Updated through the 2012 season

• Cross country has been an intercollegiate sport at Hope for a century. One of the first publicized events occurred in 1909 when teams from Hope and the Grand Rapids YMCA covered 33 miles in a relay between Holland and Grand Rapids.

• Hope won its first MIAA title in 1953, a co-championship with Albion. It took nearly two decades for the Flying Dutchmen to win another, but then they came in a flurry with Hope bringing home the championship trophy 14 of 16 years between 1971-86.
• The traditional season-opening cross country meet, hosted by Hope since 1966, honors William (Bill) Vanderbilt, Sr. '61 who guided Hope's program from 1971-87. During that time Hope won MIAA championships 17 times, 14 by the men and three by the women. The alumni H-Club presented Vanderbilt its "Hope for Humanity Award" in 1999.
• Hope has qualified many individuals and teams for the NCAA Division III championships. The best finish at nationals by a Hope runner was fourth place in 1981 by Steve Underwood '84.
• Lindsey Dood '87 is one of only four runners in MIAA cross country history to win the MIAA championship meet three consecutive years.
• After winning Hope's first-ever Great Lakes Regional title, the 1980 Flying Dutchmen went on to place sixth at the NCAA Division III championships.
• A standout distance runner in his own right, Mark Northuis '82 has guided the Hope cross country program since 1988. He was the MIAA cross country champion in 1980 and in the spring of 1981 won the 5,000-meter run at the league track and field championships.
• The Hope cross country teams excel on both the course and in the classroom. For an unprecedented 17 consecutive years (1990-2006), both the men's and women's teams were named Team Academic All-Americans by the College Cross Country Coaches Association.
• Stu Scholl '76 has the distinction of being the only Hope athlete to receive All-MIAA first team honors eight times in his career. He was honored in his freshman through senior years in both cross country and track.