The Hope College women's cross country team is attracting national attention heading into the 2015 season. Coach Mark Northuis and the Flying Dutch are ranked ninth in the preseason United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Cross Country poll.
Click here to see the national poll.
Hope returns five of the seven runners who earned points at the 2014 Division III National Championships, where the Flying Dutch finished 23rd. It was Hope's fifth consecutive trip to nationals as a team and 12th overall.
Northuis said that amount of experience and depth makes a significant impact.
Seniors Julia Stock of Norton Shores, Michigan (Grand Haven HS), and Michelle Kerr of Dearborn, Michigan (Divine Child HS), lead the pack. They were the Flying Dutch's top performers at nationals in 2014, with Stock, pictured, finishing 107th and Kerr 137th.
Junior Emily Joosse of Chillicothe, Ohio (Zane Trace HS), and Erin Herrmann of Wheaton, Illinois (Wheaton-Warrenville HS), also return. Joosse finished 143rd at nationals, while Herrmann was 207th.
Sophomore Rachael Webb of Grandville, Michigan (Grandville HS), placed 257th at nationals as a freshman.
Junior Jessica Gaines of Sterling Heights, Michigan (Utica Academy) was among the group of 10 runners who traveled to nationals.
The Flying Dutch open the 2015 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, with the 50th Vanderbilt Invitational at Ridge Point Church. Start time is 10:30 a.m.
Hope's roster of 33 runners features four seniors, nine juniors, nine sophomores and 11 freshmen.
Northuis said his team will use its meets early in the season to train the new runners.
"We get to the big meets early to get some of the younger kids that experience," Northuis said. "We look for the kinds of freshmen who understand it's a whole new things of learning how to run in college. We really run as a group. We try to practice as a pack. We teach the underclassmen that approach. Having that experience is big."
Seniors Elizabeth Bransdorfer of Stafford, Virginia (Home School), and Leah Murray of Iowa City, Iowa (West HS), also return for Hope.
Other juniors include Caitlyn Campbell of Palatine, Illinois (Palatine HS), Claire Cooper of Williamston, Michigan (Williamston HS), Amanda Dort of Alpena, Michigan (Alpena HS), Mackenzie Govier of China, Michigan (Marine City HS), Kate Kooiker of Hamilton, Michigan (Hamilton HS) and Miranda Steele of LaPorte, Indiana (LaPorte HS).
Other sophomores include Alissa Frazee of Watervliet, Michigan (Home School), Kristen Godwin of Oxford, Michigan (Oxford HS), Theresa Gray of Mundelein, Illinois (Carmel Catholic HS), Alexis Guttilla of St. Charles, Illinos (Westminster Christian HS), Emily Krueger of Holt, Michigan (Holt HS), Marianne Lohrstorfer of Indianapolis (North Central HS), Alexandra Moxon of Naperville, Illinois (Naperville North HS), and Ashley Warner of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake HS).
Hope's freshman class includes Amanda Bentley of Somonauk, Illinois (Somonauk HS), Ellie Best of Portage, Michigan (Portage Central HS), Abby Couwenhoven of McKenna, Illinois (Lincoln-Way East HS), Kayla Gercak of Portage, Michigan (Portage Northern HS), Emily Hamilton of Naperville, Illinois (Naperville North HS), Kathleen Krug of Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids HS), Avery Lowe of North Muskegon, Michigan (North Muskegon HS), Sarah Neumar of Ann Arbor, Michigan (Huron HS), Kelly Ocock of Palatine, Illinois (Palatine HS), Mackenzie Schmidt of Spring Lake, Michigan (Spring Lake HS), and Allison Utting of Grandville, Michigan (Grandville HS).
The Flying Dutch host two home meets this season: the Vanderbilt Invitational and the Sept. 26 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Jamboree at West Ottawa Golf Club.
Click here to read more about the Vanderbilt Invitational.
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.
