Hope College football player Dean DeVries suited up in the seventh annual Tazón de Estrellas (Bowl of the Stars) on Saturday, Dec. 19 in Baja, Mexico.
The senior punter from Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grandville HS) was on Team Stars & Stripes and was one of a record 27 NCAA Division III players on the team.
Under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Don DeWaard of Central, Iowa, Teams Stars & Stripes trained at the Mexicali, UABC and CETYS University campuses in Tijuana, Mexico.
Team Stars & Stripes faced CONADEIP All Stars selected from the CONADEIP private universities in Mexico at the Margarita Astiazrán de Fimbres Stadium in Baja and won. The Tazón de Estrellas series has the U.S. leading 4-3.
DeVries is the Flying Dutchmen's all-time leader with a career punting average of 40.5.
DeVries averaged 40.5 yards per punt on 49 attempts as a senior. He landed 23 inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
DeVries earned All-MIAA First Team honors as a junior, sophomore and freshman and All-MIAA Second Team honors as a senior.
DeVries is one of five players from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association on the Team Stars & Stripes roster. He joins Kalamazoo defensive back Octavius Sanders and linebacker Dylan Zerki, Adrian defensive back Mitch Osadchuk and Albion offensive lineman Chris Wilson.
