by Alan Babbitt

The Hope College women's indoor track and field team posted five performances and a school record in the Top 12 at the season-opening Grand Valley State University Holiday Open on Friday.

The non-scoring meet primarily featured mostly NCAA Division I and II entrants. The Flying Dutch had a select group compete at the meet.

Junior Ana Tucker (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow HS) finished 10th in the 5,000 meters with a converted school-record time on GVSU's oversized track of 17 minutes, 5.30 seconds. Tucker, pictured left, eclipsed her own time of 17:11.98 from last season.

School Records

In the 3,000 meters, three Flying Dutch placed.

Senior Jacinda Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) recorded the fastest time in the H2 division with a run of 10 minutes, 8.69 seconds.

Freshman Maddy Struck (Hainesville, Illinois / Greyslake Central) came in 11th at 11:14.52. 

Sophomore Emily Scott (Naperville, Illinois / Naperville) was 13th at 11:30.16.

In the weight throw, junior Amelia Bont (Chesterfield, Michigan / Anchor Bay) placed 12th with a heave of 12.92 meters (42 feet, 4.75 inches).

In the shot put, Bont tossed a 12th-place throw of 11.31 meters (37-1 ¼).

Freshman Marlie McDonald (Saranac, Michigan / Lowell) was 19th at 9.37 meters (30-9).

In the 200-meter dash, junior Helen Dodge (Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan / Grosse Pointe South) finished 17th in the 200 meters by clocking a time of 26.65 seconds.

Junior Amanda Lines (Naples, Florida / First Baptist Academy) was 30th at 26.99.

In the 5,000 meters, sophomore Rebecca Markahm (Hoffman Estates, Illinois / William Fremd) clocked a 20th-place run of 17:57.89.

Lines also posted Hope's top performance in the 60-meter dash (30th, 8.21 seconds). Dodge tied for 32nd at 8.23 seconds.

Hope's next meet is the GVSU Bob Eubanks Open on Saturday, Jan. 15.