Head coach Mark Northuis sees a hungry group of runners on the Hope College men's cross country team. Their drive gives him a boost of optimism for the 2015 season.
"First thing they needed to do was improve their loaded base in the summer," Northuis said. "They came in ready to compete rather than in past years where they tried to get in shape as the season went on."
The Flying Dutchmen open the season on Saturday, Sept. 5, with the 50th Vanderbilt Invitational. Start time is 10:30 a.m. at Ridge Point Church.
Click here to read more about the Vanderbilt Invitational.
Hope returns fifth-year senior Ben Zank of Midland, Michigan (H.H. Dow), a NCAA Division III National Championships qualifier last season, along with four other runners who competed in the regional meet. Zank, pictured, placed 120th at nationals.
The Flying Dutchmen's other returning regional qualifiers are juniors Joseph Beemer of St. Joseph, Michigan (St. Joseph HS), Tyler Brinks of Commerce Township, Michigan (Walled Lake Northern HS), and Julian Morrison of Aurora, Illinois (Waubonsie Valley HS), and sophomore Ben Pederson of Mount Prospect, Illinois (Mount Prospect HS).
Northuis said the offseason work allows the Flying Dutchmen to hit the ground running with more to work with.
"Now it's maturing as a team since only a few of them had experience at the national level," Northuis said. "They're going to have to be able to gain it in a hurry and do well come November."
Hope's roster of 27 runners features 10 seniors, five juniors, four sophomores and eight freshmen.
Other seniors for the Flying Dutchmen are Kyle Anderson of Shorewood, Minnesota (Minnetonka HS), Ryan Boxeth of Saline, Michigan (Saline HS), Austin Elluru of Kalamazoo, Michigan (Hackett HS), Matt Hughes of Kenosha, Wisconsin (Home School), Jacob Lazar of Fairfax Station, Virginia (South County HS), Noah Litwiller of Delavan, Illinois (Olympia HS), Frank Moen of St. Joseph, Michigan (Lake Michigan Catholic HS), and Matt Rolain of Rochester, Michigan (Stoney Creek HS).
Rounding out Hope's junior class are Leland Cook of Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Central HS), and Cameron Jones of Holland, Michigan (Black River HS).
Hope's sophomore class includes Kyle Funk of Grand Haven, Michigan (Grand Haven HS), William Henkel of Lambertville, Michigan (Erie-Mason HS), and Jacob Jansen of Johnston, Iowa (Johnston HS).
Hope's freshman class features Prescott Binder of Zeeland, Michigan (Zeeland East HS), Ian Demrose of Macomb, Michigan (Dakota HS), Ryan Holman of Holmen, Wisconsin (Holmen HS), Nicholas Johnson of Grand Haven, Michigan (Grand Haven HS), Nathan Schloff of Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grand Rapids Christian HS), Zach Terpstra of Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grand Rapids Christian HS), and Collin Thomas of Novi, Michigan (Novi HS).
The Flying Dutchmen host two home meets this season: the Vanderbilt Invitational and the Sept. 26 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Jamboree at West Ottawa Golf Club.
The MIAA Championships are Oct. 31 and will be hosted by Olivet College.
The Division III Great Lakes Regional is Nov. 14 in Terre Haute, Indiana.
The Division III national championships are Nov. 21 in Winneconne, Wisconsin.
