Gunnar Elder

Hope College men’s lacrosse player Gunnar Elder is an All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association First Team Player for the 2015 season.

The sophomore from East Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids HS), is one of 13 first-team recipients overall and one of three first-team attackmen.

Teammate Will Dommermuth of Littleton, Colorado (Littleton HS), made All-MIAA Second Team for midfield short stick.

Elder led the MIAA with a school-record 49 goals in 16 games this season, including 18 during six MIAA matches that tied him for fifth place in the league rankings.

Elder’s 70 points for the entire season are the most by a Flying Dutchmen player in team history. His 21 assists in all games tied for fourth place in Hope’s single-season history. 

"Gunnar works as hard as he is talented," Hope coach Michael Schanhals said. " This combination of effort and attitude toward improvement has allowed him to grow from second team last year, to first team All MIAA this year. Gunnar has been an excellent leader for our team and served as captain for us this season. A sophomore captain is a rare thing and Gunnar lived up to the task in all forms."

Elder was an All-MIAA Second Team honoree as a freshman.

Dommermuth, a junior, collected 34 groundballs in 15 games. He also scored three times and had one assist.

"Will led us with his hustle and effort, was tenacious on ground balls and stuck to his man on defense," Schanhals said. "I am tremendously impressed with his play and am glad that the league coaches recognized him. This is a sign of their respect for Will's play."