The Flying Dutch will continue their climb toward being a title contender in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) under a new head coach.
Greg Stafford, a volunteer assistant coach of the Flying Dutch the past two seasons, succeeds Eva Dean Folkert so that she can devote her time to serving as co-director of athletics.
The 2008 Flying Dutch finished third in the MIAA standings after placing fourth in 2007 and sixth the year before.
The pre-season roster includes three freshmen, seven sophomores, two juniors and one senior.
The lone senior is captain Cassie Sneller of Holland (Hamilton HS). She was also the captain in 2008. Sneller was an All-MIAA second team honoree last fall finishing seventh in the conference player standings at 83.4 strokes per 18-hole round.
Two returning sophomores achieved All-MIAA honors in their first collegiate season. Megan Scholten of Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian HS) was a first team honoree as she placed third in the conference player standings (81.2 strokes per round) while Sasha Burau of Grand Blanc (Grand Blanc HS) received second team recognition behind a 12th place finish (88.4 strokes per round).
Other returning letterwinners include sophomore Emily Atsma of Caledonia (South Christian HS), junior Katie Blodgett of Traverse City (St. Francis HS), sophomore Margaret Livingston of Kalamazoo (Portage Northern HS), sophomore Andrea McCarty of Denver, Colo. (Cherry Creek HS), sophomore Lindsey Springstroh 0f Lisle, Ill. (Downers Grove North HS), and sophomore Lauren Zandstra of Flushing (Flushing HS).
The Flying Dutch play a fall and spring schedule. The fall schedule, which determines the seasonal MIAA champion, will include 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 Division III championships.
Hope's only home action will be an MIAA Jamboree on Wednesday, Sept. 23.