Hope College Stadium will be Named
for Longtime Coach Ray Smith and Wife Sue
See Photos of Stadium Transformation
Holland Municipal Stadium, home of Hope College football since it opened in 1979 and recently purchased from the City of Holland, will have a new name when the Flying Dutchmen open their 2013 season. College officials announced today that the stadium will be named in honor of longtime former coach Ray Smith and his wife Sue.

“Ray Smith has left a winning-with-integrity legacy in intercollegiate sport at Hope, in the MIAA, and nationally at the Division III level of the NCAA,” said Hope College President Dr. James E. Bultman. “As a coach and athletic director he inspired an exemplary athletics program and he did it the right way – with humility, fair play and wholesome balance within the spiritual, academic and social aspects of college life. He transformed intercollegiate sport at Hope while continuing the finest traditions of the college in athletics.”

Smith coached Hope football for a quarter of a century (1970-94). He is the winningest football coach in the history of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) and his 25-year tenure remains the longest of any football coach in America's oldest college athletic conference.

“It is most appropriate that the stadium be named in honor of Ray and his wife Sue. No coach achieves success to this degree without an understanding and supportive spouse. Sue Smith has been this for Ray throughout his long illustrious career in sport,” added Bultman. “Together they have made a difference at Hope and in the Holland community.” continue

L-R: Michael Atwell, Santino DiCesare, Brian Lynn

Honors Announced for 2012 Flying Dutchmen
Offensive MVP: Michael Atwell, junior from Geneseo, Ill. (Geneseo HS)
Defensive MVP: Santino DiCesare, junior from Dorr (Wayland HS)
Allen C. Kinney Memorial Award: Brian Lynn, senior from Holland (Holland HS)

FIRST TEAM -- L-R: Dean DeVries, Santino DiCesare, Joe Droppers, Tim Klaus, Connor Parcell

All-MIAA Honors Presented to Ten Hope Players
The 2012 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) all-conference football teams include 10 Hope players, five on the first team and five on the second.

Junior linebacker Tim Klaus (Saugatuck/Saugatuck HS) has been named to the first defensive team for a second year. First-time honorees on the first team include junior tight end Connor Parcell (Cadillac/Cadillac HS), sophomore offensive tackle Joe Droppers (Kalamazoo/Portage Northern HS), junior defensive back Santino DiCesare (Dorr/Wayland HS), and freshman punter Dean DeVries (Grand Rapids/Grandville HS).

SECOND TEAM -- L-R: Michael Atwell, Taylor Brynaert, Reggie Duncan, Evan Finch, Shawn Jackson

Second team honorees include junior quarterback Michael Atwell (Geneseo, Ill./Geneseo HS), junior tailback Shawn Jackson (Comstock Park/Comstock Park HS), sophomore wide receiver Taylor Brynaert (Washington/Romeo HS), junior placekicker Evan Finch (Ann Arbor/Pioneer HS); and junior return specialist Reggie Duncan (Williamston/Williamston HS).

Flying Dutchmen Finish Season With Victory to End .500 (11/10/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen concluded their season with a rare victory at Albion nipping the Britons 28-20. Coach Dean Kreps' Dutchmen finish in third place in the MIAA at 4-2 and end with a 5-5 overall mark. It was Hope's first victory on Albion's turf since 2007 and only the second in 30 years.

The Flying Dutchmen took advantage of their opportunities as Albion held an 80-53 advantage in offensive plays and 515-312 edge in total offense yardage. Albion turned over the ball three times in the game; Hope ended the season with a 30-18 advantage in takeaways.

Hope never trailed, taking advantage on an opening series 84-yard touchdown pass from Michael Atwell to Vincent Boddy. Hope also scored on a four-yard rush by Reggie Duncan and a 75-yard pass interception return for a touchdown by Mark Karam. Tailback Shawn Jackson rushed for 113 yards on 20 carries while Atwell complete 11-of-22 passes for 183 yards. Placekicker Evan Finch was a perfect four-for-four on PATs. Finch was perfect in the league's six games going 19-for-19 on PAts and 4-for-4 on field goals. Punter Dean DeVries averaged 46.0 yards on seven kicks. He became just the second punter in Hope football history to average better than 40 yards a punt finishing at 40.5.

Adam Drooger came up with a key pass interception in the game's closing minutes and was Hope's leading tackler with 13.

Hope Placekicker Honored for Perfect
October Performance (10/29/12)
Hope placekicker Evan Finch, a junior from Ann Arbor (Pioneer High School), is among the national honorees for outstanding performance during games played in October. He is now a candidate for the Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place-Kicker Award which is provided to the nation’s top collegiate place-kicker among the more than 750 FCS, Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA football teams. The Award is named for Fred Mitchell, a Chicago Tribune sports columnist who was an outstanding placekicker at Wittenberg University. The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award is chosen based on excellence on the football field and in the community.

During games played in October, Finch was 12-for-12 in PATs and 4-for-4 on field goals. Through nine games, heleads the team in scoring with 41 points (4-for-4 on FG’s and 29-fo-31 on PAT’s. His community service includes working with special education students as a swimming instructor. He is a Bible study leader on campus and has been a volunteer coach with his high school track team.

Win Streak Ends in Offensive Battle With Trine (10/27/12)
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Hope's quest for a conference championship was dashed by visiting Trine Saturday as the Thunder topped the Flying Dutchmen 45-28. The loss snapped Hope's three-game winning streak putting Hope at 4-5 overall and 3-2 in conference play. Tailback Shawn Jackson rushed for 154 yards on 15 carries to achieve a career milestone. He became the eighth player in Hope football history to surpass 2,000 yards rushing with a total that now stands at 2,016 yards. Quarterback Michael Atwell threw three touchdown passes completing 19-of-35 passes for 290 yards. Senior fullback Brian Lynn caught six of the passes for 74 yards while catching touchdown passes were Taylor Brynaert, David Brown and Matt Kroll. Kicker Evan Finch was a perfect three-for-three on fields, including a career-long 40 yarder.

Wooden Shoes Stay at Hope for a 17th Consecutive Year (10/20/12)
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The Wooden Shoes trophy remains at Hope for a 17th consecutive year after the Flying Dutchmen gained a 30-7 victory over Kalamazoo on Saturday. Coach Dean Kreps' Dutchmen extended their winning streak to three in-a-row to remain in second place in the MIAA race with a 3-1 mark. Hope is 4-4 overall.

The Flying Dutchmen took advantage of six Kalamazoo turnovers, including five pass interceptions. The Hornets fumbled another five times without losing possession. Hope, meanwhile, did not have a turnover. Backup tailback Reggie Duncan scored a pair of touchdowns on runs of 2 and 4 yards while quarterback Michael Atwell got into the end zone onb a one-yard plunge. Atwell also threw a 10-yard scoring strike to Vincent Boddy. Placekicker Evan Finch was a perfect four-for-four on PATs.

Kirby Crook intercepted two passes while stealing one apiece were Santino DiCesare, Mark Karam and Cody Lindemulder. Augie Mata recovered a fumble and Greg Bird had two quarterback sacks.

Flying Dutchmen Treat Alumni to Homecoming Victory (10/13/12)
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Junior tailback Reggie Duncan maximized his opportunities as he scored three touchdowns while rushing only four times in the game as the Flying Dutchmen gained a 49-14 Homecoming victory over Alma on Saturday. Coach Dean Kreps' Dutchmen improved to 2-1 in the MIAA and stand 3-4 overall. Second on the depth chart at tailback, Duncan scored on runs of 15, 4 and 25 yards. Quarterback Michael Atwell threw two touchdown passes on completions to Taylor Brynaert (7 yards) and Vincent Boddy (25 yards). Also scoring on rushes were Brandon Zervas (one yard plunge) and BJ Smith (33 yards). Kicker Evan Finch was a perfect seven-for-seven on PATs.

Flying Dutchmen Post First League Victory (10/6/12)
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Quarterback Michael Atwell threw three touchdown passes in leading the Flying Dutchmen to a 24-14 MIAA victory over visiting Olivet on Saturday. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Flying Dutchmen who stand 2-4 on the season. Atwell, the MIAA's leading passer, completed 19-of-30 passes for 261 yards. Two were for touchdowns to Taylor Brynaert on completions of 13 and 16 yards and the third was to David Brown on a 35-yard reception. Evan Finch kicked a 28-yard field and was a perfect three-for-three on PATs.

Flying Dutchmen Drop League Opener (9/29/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen lost their conference opener bowing to host Adrian 24-0 on Saturday. Coach Dean Kreps' Flying Dutchmen have lost four in-a-row since winning their season opener.

Vincent Boddy caught six passes for 52 yards while Taylor Brynaert snagged five covering 71 yards as quarterback Michael Atwell completed 13-of-30 passes for 159 yards.

The winning Bulldogs scored in every quarter while holding the Flying Dutchmen scoreless for the first time since the 1983 season. Hope was limited to just 12 yards rushing. The winners had possession of the football for 40 minutes compared to 20 minutes by the Flying Dutchmen. Intercepting Adrian passes were Logan Ahrens, Santino DiCesare and Adam Drooger.

Flying Dutchmen Test Nationally Ranked Titans (9/22/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen were unable to overcome four first-half turnovers and a 23-0 third quarter deficit in bowing to nationally ranked Illinois Wesleyan 23-13 on Saturday. Coach Dean Kreps' Dutchmen posted a 1-3 record against non-conference opponents. League play begins next Saturday.

Hope's defense stood out against an IWU team that had been averaging nearly 50 points a game by limiting the visitors to just 33 yards on 41 rushing plays. The Flying Dutchmen outscored Wesleyan 13-3 in the second half.

The Flying Dutchmen scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a five-yard pass from Michael Atwell to Vincent Boddy. The second touchdown in the fourth quarter was scored in a rather unusual way. Fullback Brian Lynn appeared to be on his way to score when he fumbled on the one-yard line. The ball went airborne and was recovered by Hope wingback Christian Subdon in the end zone.

Hope's defense had 10 tackles for lost yardage led by linebacker Cody Lindemulder with four and a fumble recovery. Defensive back Santino DiCesare was credited with five solo and 10 assisted tackles.

MIAA Coaches Honor Hope Quarterback (9/17/12)
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Hope quarterback Michael Atwell its Offensive Player of the Week. A junior from Geneseo, Ill. (Geneseo HS), Atwell completed 27-of-53 passes for a career-high 445 yards and five touchdowns in Hope’s 63-47 loss to Concordia, Ill., during the first MIAA/NAC Challenge game last Saturday. He also had a rushing touchdown in the game. Atwell is being honored as Player of the Week for the first time in his career.

Offense is Name of the Game in Challenge Loss (9/15/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen were not up to the challenge as they bowed to Concordia-Chicago 63-47on Saturday. The game was part of the first-ever Challenge Series between MIAA teams and members of the Northern Athletics Conference. Each MIAA team was playing at a NAC opponent on Saturday.

Meeting in the renewal of a rivalry that had been idle since 1975, the Flying Dutchmen and host Cougars amassed statistics that challenged school mark. The teams combined for 1,304 yards of total offense, a Hope record. The previous mark was 1,083 yards in a 2008 loss to Carthage. Concordia's 650 yards of total offense (264 rushing 386 passing) was the most ever against a Hope team.

Hope's 47 points was the team's highest in a loss, surpassing the previous mark set in 2008 in a 70-46 loss. There were 170 offensive plays and 63 first downs in the game. Hope ended with 654 yards of total offense. Hope slips to 1-2 on the season.

Concordia led 35-28 at halftime and added a pair of touchdowns in both the third and fourth quarters.

Hope quarterback Mike Atwell had career highs for completions (27/53) yards (445) and touchdowns (5). Junior Vincent Boddy caught three of the touchdown passes finishing with four catches covering 131. Tailback Shawn Jackson rushed for a career-best 159 yards. Taylor Brynaert caught a pair of touchdown passes. Also scoring Hope touchdowns were Atwell and fullback Brian Lynn.

Flying Dutchmen Suffer First Loss of Season (9/8/12)
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The Flying Dutchmen fell behind quickly and never recovered in suffering a 49-20 loss to host Millikin, Ill. on Saturday. Coach Dean Kreps' Dutchmen have a 1-1 season record.

The host Big Blue led 14-0 after the first quarter and made it 21-0 early in the second before Hope got on the scoreboard. Hope trailed 35-6 at halftime and 49-6 early in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Michael Atwell was forced to go to the air. He attempted 39 passes completing a career-high 24 of them for 212 yards. Tight end Connor Parcell caught eight of them for 81 yards. Atwell threw one touchdown pass, a nine-yarder to Matt Kroll. Scoring on rushing plays were Shawn Jackson and Reggie Duncan.

Flying Dutchmen Have Many Reasons to Celebrate (9/1/12)
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Hope's season-opening 42-24 victory over North Park on Saturday was cause for celebration for many reasons. Playing on the new artificial turf at Holland Municipal Stadium and in new uniforms, Coach Dean Kreps' Flying Dutchmen won their first season opener since 2004 to mark the 47th annual Community Day. In a game that Hope never trailed, the teams combined for more than 700 yards behind 127 offensive plays. The Flying Dutchmen pushed in a touchdown on their first drive, led 28-17 at halftime and scored two unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter to seal the win. For the fifth time in his career, tailback Shawn Jackson rushed for over 100 yards, gaining 113 on 15 carries, including two touchdowns. Quarterback Michael Atwell passed 19-for-30 with completions to seven different receivers. Also scoring rushing touchdowns were Atwell, Fluarry Jackson and Brian Lynn. Christian Subdon scored off an Atwell pass. Kicker Evan Finch was a perfect six-for-six on PATs. Linebacker Tim Klaus was credited with five solo tackles, including one for lost yardage, and a forced fumble.

Flying Dutchmen Picked to Finish Fourth in MIAA
Even as one of three teams to receive a first place vote, the Hope Flying Dutchmen have still been picked to finish just fourth when the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) plays its 115th season this coming fall. continue

The Flying Dutchmen approach their 103rd season seeking to build on the momentum of the program's most successful campaign in six years. The 2011 team posted a 7-3 record and finished second in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).

Hope coaches and players are eagerly anticipating their home season debut on Saturday, Sept. 1, when they'll play on the newly installed artificial turf of Holland Municipal Stadium. Hope College is in the process of acquiring the stadium from the City of Holland. The home field for Hope football games since 1979, installation of the turf is the first of what is expected to be on-going upgrades at the stadium.

The first month of the season will be against non-conference opponents who are all from Illinois. Three teams compete in the College Conference of Ilinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). An interesting twist will be the MIAA/NAC Challenge Series pitting all members of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) on a single day (September 15). The pairings are determined on the basis of the 2001 standings of each conference. Hope will play at Concordia-Chicago in the renewal of a series that occurred during the 1970s. Hope's season-opening foe, North Park from Chicago, is a first-time opponent.

The 2012 pre-season roster includes 33 returning letterwinners from the 2011 squad. The team's co-captains will be seniors Mark Karam of Grosse Pointe Woods (Warren DeLaSalle HS), Brian Lynn of Holland (Holland HS), and Ben Van Ausdall of Hudsonville (Unity Christian HS). Lynn and Van Ausdall were also captains as juniors.

Two returning players received All-MIAA honors in 2011. Junior linebacker Tim Klaus of Saugatuck (Saugatuck HS) was a first team honoree while junior tailback Shawn Jackson of Comstock Park (Comstock Park HS) received second team recognition. Klaus was part of a defense that was among the NCAA Division III leaders in several defensive categories -- #45 in scoring defense, #81 in rushing defense, #85 in the pass efficiency defense and #90 in total defense. Jackson rushed for over 100 yards in four games and averaged 5.3 yards per carry.

Two returning players received MIAA Player of the Week honors in 2011. Junior placekicker Evan Finch of Ann Arbor (Pioneer HS) kicked the winning field goal in an overtime victory over Adrian. For the season he was 23-for-25 on extra point kicks, raising his career stats to 39-for-41. He was also was six-for eight on field goals. In addition to being honored by the MIAA, junior Santino DiCesare of Dorr (Wayland HS) was the NCAA Division III Player-of-the-Week in recognition of his school-record 100-yard return of an intercepted pass for a touchdown against Olivet.

The Flying Dutchmen will return a veteran offensive backfield. Junior quarterback Michael Atwell of Geneseo, Ill. (Geneseo HS) started every game a year ago. He completed 129-of-252 passes (51.2%) for 1,628 yards and six touchdowns. Fullback Brian Lynn of Holland (Holland HS) is a two-year starter. A year ago he had just two negative yards in 44 rushes. He also caught 17 passes. Junior Shawn Jackson of Comstock Park (Comstock HS) rushed for 10 touchdowns. In two seasons he has rushed for 1,284 yards on 248 carries and scored 14 touchdowns.

Holland Municipal Stadium, the home field for Flying Dutchmen football since 1979, has undergone a major transformation this summer with the installation of artificial turf. The stadium is owned by the City of Holland. Hope College and the city have entered into an agreement that will allow the college to acquire the stadium. The new turf has been installed in time for the September 1 season-opening game. The Flying Dutchmen have played their home football games at city-owned facilities for many decades. Hope called Riverview Park (now a recreation area near Freedom Village) their home from 1932-78. The Flying Dutchmen moved to the newly constructed Holland Municipal Stadium, which is south of the college's outdoor athletic complex, in 1979. The lighted stadium seats more than 5,000 fans. It is shared with the Holland High School football team. "Our kids love playing at Holland Municipal Stadium," said coach Dean Kreps. "The change in surfaces will enhance their playing experiences." The Flying Dutchmen have a 33-year record of 93-59-3 at Holland Municipal Stadium, including a 3-2 mark in 2011.

Hope Football Part of MIAA/NAC
Challenge Beginning in '12 (11/23/11)
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) and Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) have announced they will launch a "Challenge Series" in football that will pit member schools from the two conferences against each other, beginning with the 2012 season.

The two NCAA Division III conferences have signed a four-year agreement in which home sites will alternate each year between NAC schools and MIAA schools. In the 2012 season, NAC schools will host the Challenge Series matchups, while MIAA institutions will host the 2013 matchups.

Matchups for the series in 2012 were determined based on each school's finish in the previous year's conference standings. The Flying Dutchmen, who were runnersup in the MIAA , will play at NAC co-champion Concordia-Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 15. continue

The Flying Dutchmen, coached by Dean Kreps, finished second in the MIAA race with a 5-1 conference record and were 7-3 overall, the team's best mark since the 2001 season.

Josh Droppers, Alex Doman

Hope Players Participate in Allstar Football Game (1/16/12)
History of Hope Players in Bowl Games
Two Hope football players were among three student-athletes from the MIAA who competed recently in the Hansen Bowl All-Star Game in Virginia Beach, Va. Hope offensive linemen Josh Droppers (54) of Kalamazoo (Portage Northern HS) and Alex Doman (69) of Royal Oak (Brother Rice HS) and Adrian linebacker Bryan Garbarino (35) played for the River Boat All-Stars in the Jan. 16 contest, in which they defeated the Pony Express All-Stars, 14-9. The Hansen Bowl is an all-star game featuring players from NCAA Division II and III schools, as well as from NAIA. It is named in honor of the memory of Don Hansen, a longtime advocate of small college football who died in 2010. The game was previously known as the Aztec Bowl.

Josh Droppers, Shawn Jackson, Kyle Warren

2011 Football Honors are Announced (12/12/11)
Honors to Hope College football players for the 2011 season have been announced by coach Dean Kreps.

Sophomore tailback Shawn Jackson of Comstock Park (Comstock Park HS) has been named the outstanding offensive player while senior back Kyle Warren of Grandville (Unity Christian HS) was presented the outstanding defensive player award.

The Allen Kinney award was presented to senior offensive tackle Josh Droppers of Kalamazoo (Portage Northern HS). Presented annually since 1971 by the football coaching staff to a senior player for maximum contribution to the football program, award is named in memory of Allen Kinney, a member of the Hope College football team who died of cancer in his senior year in 1967. Josh Droppers' older brother, Jacob (Jake), was the recipient of the Kinney award in 2007.

Interception Return is DIII Play of the Week (11/17/11)
Watch Record Interception Return on YouTube
The record 100-yard return with an intercepted pass last Saturday by sophomore Santino DiCesare has been named the NCAA Division III football play of the week by the website D3football.com. It marked the second time in Hope history that an intercepted pass was returned the full length of the football field for a touchdown. The first time was in 1996 by Randy Ames against Adrian.

All-MIAA 1st Team
Josh Droppers, Dan Karam, Tim Klaus, Kyle Warren

All-MIAA 2nd Team
Shawn Jackson, Alex Doman, Nate Jazwinski

All-MIAA Honors Presented to Seven Hope Football Players (11/14/11)
Seven members of the Hope football team have been named to the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) all-conference teams by the league's coaches.

Receiving first team honors are senior offensive tackle Josh Droppers of Kalamazoo (Portage Northern HS), senior defensive lineman Dan Karam of Grosse Point Woods (De La Salle HS), sophomore linebacker Tim Klaus of Saugatuck (Saugatuck HS), and senior defensive back Kyle Warren of Grandville (Hudsonville University Christian HS). Droppers and Warren are each being honored for a third consecutive year while Karam and Klaus are first-time honorees.

Receiving second team honors are sophomore tailback Shawn Jackson of Comstock Park (Comstock Park HS), senior offensive guard Alex Doman of Royal Oak (Birmingham Brother Rice HS), and senior linebacker Nate Jazwinski of Middleville (Thornapple Kellogg HS).

Kyle Warren, Santino DiCesare, Evan Finch

MIAA Players of the Week
Kyle Warren (defensive, twice)
Santino DiCesare (defensive)
Evan Finch (special teams)