Author: Alan Babbitt

A Year for the Books

Ana Tucker ’23 Nick Hoffman ’22 Emma Schaefer ’21 Ty Dalton ’24 Hope College student-athletes and teams from spring, winter and fall seasons packed a bevy of accomplishments and excitement into a compressed four-month schedule in 2021. Amid 213 athletic competitions in a span of 129 days, Hope College claimed Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships… Continue Reading →

Outstanding Spring Caps a Record Year for Hope Athletics

A successful spring season secured the 38th MIAA Commissioner’s Cup trophy for Hope Athletics, the most among member schools. It was the first time in three years the all-sports award was handed out. Four spring teams earned MIAA regular-season championships — baseball, men’s lacrosse, women’s tennis, and women’s outdoor track and field — giving Hope… Continue Reading →

An All-America Season

Hope student-athletes delivered NCAA Division III All-America performances in 15 events and MIAA regular-season or tournament titles in four sports during the 2022-23 winter season. Junior Eli Meder represented the Flying Dutchmen at the NCAA Indoors Championships. Seniors Evan Thomas, Brady Swinehart and Harris Hawkins, pictured from left, helped the Flying Dutchmen win an MIAA… Continue Reading →

Leading with Excellence

Hope Athletics delivered excellence inside and outside of the classroom this spring — earning a league-record 39th MIAA Commissioner’s Cup trophy as well as 15 MIAA Team GPA Award recipients and 265 individual selections to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Five teams saw student-athletes compete in NCAA Division III Championships: men’s golf, women’s lacrosse, women’s… Continue Reading →

Grit and Gratitude

In a season filled with gratitude and togetherness, the Hope College volleyball team accomplished so much as one tight-knit group. Led by American Volleyball Coaches Association Co-National Player of the Year Addie VanderWeide, the Flying Dutch posted a remarkable NCAA championships run that included a national runner-up finish and a Division III-record four consecutive five-set… Continue Reading →

Rising to the Occasion

On a challenging course, the Hope College women’s cross country team rose to the occasion again. The Flying Dutch provided one of many highlights during the 2023 fall season by rising eight spots from the pre-national rankings to place 17th at the NCAA Division III Championships on November 18 in Newville, Pennsylvania. Hope finished ahead… Continue Reading →

A Winter Season of Joy

In March, junior swimmer Greta Gidley led the Flying Dutch’s charge to a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships in Greensboro, N.C., and a fourth consecutive MIAA title at the Holland Aquatic Center in February. Gidley, the MIAA’s Most Valuable Women’s Swimmer, placed second in the nation in the 200-yard individual medley for… Continue Reading →

Orange and Blue Times Two

While their sports differ greatly, the Hope College football and volleyball teams both represented the college on the national stage exceptionally well this fall and delivered seasons for the record books. The Flying Dutchmen football team completed the first 10-0 regular season in program history and won their first NCAA Division III playoff game, 49-21,… Continue Reading →

Thrilling Runs

Memorable runs from the Hope College men’s cross country and men’s soccer teams thrilled fans this fall. Ian Petruska In men’s cross country, the Flying Dutchmen celebrated qualifying for the NCAA Division III championship as a team for the first time since 1990 and their first individual All-America performance at the NCAA Division III Championships… Continue Reading →

Un-Four-Gettable

The Flying Dutchmen stunned top-ranked Air Force Academy with five third-period goals on March 22 in St. Louis, Missouri, skating away with the program’s fourth and final ACHA Division 3 national championship. Hope, which previously won national titles in 2022, 2021 and 2018, finished the 2024-25 season with a 35-4-1 record. The Flying Dutchmen are… Continue Reading →

Take a Lap

The highest women’s swimming and diving finish at the NCAA Division III Championships in 25 years and 16 All-American accolades stood among many highlights for Hope College Athletics during the 2024-25 winter season. Twenty student-athletes claimed All-MIAA recognition across six sports; two were named MVPs. Women’s Swim Team Sara Kraus Women’s Swimming and Diving delivered… Continue Reading →