class A Cross Country Championships. His best result was a 12th-place finish in 2003 with a time of 15:20 over the 5,000 meter course. Jellema also captured IHSA Sectional titles for three straight years, while leading the Illiana Christian squad to the sectional team championship. 

On the track Jellema produced similar results. As a senior he placed ninth in the state in the 1,600 meter run (4:28.27) and tenth in the 3,200 meter run (9:46:30). He was a part of the 4 x 800 meter relay squads which advanced to the state level in 2003 and 2004, and added a 13th-place finish in the 3,200 meter run in 2003. In addition, Jellema claimed a total of five individual sectional crowns in his career. 

During his time at Southern Indiana, Jellema was part of a cross country squad which won the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) championship and went on to finish 16th in the NCAA Division II National Championships. He posted a season best time of 26:16.15 over an 8,000 meter course. At the GLVC indoor track and field championships in February, Jellema placed sixth in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 8:57.06.

"Adding an athlete like Andy Jellema to our squad will make a huge impact," said head track coach Jeff Raymond. "He obviously brings a wealth of talent, but also a year of college experience, so we know that he can make contributions right away." 

"Even more important than his athletic ability, however, is the fact that Andy is a quality person," added Raymond. "He will be a great fit on our campus and I look for him to be a leader on our team in the years to come."

Andy is the son of Kenneth and Rosemary Jellema of Dyer, Indiana.
 

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