(Monday, December 5; Sioux Center, Iowa) Shaylee Van Essen, a senior at Southwest Minnesota Christian High School, has announced her intention to attend Dordt and join the Defender track and field program.  

"Shaylee is a great athlete and we are glad she chose Dordt to continue her education.  Shaylee will be an excellent teammate and will bring versatility with her jumping and running skills.  We are very excited to be adding her to the track and field program!" said Dordt track and field coach Craig Heynen.  

Van Essen has personal bests of 34-0.5 in the triple jump; 15-3.5 in the long jump; 1:05 in the 400 meters and 2:34 in the 800 meters. 

"When I visited Dordt I loved the Christian atmosphere and sense of community I felt. I loved how they incorporated Christ into all aspects of my visit and were clearly committed to the mission of the college founders. Even from when I was young I could always see myself attending Dordt and now I am exccited to take on the next chapter of life by attending Dordt and being a Defender," said Van Essen.   

Shaylee is the daughter of Jeremy and Kimber Van Essen of Edgerton, Minnesota.  She plans to study education at Dordt.  

Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive Christian college rooted in the Reformed tradition. The Defender athletic program is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) and the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA).

U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review all list Dordt on their best colleges lists. Dordt is home to approximately 1,500 students.