by Alan Babbitt

The Hope College softball team has given head coach Mary VandeHoef her 200th career victory during its spring break trip to Florida.

In her ninth season, VandeHoef is the second Flying Dutch softball coach to reach the 200-win milestone.

VandeHoef joins Karla Wolters, who posted a 515-320 record over 23 seasons from 1988-2010. VandeHoef followed Wolters as head coach at Hope.

VandeHoef owns a 203-128-2 overall record, including a 7-3 record this season.

The Flying Dutch have competed in the NCAA Division III Tournament three times during VandeHoef's tenure and advanced to the Super Regional round in 2018 after winning the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and NCAA regional tournaments.

In 2018, Hope won a school-record 34 wins under VandeHoef's guidance.

In 2017, the Flying Dutch won a share of the MIAA regular-season title.

VandeHoef has been an integral part of successful programs throughout her softball career as a player and a coach.

She was a co-captain of the Central College (Iowa) 2003 NCAA Division III national championship softball team. She was a four-time NCAA tournament participant and recipient of the Central's most inspirational player award three of her four seasons.

After graduating from Central, VandeHoef was an assistant coach at Ithaca (N.Y.) and her alma mater before becoming head coach at Hope. VandeHoef helped Ithaca reach the 2006 College World Series.