Flying Dutch Compete at NCAA Regional
Results
The Flying Dutch finished ninth in the field of 34 women's teams for their first top-ten finish at the NCAA Great Lakes regional since 2004. Freshman Kate Nelson led Hope with a 36th place finish among the 233 runners. She missed all-region honors by one spot. Calvin won the women's 6K scoring 42 points while Hope total 281 points. Hope's finishers were Nelson, 36th (23:45); freshman Karlyn Sikma, 50th (24:01); freshman Kelly Luftkin, 64th (24:09); sophomore Susan Savasky, 68th (24:25); sophomore Claire Bird, 77th (24:34); senior Kate Freshour, 100th (24:59); and sophomore Emily Fischer, 128th (25:24).

Flying Dutch Finish Second in MIAA
MIAA CC Results
The Flying Dutch finished runnerup at the MIAA championships and ended second in the league's seasonal standings. Hope's first three finishers in the women's meet were freshmen, Karli Sikma 10th, Kate Nelson 11th and Kelly Lufkin 12th.

Flying Dutch Win Vanderbilt Invitational
Vanderbilt History / 2008 Invitational Results
The Flying Dutch celebrated the start of the season by winning their own Vanderbilt Invitational championship. The Hope men's team also won the championship. It marks the seventh time since the joint men's/women's invitational started in 1980 that both Hope teams are champions. The Flying Dutch took advantage of running as pack as the top five runners were within 20 seconds of each other. Andi Ruth Owens of Cornerstone won the race (19:24) while the next five runners were all from Hope. The Flying Dutch were led by sophomore Emily Fischer of Naperville, Ill. (19:39), followed by #3 Karli Sikma (19:50), #4 Joanne Gabl (19:51), #5 Kate Nelson (19:53); and #6 Kelly Lufkin (19:59).