In 2014, the Hope College women's track & field team is aiming to build on a 2013 season that featured several achievements, including two school records.
Coach Kevin Cole begins his ninth season with a women's roster of 48 athletes. There are 12 seniors, eight juniors, 17 sophomores and 11 freshmen.
Co-captains for this year's team are seniors Catherine Calyore of Naples, Fla. (Barron Collier HS), Sheri McCormack of Holland (West Ottawa HS), Caitlin Schwark of Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton-Warrenville South HS), and Catherine White of Barre, Vt. (Spaulding HS).
Hope continues its indoor season on Saturday, Feb. 15, when it competes at the Calvin College Indoor Invitational.
The Flying Dutch start their outdoor season on Friday and Saturday, March 14-15, when they travel to the Rhodes (Tenn.) Open.
Hope will host one outdoor event at the Gordon M. Brewer Track this spring. The Flying Dutch will square off against Calvin College in a "friendly" dual meet that does not count toward the MIAA standings.
The MIAA Field Day is Thursday and Friday, May 1-2, at Alma College.
The Flying Dutch placed second at the 2013 MIAA Field Day after winning five events.
In McCormack, Hope returns a runner who is the reigning MIAA champion in the 800 and 1,500 meters. McCormack finished 14th at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in the 1,500. She is the school record holder in the 1,500.
Calyore is back from a school-record setting 1,600 relay last season, along with sophomores Jane Pearson of Lake City (Northern Michigan Christian HS) and Aurelie McCarus of Lansing (Catholic Central HS).
Hope brings back five athletes who are three-time letterwinners: Calyore, McCormack, Schwark, pole vaulter Amelia Stanley of Grand Rapids (Northview HS) and White.
The Flying Dutch graduated Sarah Venlet, a four-time qualifier for nationals who finished eighth in the 400 hurdles last season. She was the second Hope athlete to earn All-America honors in the event.
