by Dena Meiste
The Hope College women's track and field team won an astonishing 11 of the 19 events contested at the Albion College Spring Thaw to win the meet by a 165-point margin.
The Dutch scored 267 total points, well ahead of second-place finisher Albion with 102.
Of the seven different student-athletes to pick up individual victories, three topped the field in more than one event.
Grace Behrens (Mishawaka, Indiana / Trinity School At Greenlawn), pictured right, won both the 200 and 400-meter races. The sophomore clocked a 26.06 in the 200 to edge out teammates Amanda Lines (26.50) and Helen Dodge (26.75).
Behrens was the only runner in the 400 to come in under the 1-minute mark, lowering her season-best time in the process to 59.29.
Senior Hannah Kenny (Grand Haven, Michigan / Grand Haven), pictured middle, ran career-best times in both of her victories, topping the field in the 800 meters (2:18.46) and 1,500 meters (4:42.14).
In the field events, Addyson Gerig, pictured left, had another solid meet, emerging triumphant in the high jump and triple jump. The West Ottawa High School graduate cleared a height of 1.51 meters in the high jump while traveling 10.43 meters in the triple jump.
Dodge (Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan / Grosse Pointe South) chalked a win in the 100 meters, crossing the finish line at the 12.97 mark, ahead of Lines (Naples, Florida / First Baptist Academy), who earned her second runner-up finish of the day.
Dodge and Lines teamed up with Kimmie Drake (Katy, Texas / Seven Lakes) and Behrens in the 4x100 meter relay to complete the race in 48.78 and take first place. The group nearly set a new program record, falling just short of the 48.34 standard set back in 2009.
In the 400-meter hurdles, Claire Benedict turned in a first-place effort with a time of 1:06.97. The sophomore out of Ada, Mich. (Forest Hills Eastern) also produced a second-place result in the 100-meter hurdles.
Benedict was also a part of the winning 4x400 meter relay squad. Along with Julie Timperman (Lafayette, Indiana / Faith Christian), Samantha Schermerhorn (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City West) and Behrens, the crew crossed the line ahead of the field with a final mark of 4:08.30.
Bethany Colbrunn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) and Laura Klubeck (Zeeland, Michigan / Holland Christian) shared the top spot on the podium in the pole vault. Both competitors cleared 2.75 meters to land in a tie for first place.
Next up, the Flying Dutch travel to nearby Grand Valley State University for the Al Owens Classic on April 16-17.
