Winter Sports Letterwinners Are Announced; Sixteen Student-Athletes Lettered Four Years
HOLLAND -- The winners of athletic letters for Hope College winter sports teams have been announced by athletic directors Tim Schoonveld and Melinda Larson.
Hope finished second in three Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) sports this winter; men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and women’s swimming and diving. Hope was third in men’s swimming and diving.
Hope is in first place in the MIAA Commissioner’s Cup standings after the winter season. The Commissioner’s Cup is presented to the MIAA member school with the best cumulative standings in the 20 sports sponsored by the MIAA.
Sixteen athletes lettered in their sport for a fourth time. They are Brittany Berry (basketball), Luisa Burgess (swimming), Hannah Doell (basketball), Erica Dunham (swimming), Anna Foos (cheerleading), Lauren Girard (swimming), Taryn Gras (swimming), Emily Klauka (basketball), Melissa LaReau (basketball), Rebekah Llorens (basketball), Grant Ludema (swimming), John May (cheerleading), Nicole Miller (cheerleading), Erick Skaff (swimming), Christopher Waechter (swimming), and Emily Weber (swimming).
Men's Basketball Letterwinners
Brock Benson***, junior from Willowbrook, Ill. (Hinsdale South)
Harrison Blackledge**, sophomore from Canton, Ohio (Hoover)
Keith Brushwyler**, sophomore from Saint Joseph (Lakeshore)
Chad Carlson**, sophomore from Rockford (Rockford)
Luke Dreyer*, freshman from Zeeland (Zeeland West)
Alex Eidson***, junior from Grand Haven (Grand Haven)
Ben Gardner***, junior from Carmel, Ind. (Carmel)
Dante Hawkins*, freshman from Holland (Holland)
Zack Littleson*, sophomore from Rochester Hills (Rochester Adams)
Corey McMahon***, senior from Glenview, Ill. (Glenbrook South)
Mitchell O’Brien*, sophomore from Manteno, Ill. (Bishop McNamara)
Sam Otto**, junior from Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton North)
Ryan Skowronek*, junior from Northville (Detroit Catholic Central)
Cody Stuive**, sophomore from Hudsonville (Hudsonville)
Stephen Wittenbach***, senior from Grand Rapids (Forest Hills Central)
Women's Basketball Letterwinners
Autumn Anderson**, junior from Dorr (Wayland)
Brittany Berry****, senior from Grand Rapids (Catholic Central)
Hannah Doell****, senior from Center Valley, Pa. (Southern Lehigh)
Madison Geers*, freshman from Scottville (Mason County Central)
Mary Gipson*, sophomore from Belmont (Rockford)
Allie Gorcyca*, freshman from Bloomfield Hills (Farmington Hills Mercy)
Emily Klauka****, senior from Holt (Holt)
Melissa LaReau****, senior from Bradley, Ill. (Bishop McNamara Catholic)
Rebekah Llorens****, senior from Grayslake, Ill. (Grayslake Central)
Paris Madison*, sophomore from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian)
Maura McAfee***, junior from Midland (Midland)
Heather Randall*, freshman from Novi (Northville)
Jacquelyn Schwark*, freshman from Fraser (Lutheran Northern)
Tyra Smith*, sophomore from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian)
Kamara Sudberry***, senior from Clio (Clio)
Amanda Traversa**, sophomore from Winfield, Ill. (Wheaton North)
Men's Swimming/Diving Letterwinners
Austin Bessinger*, freshman from West Olive (Grand Haven)
Trevor Billinghurst***, junior from Spring Lake (Spring Lake)
Trevor Boehm*, freshman from Kenosha, Wis. (Tremper)
Charlie Emmert*, freshman from Grand Blanc (Powers Catholic)
Kevin Franz*, freshman from Mundelein, Ill. (Mundelein)
Samuel Gallmeyer***, junior from Grand Rapids (East Grand Rapids)
Taylor Hatfield***, junior from Coloma (St. Joseph)
Alexander Johnson*, freshman from Plymouth (Plymouth)
Ryan Johnson**, sophomore from Milford (International Academy)
Grant Ludema****, senior from Ada (Grand Rapids Christian)
Jon Maat**, sophomore from Holland (Holland)
Duncan MacLean**, junior from Grand Rapids (East Grand Rapids)
Jean Luc Miralda**, sophomore from Tegucigalpa, Honduras (Honduras American)
Andrew Mitchell*, freshman from Solon, Ohio (Solon)
Nick Olen*, freshman from Midland (Lyons Township)
Christian Otteman**, sophomore from Zeeland (Zeeland East)
Nathan Rommel***, junior from Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley NW)
Micah Sall***, junior from Zeeland (Zeeland East)
Erick Skaff****, senior from Flint (Carmen-Ainsworth)
Danny Sullivan**, sophomore from Columbis, Ohio (Upper Arlington)
Michael Trier***, junior from Nunica (Muskegon Cathlolic)
Troy VanPortfliet***, junior from Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Christian)
Christopher Waechter**** senior from Ventura, Ca. (Foothill Technology)
Trevor Wagoner**, sophomore from Hixon, Tenn. (McCalle School)
Joey Watson*, freshman from Grand Rapids (Catholic Central)
Kyle Weck*, freahman from Marshall (Marshall)
Mike Wurster*, freshman from Indianapolis, Ind. (Brebeuf Jesuit Prep)
Jeff Zita***, junior from Holland (Holland Christian)
Women's Swimming/Diving Letterwinners
Rachel Barszcz*, freshman from Canton (Canton)
Luisa Burgess****, senior from Pittsburg, Pa. (Taylor Allderice)
Sarah Carrara*, sophomore from Dexter (Chelsea)
Virginia Cotterall***, junior from Spring Lake (Spring Lake)
Erica Dunham****, senior from Rockford (Rockford)
Mikayla Freyling**, sophomore from Alto (South Christian)
Lauren Girard****, senior from Rockford (Rockford)
Taryn Gras****, senior from Zeeland (Zeeland)
Michelle Hance**, junior from Noblesville, Ind. (Noblesville)
Julia Hines*, freshman from Vienna, Va. (James Madison)
Payton Hoff**, sophomore from Clarkston (Notre Dame Prep)
Amy Larsen*, freshman from Grand Rapids (Forest Hills Northern)
Hannah Larson***, junior from Jackson (Jackson)
Molly Meyer**, sophomore from South Bend, Ind. (John Adams)
Kaleigh Mullen***, junior from Rochester (Notre Dame Prep)
Klare Northuis***, junior from Holland (Holland)
Chloe Palajac*, freshman from Dearborn (Dearborn)
Stephanie Polet***, junior from Grandville (Grandville)
Sarah Sheridan***, junior from Richmond, Ind. (Richmond)
Adrienne Smith*, freshman from Grand Haven (Grand Haven)
Katie Smith*, sophomore Mokena, Ill. (Lincoln-Way East)
Jorgie Watson***, junior from Grand Rapids (Catholic Central)
Emily Weber****, senior from Milan (Milan)
Lindsay Wiederhold***, junior from Plainwell (Plainwell)
Natalie Vela*, freshman from Clarkston (Clarkston
Sarah Zieschang*, freshman from Austin, Tex. (Veritas Academy)
Basketball Cheerleader Letterwinners
Cindy Alexander**, sophomore from Rochester Hills (Rochester)
Lizette Barona*, freshman from Chicago, Ill. (Golder College Prep)
Kelli Battistone***, junior from Saint Joseph (Saint Joseph)
Dalton Blood***, junior from Holt (Lansing Christian)
Jordan Brown**, sophomore from La Grange, Ind. (Lakeland)
Mitch Cuckovich***, junior from Oxford (University Detroit Jesuit)
Kivi Davidson*, freshman from Hinsdale, Ill. (Hinsdale Central)
Anna Foos****, senior from Clarkston (Clarkston)
Erica Kuiper*, freshman from Holland (West Ottawa)
John May****, senior from Kentwood (East Kentwood)
Nicole Miller****, senior from Spring Lake (Spring Lake)
David Sapyta*, junior from Downers Grove, Ill. (Wheaton Academy)
CJ Smith*, junior from St. Joseph (Lake Michigan Catholic)
Evan Thomas**, junior from Novi (Novi)