The Hope College women's cross country team ran its way to a sweet repeat of Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships.
The Flying Dutch claimed their second MIAA championship in a row on Saturday in Albion by winning the league's championship event with 33 points at Tomac Woods Golf Course.
Hope coach Mark Northuis said strong senior leadership and a cohesive team pack made a big difference for the Flying Dutch.
"The ladies approached the meet with a determination to give what they had, and they accomplished it," Northuis said. "We are very proud of the effort the whole team put forth."
Hope recorded seven of the fastest 13 times during the 6K, including all five of its scoring runners in the Top 10. The Flying Dutch finished 12 points ahead of runner-up Calvin.
Erin Herrmann, named the MIAA's Most Valuable Runner, clocked the top time of the meet with a run of 21 minutes, 37.9 seconds. The senior from Wheaton, Illinois (Wheaton-Warrenville South HS) finished 20 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor.
Herrmann is the sixth Hope runner to earn MIAA Most Valuable Runner honors. She follows Tauna Jecmen (1987-88), Katy Conlen (1991), Marcia Vandersall Bannink (1992), Tina Pike (2004) and Sheri McCormack (2013).
Senior Emily Joosse of Chillicothe, Ohio (Zane Trace) took fifth for Hope by posting a time of 22:46.3.
Sophomore Avery Lowe of North Muskegon, Michigan (North Muskegon) came in eighth at 23:10.2.
Joosse and Lowe joined Herrmann as All-MIAA First Team selections.
Sophomore Emily Hamilton of Naperville, Illinois (North) placed ninth at 23:11.7.
Junior Alissa Frazee of Watervliet, Michigan (Home School) rounded out Hope's scoring with a 10th-place effort of 23:17.1.
Freshman Kelly Peregrine of Traverse City, Michigan (Central) finished 11th at 23:18.1. Freshman Chelsea Miskelley of Holland, Michigan (Black River) was 13th at 23:24.0.
Hamilton, Frazee, Peregrine and Miskelley all claimed All-MIAA Second Team honors.
The MIAA title is the eighth all-time for the Flying Dutch. They claimed the outright championship after winning on Saturday and taking second at the September 24 MIAA Jamboree. The league championship race counts two-thirds of the overall standings.
Hope repeated as MIAA champions for the second time. The Flying Dutch joined the 1985-87 teams who three-peated.
Hope is now idle until the November 12 NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional at West Ottawa Golf Club.
