by Alan Babbitt
Five Hope College fall sports teams are ranked in national polls this week: women's cross country, men's golf, men's soccer, women's soccer, and volleyball.
The highest-ranked team is women's soccer, which is fifth in the latest D3soccer.com Top 25 and 13th in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll.
Head coach Leigh Sears and the Flying Dutch are 7-0-1 on the season after winning Thursday's Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association opener at Kalamazoo.
Hope returns to action on Saturday at noon against Olivet College at Van Andel Soccer Stadium. There will be a free team poster giveaway and post-match autographs.
Women's cross country is ninth in the latest United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III rankings.
Head coach Mark Northuis and the Flying Dutch also are first in the USTFCCCA Great Lakes regional poll. Hope returns to competition on Saturday at the Greater Louisville Invitational.
The volleyball team moved up one spot to 12th in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association rankings.
Head coach Becky Schmidt's Flying Dutch take an 11-2 record into the three-match Millikin University (Illinois) Showcase this weekend.
The 7-0 men's soccer team rose to 20th in the D3soccer.com Top 25 and 21st in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
Head coach Dave Brandt and the Flying Dutchmen are back in action Friday with a 5 p.m. match at Marymount University (Virginia).
The men's golf team has been ninth in the Bushnell Golfweek Division III rankings since August.
Head coach Scott Lokers and the Flying Dutchmen compete next at the MIAA Jamboree at Medalist Golf Club in Marshall, Michigan. The 18-hole event begins Thursday at 1 p.m.
