Hope Teams at NCAA Great Lakes Regional (11/10/07)
Men's Results / Women's Results
Hope's cross country teams concluded their season by competing in the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional hosted by Calvin on Saturday. The Flying Dutch finished 11th in the field of 36 women's teams while the Flying Dutchmen were 18th among 38 men's teams.

Hope finishers in the women's 6K were: Joanne Gabl, 46th (23:24); Jackie Ellis, 64th (23:44); Susan Savasky, 66th (23:45); Emily Fischer, 75th (23:57); and Marlie Johnson, 85th (24:11).

Hope finishers in the men's 8K were: Rob Bailey, 65th (26:31); Paul Vandervelde, 75th (26:37); Nick Zendler, 100th (26:52); Zach King, 117th (27:06); and Eric Anderson, 130th (27:18).

Hope Teams Each End Third in MIAA (10/27/07)
Women's Results / Men's Results
Both Hope teams finished third in their respective MIAA championship run on Saturday. Calvin successfully defended its conference crowns. In the men's meet Calvin scored a perfect 15 points followed by Tri-State 57, Hope 75, Albion 99, Alma 159, Kalamazoo 163, Adrian 174, Olivet 254. Calvin topped the women's meet with 19 points, follwoed by Albion 75, Hope 77, Saint Mary's 99, Kalamazoo 118, Adrian 196, Alma 204 and Olivet 227. Junior Rob Bailey led the Hope men finishing seventh while freshman Susan Savasky led the women in 12th.

The women's 6K was won by Bethany Carr of Olivet Nazarene, Ill. in 21:01.32. Only 35 seconds separated Hope's first five finishers. Senior Anne Hoekstra led the team 48th place in 23:34. Other Hope finishers were Susan Savasky, 57th (23:50); Elle Munoa, 60th (23:52); Emily Fischer, 63rd (23:55) and Jackie Ellis, 68th (24:09).

The men's 8K was won by Brian Butzler of the University of Wisconsin in 24:01.71. Hope's top five finished within 41 seconds of each other led by junior Rob Bailey in 63rd (25:44) followed by Paul VanderVelde, 67th (25:46); Zach King, 82nd (26:05); Matt Wiersum, 93rd (26:21); and Nick Zendler, 95th (26:25).

Hope Teams Run in Minnesota (9/29/07)
Results
Hope's cross country teams competed in the Roy Griak Invitational at the University of Minnesota on Saturday. The Flying Dutchmen finished 11th in a field of 34 men's teams while the Flying Dutch were 18th among 42 entries in the women's field.

UW-LaCrosse won the men's race with 53 points. Hope ended with 385 points. The winner was Tyler Sigl of UW-Platteville in 25:21. Hope's Paul Vandervelde and Zach King, both juniors, finished 57th and 58th respectively as each was timed in 27:28. Other Hope finishers were Rob Bailey, 77th (28:00); Matt Wiersum, 90th (28:10); Lucas Wolthuis, 103rd (28:23); Kevin Hagan, 111th (28:39); and Jeff Layman, 115th (28:46).

Washington, Mo. won the women's race with 89 points. Hope ended with 512 points. The winner was Becca Jordahl of UW-River Falls in 22:01. Leading Hope was freshman Susan Savasky in 76th place (24:45). Other Hope finishers were Anne Hoekstra, 93rd (24:57); Elle Munoa, 100th (25:02); Emily Fischer, 105th (25:07); Jackie Ellis, 138th (25:31); Marlie Johnson, 154th (25:46); and Claire Bird, 173rd (26:01).

Hope Teams Compete at MIAA Jamboree (9/22/07)
Women's Results / Men's Results
The Flying Dutch finished second and the Flying Dutchmen were third in the season's first MIAA Jamboree hosted by Tri-State on Saturday. Calvin won both races posting perfect scores. Hope's first finisher in the women's race was freshman Susan Savasky in 11th place. In the men's race, the first Hope finisher was junior Zach King, also in 11th.

Hope Teams Compete at MSU Invitational (9/14/07)
Women's Results / Men's Results
Hope's cross country teams competed in the Michigan State University Spartan Invitational on Friday. The Flying Dutch finished seventh in the 10-team women's field while the Flying Dutchmen were nine among 11 men's entries.

Grand Valley State won the men's 6K with a total of 27 points. Hope ended with 233 points. The individual winner was Nate Peck of Grand Valley in 24:32. Hope finishers were Robert Bailey, 29th (26:20); Paul VanderVelde, 41st (26:42); Matt Wiersum, 50th (27:16); Eric Anderson, 56th (27:54); Kevin Hagan, 57th (27:56); Lucas Wolthuis, 58th (27:57); and Jeff Layman, 59th (27:58).

Host Michigan State scored a perfect 15 points in winning the women's 5K. Hope totaled 190 points. The race was won by Nicole Bush of MSU in 20:39. Hope finishers were Anne Hoekstra, 31st (23:47); Elle Munoa, 37th (24:02); Susan Savasky, 38th (24:03); Emily Fischer, 41st (24:20); Claire Bird, 43rd (24:29); Jackie Ellis, 46th (24:46); and Marlie Johnson, 47th (24:56).

Vanderbilt Invitational Launches Season (9/1/07)
Alltime Men's Results / Alltime Women's Results
The cross country season began with the traditional home Bill Vanderbilt Invitational on Saturday. Cornerstone won both the men's and women's races while Hope was second in the women and third in the men. Hope sophomore Jackie Ellis (pictured right) won the women's 3K in 19:37. The first Hope finisher in the men's 5K was junior Paul VanderVelde in fifth (26:52). results

A blend of returning letterwinners and athletes new to Hope cross country are reason for optimism as the Flying Dutchmen approach the 2007 season.

The 2006 Flying Dutchmen finished second in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) and were fifth at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Hope’s best finish since 1991.

Coach Mark Northuis begins his 19th season at the helm of the Hope cross country program. He also coaches the distance runners in Hope’s track and field program.

The pre-season roster includes 14 returning letterwinners. There are nine freshmen, five sophomores, six juniors and five seniors. Two of Hope’s top five finishers at last year’s Regional return.

Co-captains of the team are seniors Seth Weener of Grandville, Mich. (Grandville HS) and Nick Zendler of Flint, Mich. (Carmen-Ainsworth HS).

Returning runners who achieved All-MIAA distinction in 2006 include Seth Weener, and junior Rob Bailey of Portage, Ind. (Portage HS). Weener competed in the NCAA Division III championships.

Other returning letterwinners include sophomore Eric Anderson of Ann Arbor, Mich. (Pioneer HS), sophomore Ryan Jara of Commerce Township, Mich. (Walled Lake North HS), junior Zach King of Portage, Mich. (Portage Northern HS), senior Jeff Layman of Holland, Mich. (West Ottawa HS), junior Carl Morrison of Pickford, Mich. (Pickford HS), junior James Ralston of Holly, Mich. (Fenton HS), sophomore Ryan Summers of Naperville, Ill. (Naperville Central HS), senior Jason Todd of Niles, Mich. (Niles HS), junior Paul VanderVelde of Lawrence, Kan. (Free State HS), sophomore Matt Wiersum of Minnetonka, Minn. (Minnetonka HS), and sophomore Lucas Wotlhuis of Vicksburg, Mich. (Vicksburg HS).

The Flying Dutchmen excelled in the classroom in 2006 receiving a Team GPA Award from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Team Academic All-America honors from the College Cross Country Coaches Association. The Flying Dutchmen will open the season on Saturday, Sept. 1 by hosting the Bill Vanderbilt Invitational. It will be the team’s only home meet. The regular season schedule will culminate with the MIAA championships at Albion on Saturday, Oct. 27, the NCAA Regional at Calvin on Nov. 10 and the Division III national championships at Northfield, Minn. on Nov. 17.