by Alan Babbitt

Hope College's Nick Hoffman is aiming for an All-America finish at the NCAA Division III Division Men's Cross Country Championships.

The senior from Holland, Michigan (Holland HS) will race in the 8K championships on Saturday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m. at E.P. Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky.

The first 40 finishers earn All-America distinction.

Head coach Mark Northuis said Hoffman is capable of achieving his goal of becoming the Flying Dutchmen's fourth All-American.

"If he runs like he ran last week (at regionals), in the same style of race, I think he has a very good chance of running in the All-American category," Northuis said. "The times that he has been running could put him in the upper 20s, lower 30s. That's what we're targeting for."

Photo of Nick Hoffman by Franklin College

Hoffman is striving to join a Hope All-American club that includes Steve Underwood (1981), Stu Scholl (19750, and Sheridan Shaffer (1961).

To qualify for nationals, Hoffman clocked the MIAA's fastest time at the November 13 Great Lakes Regional hosted by Franklin College in Shelbyville, Indiana.

The public accounting major recorded a run of 24 minutes, 47.6 seconds for fifth place out of 266 runners. Hoffman also earned all-region honors.

Northuis said Hoffman will start the race near runners who race in a similar style as him, which is helpful.

"The big thing is he has to be patient. His engine runs pretty high being a middle distance runner," Northui9s said. "You really have to be patient as you go because you can blow up pretty fast with his kind of leg speed, then just not have it at the end. The last couple of races we sort of figured out where we can push the limits and still have a good kick at the end.

"We have a very good starting box. We're right by some teams that run a similar race — sort of build throughout the race. He's going to be able to find those people and be able to run with them. It's nice not to have to do that whole strategy by himself."