The Hope swimming and diving teams launch their season Saturday (Oct. 23) by participating in the MIAA Relays hosted by Calvin College. It is a non-scoring meet devoted entirely to relay events. The regular season begins a week later (Friday, Oct. 29) with an MIAA dual meet at Albion

The programs is led by John Patnott who over his 30-year career has coached 31 MIAA championship teams (19 women, 12 men).

MEN'S PRE-SEASON OUTLOOK

The Flying Dutchmen are the three-time defending MIAA champions. The pre-season roster of 25 swimmers and divers includes three seniors, nine juniors, eight sophomores and five freshmen.

Roster:
https://hope.edu/pr/athletics/msw/mswrost.html

Co-captains of the team are juniors Patrick Frayer (Grand Rapids/East Grand Rapids HS) and Brian Yount (Franklin, Ind./Franklin Community HS).

There are three returning swimmers who achieved All-MIAA honors a year ago -- sophomore Josh Grabijas (Howell/Howell HS), junior Michael Huisingh (Holland/Holland HS), and junior Jeff Shade (Davison/Davison HS).

Grabijas is the defending MIAA champion in the 500-yard and 1,650-yard freestyles. Shade was the 2009 MIAA champion in the 1,650.

Coach John Patnott's Pre-Season Overview
"Hope enters its 33rd year of swimming and diving competition with great anticipation. Although Hope graduated a large class last year it looks to compete for the Championship once again. Hope will be strong in the distance events with the top three distance swimmers in the MIAA returning (Josh Grabijas, Andrew Rose, and Jeff Shade). The breaststroke events should also be strong for the Dutchmen with Michael Huisingh, Geoff Ludema, Mark Waterstone, Alex Perkins, and Gregg Elhart all having the potential to score in the finals. Diving will also be strength for Hope as Ray Gaskell returns and the addition of Michael Heydlauff to the roster. The MIAA Championship was decided by a mere 25 points last year an it looks like it will just as close this year."

WOMEN'S PRE-SEASON OUTLOOK

The Flying Dutch return 17 swimmers and divers from a 2009-10 team that placed second in the MIAA. The pre-season roster includes five seniors, three juniors, eight sophomores and five freshmen.

Roster:
https://hope.edu/pr/athletics/wsw/wswrost.html

Team co-captains are senior Anna Heckenliable (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins HS), senior Ashley Jasperse (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Central HS), junior Sarah Sohn (Arlington Heights, Ill./Prospect HS), and senior Alicia Tuuk (Lansing, Ill./Munster HS).

There are four returning swimmers who achieved All-MIAA honors a year ago -- sophomore Laura Cameron (Ann Arbor/Pioneer HS), senior Kathryn Schewe (Berkley/Berkley HS), junior Sarah Sohn, and sophomore Libby Westrate (Grandville/Grandville HS).

Sohn is the defending MIAA champion in three events -- the 500-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle and 400-yard individual medley. She set the MIAA record in the 1,650 in 2009. Westrate marked her freshman year by winning the MIAA championship in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle races.

Coach John Patnott's Pre-Season Overview

"Hope enters its 33rd year of swimming and diving competition with excitement. Once again Hope will be in the hunt for the MIAA Championship. The Dutch will be strong in the backstroke events with the return of Katie Schewe, Laura Cameron, Lisa Heyboer, Alicia Tuuk and the addition of Maria Kieft. The butterfly events should also be strong for Hope with Ashley Jasperse, Alicia Tuuk, Anna Heckenliable, and Chelsea Wiese returning. Libby Westrate will lead the Hope Women sprinters and Sarah Sohn will head up the women distance swimmers. Diving will also be strength for Hope as Kyleigh Sheldon and Jessica Warner returning. Perhaps Hope’s greatest strength will be its balance in all of the events."