Flying Dutch Finish Second in MIAA Race (10/8/11)
Final MIAA Standings
The Flying Dutch finished second in the final MIAA standings relinquishing a 16-stroke advantage to eventual champion Olivet over two championship rounds this weekend. The Comets ended with a 10 stroke advantage in the final seasonal standings. Second place is Hope's highest under third-year coach Greg Stafford and the best since 2003. Hope golfers Charlotte Park (a junior from Grosse Point Farms) and Brittany Haight (freshman from Otsego) received All-MIAA first team honors while Megan Scholten (senior from Grand Rapids) was a second team honoree.

Hope's First Place Lead Cut Entering Season Finale (10/7/11)
Results
The Flying Dutch approach Saturday's final round of the MIAA women's golf season in first place, but the margin of that lead is down to single digits after Olivet captured Friday's round. Playing on their home course, the Comets finished nine strokes ahead of the Flying Dutch trimming Hope's lead to a meer six strokes. The final 18-hole round will be played Saturday, again at Bedford Valley beginning at 9 a.m.

Through five rounds Hope's seasonal total is 1,660 strokes followed by Olivet at 1,666, Saint Mary's 1,708, Calvin 1,755, Adrian 1,836, Trine 1,860, Albion 1,893, Alma 1,919 and Kalamazoo 1,981.

Friday's medalist was Theresa Damico at 38-39--77. Leading Hope was Brittany Haight at 41-39--80 followed by Charlotte Park 42-39--81, Megan Scholten 41-44-85, Lauren Zandstra 43-45--8, aned Emily Atsma 48-48--94.

Flying Dutch Maintain Lead in MIAA Race (10/6/11)
Results / MIAA Standings
The Flying Dutch maintained their lead in the MIAA race by tying for first place in a makeup jamboree on Thursday. Playing at Olivet's home course (Bedford Valley), the Flying Dutch tied the hosts at 322 strokes. Hope maintains its 15 stroke advantage in the seasonal standings with two rounds remaining. Those rounds will also be played at Bedford Valley on Friday and Saturday. Hope is bidding for its first conference championship since 2001.

Olivet's Lauren Campbell set an MIAA 18-hole record at 70 strokes. Leading Hope was junior Charlotte Park at 37-41--78 strokes. Scores of other Hope golfers were Megan Scholten 39-41--80, Lauren Zandstra 43-37--80, Brittany Haight 41-43--84 and Emily Atsma 44-43--87.

Seasonal standings scores after four rounds are Hope 1,326, Olivet 1,341, Saint Mary's 1,371, Calvin 1,402, Adrian 1,470, Trine 1,486, Albion 1,525, Alma 1,556 and Kalamazoo 1,586.

Olivet's Lauren Campbell tops the seasonal player standings at 79.3 strokes per round followed by three Hope golfers -- Charlotte Park 80.3, Megan Scholten 82.3, and Brittany Haight 82.3.

Flying Dutch Win MIAA Jamboree to Remain in First Place (10/1/11)
Results
The Flying Dutch maintained their hold on first place in the MIAA standings by winning the season's third jamboree on Saturday at Milham Park in Kalamazoo. Coach Greg Stafford's Dutch edged Saint Mary's by a stroke in the jamboree and will head into the final week of the season with a 15 stroke advantage over the field.

Hope junior Charlotte Park won medalist honors in the jamboree to remain in first place in the individual seasonal standings. She shot an 81 (40-41) for the third straight jamboree. Other Hope scores were Megan Scholten 41-42--83, Brittany Haight 41-45--86, Lauren Zandstra 44-45--89 and Emily Atsma 43-47--90.

Hope finished with a four-player total of 339 strokes followed by Saint Mary's 340, Calvin 348, Olivet 351, Adrian 370, Trine 373, Albion 379, Kalamazoo 381 and Alma 396.

Hope's seasonal total is 1,004 strokes followed by Olivet 1,019, Saint Mary's 1,027, Calvin 1,050, Trine and Adrian 1,100 each, Albion 1,155, Alma 1,156 and Kalamazoo 1,169.

Flying Dutch Have Busy Weekend Outside League (9/24/11)
Hope's entire team had an opportunity to see action this past weekend by competing in two tournaments.

Flying Dutch Maintain Lead in MIAA Race (9/21/11)
Results The Flying Dutch remain in first place in a tightening league race after finishing runnerup in the season's second MIAA Jamboree on Wednesday. Coach Greg Stafford's Dutch hosted the nine-team field at The Ravines golf course. Olivet took top honors at 323 strokes followed by Hope 340, Saint Mary's 345, Calvin 354, Adrian 373, Alma and Trine 380, Kalamazoo 383 and Albion 384.

The medalist was Theresa Damico of Olivet at 38-36--74. Leading Hope was Charlotte Park 40-41--81 followed by Megan Scholten 43-41--84, Lauren Zandstra 42-43--85, Montano Leep 44-46--90 and Emily Atsma 45-51--96. Freshman Brittany Haight, the medalist at the first MIAA Jamboree, was unable to play because of illness.

After two rounds Hope has a three stroke advantage over second place Olivet, 665-668, followed by Saint Mary's 687, Calvin 702, Trine 737, Adrian 740, Alma 760, Albion 776 and Kalamazoo 788.

Flying Dutch Win MIAA Jamboree;
Freshman is Medalist (9/16/11)
Results
The Flying Dutch opened conference play Thursday by accomplishing something no Hope team has done in eight years; they won a Jamboree! Led by freshman Brittany Haight (pictured), coach Greg Stafford's Dutch finished 17 strokes ahead of runnerup Saint Mary's. Haight covered Tine's Zollner golf course in 37-40--77.

Hope ended with a four-player total of 325 followed by Saint Mary's 342, Olivet 345, Calvin 348, Trine 357, Adrian 367, Alma 380, Albion 392 and Kalamazoo 405.

Scores of other Hope golfers were Charlotte Park 42-39--81, Megan Scholten 39-43--82, Emily Atsma 40-45--85, and Lauren Zandstra 43-45--88.

Flying Dutch Sixth at Olivet Invitational (9/10/11)
Results
The Flying Dutch finished sixth in a 14-team field at the two-day Olivet Fall Invitational. Host Olivet won the tournament with 664 strokes. Hope ended 30 strokes behind at 694. Megan Scholten led the Dutch at 89-81--170 followed by Lauren Zandstra 86-88--174, Emily Atsma 84-93--177, Charlotte Park 87-90--177 and Brittany Haight 85-95--180.

Flying Dutch Share Aquinas Invitational Title (9/6/11)
The Flying Dutch tied with host Aquinas for team honors at the Aquinas Invitational held Tuesday at the Scott Lake golf course. Each team finished with a four-player score of 344 strokes. Rounding out the standings were Davenport 353, Albion 390 and Cornerstone 465. Sharing tournament medalist honors were Hope golfers Charlotte Park and Andrea McCarty who each shot an 83. Other scores were Andrea Powell 87, Montana Leep 91, Courtney Jenkins 91, Lauren Messer 99 and Stephanie Stover 103.

Hope Finishes Fifth in Season-Opening Tournament (9/3/11)
The Flying Dutch finished fifth in the season-opening NCAA Preview Tournament hosted by Trine University. Washington-St. Louis led the 13-team field with a two-day, 36-hole total of 621 strokes. Hope, which improved its team score by 21 strokes from Friday to Saturday, ended with 675 strokes. Leading Hope was Emily Atsma at 85-82--167. Next were Charlotte Park 90-78--168, Megan Scholten 83-85--168, Lauren Zandstra 91-82--173 and Brittany Haight 90-87--177.

The 2011 Flying Dutch will be trying to get out of a rut in their quest to become title contenders in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). For three consecutive years the Flying Dutch have finished third both in the MIAA seasonal standings and at the league's NCAA qualifying tournament.

Coach Greg Stafford begins his third season with a pre-season roster that includes seven returning letterwinners. Senior co-captains are Emily Atsma of Caledonia (Grand Rapids South Christian HS) and Megan Scholten of Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian HS).

Scholten is a three-time All-MIAA golfer. She received second team recognition as a sophomore and junior after being a first team honoree as a freshman. Junior Charlotte Park of Grosse Pointe Farms (Grosse Pointe South HS) was an All-MIAA golfer in 2009.

Other returning letterwinners include sophomore Mary Bradley of Pierson (Tri-County Area HS), junior Maggie Mangan of Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton-Warrenville South HS), senior Andrea McCarty of Denver, Colo (Cherry Creek HS), and senior Lauren Zandstra of Flushing (Flushing HS).

Four of the returning golfers -- Emily Atsma, Charlotte Park, Megan Scholten and Lauren Zandstra -- were named 2010-11 All-American Scholars by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA). The Flying Dutch were also a recipient of the MIAA Team GPA Award for a tenth consecutive year.

The Flying Dutch play a fall and spring schedule. The fall schedule, which determines the seasonal MIAA champion, includes four 18-hole jamborees and a 36-hole championship round. The spring schedule, consisting of three 18-hole rounds, determines the MIAA qualifier to the NCAA championships.

Flying Dutch Golfers Receive Academic Honors
Four members of the 2010-11 Hope College women's golf team have been named All-American Scholars by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA). Honored were Emily Atsma of Caledonia (South Christian HS), Charlotte Park of Grosse Pointe (Grosse Pointe South), Megan Scholten of Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian HS), and Lauren Zandstra of Flushing (Flushing HS).

All four players return for the 2011-12 season. Atsma, Scholten and Zandstra will be seniors and Park a junior. Scholten, who is being honored for a third consecutive year, is an economics/psychology major, while Zandstra, who is an honoree for a second time, is a chemistry major. Atsma and Park, who are being recognized for a first time, are accounting and communication/management majors respectively.

The criteria included a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 during the academic year. Student-athletes must have competed in at least two-thirds of the college's competitive rounds.

Flying Dutch Finish Third in NCAA Qualifying Round
Playoff Standings
As they did during the regular season, the Flying Dutch finished third in the MIAA's qualifying round at the Blackthorn golf course in South Bend. Host Saint Mary's won the three-round playoff to advance to the NCAA Division III championships. The final playoffs standings: 1. Saint Mary's 970, 2. Olivet 994, 3. Hope 1,066, 4. Trine 1,087, 5. Adrian 1,129, 6. Albion 1,130, 7. Alma 1,228. Leading Hope in Saturday's playoff round was Charlotte Park at 87 strokews followed by Lauren Zandstra 89, Emily Atsma 93, Megan Scholten 95 and Katie Blodgett 95.

Flying Dutch Finish Third in MIAA Fall Standings
For the third consecutive year the Flying Dutch have finished third in the seasonal MIAA standings. Coach Greg Stafford's Flying Dutch were third in the season-ending tournament this weekend. Two golfers, juniors Lauren Zandstra (Flushing/Flushing HS) and Megan Scholten (Grand Rapids/GR Christian HS), achieved All-MIAA honors with seasonal stroke averages of 85.4 and 86.0 respectively.