The Hope men's cross country team is aiming for another successful season in 2013. The Flying Dutchmen are coming off a season in which they finished second in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) and 12th among 37 teams at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional.

Hope owns a long history of competitiveness in the MIAA and nationally under veteran coach Mark Northuis, who is entering his 25th season. The Flying Dutchmen have placed third or higher every season in the conference standings. They also have been in the top 10 of the Great Lakes Regional eight of the past 10 years.

The preseason roster of 31 runners includes 22 returning letterwinners and six who ran in the Great Lakes Regional. There are eight seniors, four juniors, 11 sophomores and eight freshmen.

Senior co-captains are Sam Pederson of Mt. Prospect, Ill., (Mount Prospect HS) and James Rogers of Saginaw (Valley Lutheran HS).

Pederson received All-MIAA First Team All-Conference honors in 2012. He finished seventh at the MIAA Championships.

Pederson also scored at the NCAA Division III Regional meet, along with fellow returners — sophomore Joseph Beemer of St. Joseph (St. Joseph HS), senior Thomas Smeltzer of Frankfort (Benzie Central HS), junior Zack Zandbergen of Grandville (Grandville HS) and sophomore Kyle Anderson of Shorewood, Minn. (Minnetonka HS).

Zandbergen and senior Josh Kammeraad of Bethel Park, Pa., (Bethel Park HS) were chosen the team's most improved runners in 2012. Beemer was named the team's best newcomer.

Hope will host two home meets this season — the 48th annual Vanderbilt Invitational on August 31 at Ridge Point Church and the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championships on November 2 at West Ottawa Golf Course.