David DeGraaf

{{Infobox handball biography

| name = David DeGraaf

| image = David DeGraaf befor the 1996 Summer Olympics.jpg

| image_size =

| alt = David DeGraaf before the 1996 Summer Olympics

| caption = David DeGraaf before the 1996 Summer Olympics

| fullname = David Warren DeGraaf

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|04|26}}

| birth_place = Spring Arbor, Michigan, United States{{Cite web|url=https://www.apnews.com/f31f9e7e7842f328bb50b50915f5cf65|title=U.S. Men's Handball Team Equals Best Finish in 12 Years|last=Zanca|first=Salvatore|date=August 2, 1996|website=APNews.com|location=Atlanta|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027122623/https://www.apnews.com/f31f9e7e7842f328bb50b50915f5cf65|archive-date=October 27, 2019|access-date=October 27, 2019}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality =

| height = {{convert|203|cm|ftin|frac=2|abbr=on}}

| position =

| currentclub = retired

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1991–1993

| youthclubs1 = USAFA Team Handball

| years1 =

| clubs1 = Knight Air

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 = United States men's national handball team

| title1 =

| titleyears1 =

| titleplace1 =

| manageryears1 =

| managerclubs1 =

| module =

{{Infobox military person| embed = yes

| allegiance = {{USA}}

| branch = {{air force|US}}

| serviceyears = 1993-2014{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/davedegraaf17|title=David DeGraaf|website=LinkedIn|access-date=October 27, 2019}}

| serviceyears_label =

| rank = {{Nowrap|File:US Air Force O4 shoulderboard-horizontal.png Major}}

| rank_label =

| servicenumber =

| unit =

| commands =

| battles_label =

| battles =

| awards =

| memorials =

| parents =

| father =

| mother =

| spouse =

| children =

| relations =

| laterwork =

| signature =

| signature_size =

| signature_alt =

| website =

}}

David Warren DeGraaf (born April 4, 1971 in Spring Arbor, Michigan) is an American former handball player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/de/david-degraaf-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418033637/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/de/david-degraaf-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |accessdate=October 27, 2019}}

Career

The United States Air Force Academy (Class of 1993) originally recruited him for football and basketball, but he ended up playing for the USAFA Team Handball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.autonews.com/article/20160411/UNDER4001/160409874/david-degraaf|title=David DeGraaf|last=Sedgwick|first=David|date=April 11, 2016|website=Automotive News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027113725/https://www.autonews.com/article/20160411/UNDER4001/160409874/david-degraaf|archive-date=October 27, 2019|access-date=October 27, 2019}}

He competed at the 1994 Goodwill Games (6th place out of 6), Pan American Games 1995 (4th of 6) & 1999 (4th of 7) and the 1996 Summer Olympics (9th of 12).{{Cite web|url=https://www.cargroup.org/person/david-degraaf/|title=David DeGraaf|website=Center for Automotive Research|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027115415/https://www.cargroup.org/person/david-degraaf/|archive-date=October 27, 2019|access-date=October 27, 2019}}

At the 1996 Summer Olympics he scored a record, 13 goals against Kuwait and a record of seven blocked shots.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usafa.org/Heritage/DayInHistory|title=This Date in USAFA History|website=United States Air Force Academy|at=July 31, 1996|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027115419/https://www.usafa.org/Heritage/DayInHistory|archive-date=October 27, 2019|access-date=October 27, 2019}} Only Niclas Ekberg was able to score 13 goals at the Olympic Games in 2012. DeGraaf also scored the game winning goal against Algeria, in overtime, with no time remaining on the clock.{{Cite web |date=1996-08-03 |title=Secret of Handball Found by Knocking Down Walls |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-08-03-ss-30772-story.html |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=zach |date=2017-08-29 |title=Breaking Barriers: 70 years of success |url=https://www.usafa.edu/breaking-barriers-70-years-success/ |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=United States Air Force Academy |language=en-US}}

In 1997, he was selected as 1996 United States Air Force Athlete of the Year.{{Cite journal|date=February 1997|title=Air Force selects its athletes of the year|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mn_6LyntiPMC&q=David+DeGraaf+handball&pg=RA1-PA20|journal=Airman Magazine|volume=XLI|issue=2|pages=20}}

In 1998, he won the Nationals Championship with Knight Air and was the MVP of the tournament.{{Cite web |title=1998 National Championships |url=http://www.knightair.net/1998_Nationals.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030407214504/http://www.knightair.net:80/1998_Nationals.htm |archive-date=7 April 2003 |access-date=9 May 2024 |website=Knight Air}}DeGraaf has over 200 International Games and was awarded the USATHF Male Athlete of the year twice.