The Hope College men's track & field team is aiming to contend in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association during the 2015 season.
Coach Kevin Cole begins his 10th season with a roster of 55 athletes that is comprised of eight seniors, 11 juniors, 12 sophomores and 24 freshmen.
Co-captains for this season are senior Zach Brandwein of Crystal Lake, Illinois (Central HS), senior Jacob Everly of Woodstock, Illinois (Marian Catholic Central HS), and senior Tim Simon of Richland, Michigan (Gull Lake HS).
The Flying Dutchmen compete in their first outdoor meet on March 13-14 at the Southern Invitational in Birmingham, Alabama.
Photo of Erik Gonzalez
Hope does not have a home meet this season. The Flying Dutchmen will travel to Calvin on March 31 for a dual meet that does not count toward the MIAA standings and to Adrian on April 11 for a MIAA Jamboree.
The MIAA Field Day is April 30-March 1 at Albion.
Other multiple letterwinners returning for Hope include one three-time honoree in senior Zach Zandbergen of Grandville, Michigan (Grandville HS) and seven two-time honorees: junior Kyle Anderson of Shorewood, Minnesota (Minnetonka HS), junior Joseph Beemer of St. Joseph, Michigan (St. Joseph HS), junior Dion Goliday of Muskegon, Michigan (Oakridge HS), junior Noah Litwiller of Delavan, Illinois (Olympia HS), junior Boone Marois of Traverse City, Michigan (Central HS), junior Matt Webb of Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grandville HS) and senior Ben Zank of Midland, Michigan (H.H. Dow HS).
Sophomore Tyler Brinks of Commerce Township, Michigan (Walled Lake Northern HS), returns after racing in the steeplechase last summer at the United States Track & Field Junior Outdoor Championships at the University of Oregon.
Hope finished second in the 2014 MIAA standings after winning the league jamboree and taking second at Field Day. The Flying Dutchmen graduated all three of their All-MIAA athletes.
Also in 2014, Hope was one of 93 NCAA Division III teams across the country to claim All-Academic Team honors from the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association.
