The reigning national champion Hope College volleyball team is expected to be in the thick of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association title chase this fall.
Coach Becky Schmidt and the Flying Dutch placed second in the 2015 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. They totaled 56 points after receiving one first-place vote to trail only Calvin (64 points).
Hope and Calvin shared the 2014 MIAA regular-season championship.
The Flying Dutch finished ahead of third-place Trine (48 points), fourth-place Alma (45), fifth-place Adrian (30), sixth-place Kalamazoo (26), seventh-place Saint Mary’s (24), eighth-place Albion (22) and ninth-place Olivet (9).
Hope graduated four starters and five seniors from its national championship team, including three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American Jenna Grasmeyer. The Flying Dutch tied a school record for wins in a season with their 34-2 record in 2014.
Hope starts practice for the 2015 season on Monday. The Flying Dutch open the season at the University of Chicago Tournament on Friday and Saturday, September 4-5.
Hope’s first MIAA match is Wednesday, September 9 at Albion. The Flying Dutch’s home debut is Friday, September 11 against Alma at DeVos Fieldhouse’s DeVette-Van Wieren Gymnasium.
This is Schmidt’s 12th season as Hope’s head coach. She has a career record of 302-73.
MIAA POLL
Rank Team Points 1st Place Votes
- Calvin 64 (8)
- Hope 56 (1)
- Trine 48
- Alma 45
- Adrian 30
- Kalamazoo 26
- Saint Mary's 24
- Albion 22
- Olivet 9