by Alan Babbitt
With the first game in 650 days on the horizon, the Hope College football team is back on campus this week for the start of fall camp.
The Flying Dutchmen's roster of 122 student-athletes will report to campus today Veterans and newcomers will check-in and participate in team meetings and orientation activities.
Hope, the 2019 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champions, will hold its first practice on the morning of Wednesday, August 11 at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium. Fall camp will run through Saturday, August 28.
This is the 111th season for the Flying Dutchmen. The 2021 season opener is Friday, September 3 against Anderson University (Indiana) at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
2021 Schedule | 2021 Roster
The game will be the first in 22 months for Hope, which last played on November 23, 2019, in an NCAA Division III first-round playoff loss to Wartburg College (Iowa). After the MIAA canceled the 2020 fall season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Flying Dutchmen chose not to play any MIAA games during the 2021 spring season and focused on practices instead.
This is the sixth season for Hope under the direction of head coach Peter Stuursma '93. During his tenure, he has led the Flying Dutchmen to a 32-9 overall record, including a 23-3 mark against MIAA opponents.
In 2019, Hope recorded its second nine-win season with a 9-2 overall record and claimed its 21st MIAA championship. The Flying Dutchmen also made their fifth NCAA playoff appearance.
Hope has finished second or higher in the MIAA standings in each Stuursma-led season.
This fall, the Flying Dutchmen return 34 letterwinners from the 2019 season. Three of them were All-MIAA selections in 2019: senior running back Kenyea Houston (first team), senior offensive tackle Brady Eding (second team), and senior linebacker Jeremiah Purnell (second team).
The Flying Dutchmen's first MIAA game is Saturday, October 2 against Kalamazoo College at Ray and Smith Stadium.
Hope will play six home games and four road games during the 2021 season.
