Sprinters on the Hope College men's outdoor track & field team are picking up where they left off at the end of the indoor season in February.
The Flying Dutchmen's 4x100 relay clocked the second-fastest time in NCAA Division III on Saturday at the Rhodes Invitational in Memphis, Tennessee.
Sophomore Korey Derr of Grand Rapids, Michigan (Northview HS), sophomore Emmanuel Harinda of Holland, Michigan (Holland), sophomore Adam Howard of Jacksonville, Illinois (Routt Catholic), and junior Justin Freeman of Holland, Michigan (West Ottawa) raced around the track in 41.92 seconds.
Only George Fox (Oregon) has gone faster in Division III at 41.77.
Division III's Top Men's Track & Field Performances
Photo, from left, Adam Howard, Emmanuel Harinda, Korey Derr, and Justin Freeman
Head coach Kevin Cole said his sprinters are off to a great start for the outdoor season.
"Running that time, they should get even faster toward the end of the year once it warms up," Cole said. "Ever since the indoor season finished, the 4x100 relay has been a focus for them. They started talking about their goals and worked real hard on their handoffs. They put it together."
The 4x100 relay had terrific conditions during the meet, Cole said.
"We got in a heat where most of the teams were Division I or Division II. We got in a fast group. We got pulled along to a good time," Cole said. "The weather was ideal for us - 70 degrees, a wind. It was just about perfect."
The 4x100 relay is quickly within striking distance of the school record of 41.33 seconds. Freeman was on that relay as a freshman, along with Dion Goliday, Matt Pelyhes, and Boone Marois.
Cole said the 4x100 relay is determined to shave more time off.
The Flying Dutchmen are training in Florida this week before returning to competition Saturday at the Emory Invitational in Atlanta, Georgia.
"They still have some work to do to be the fastest," Cole said. "Part of it is making each individual person faster. It's refining those handoffs. It's trying to eke out every tenth-of-a-second we can."
