by Alan Babbitt
Hope College crowned three individual champions and charged to a second-place finish at the MIAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Friday.
Runners Nick Hoffman and Eli Meder joined thrower Aidan Kyle in recording first-place finishes. The Flying Dutchmen rose two spots during the final day of the two-day competition at Albion College to finish with a runner-up total of 161 points.
"That was the possible outcome I was hoping for. We wanted to finish ahead of Calvin. We were much closer to Trine than I expected," head coach Kevin Cole said. "Everybody ran, jumped and competed really well. It was a great team effort."
Photo of Nick Hoffman (172) and Eli Meder (183) by Lynne Powe
Day 1 Recap
Hoffman (Holland, Michigan / Holland) repeated as MIAA champion in the 1,500 meters by clocking a winning time of 4 minute, 1.80 seconds.
The senior is the fourth Flying Dutchmen runner to repeat as MIAA champ in the event. Hoffman joins Ryan Terlouw (2006-07), Erik Carpenter (1994-96), and Mark Southwell (1982-83).
Meder (Williamston, Michigan / Lansing Catholic) edged Hoffman in the 800-meter final by clocking a time of 1:54.79 to Hoffman's 1:55.04. The junior is the Flying Dutchmen's 12th MIAA champion in the event.
Kyle (Weston, Connecticut / Weston), pictured, became Hope's 11th MIAA javelin champion. The freshman heaved a season-best toss of 47.31 meters (155 feet, 2 inches).
Hope's All-Time MIAA Event Champions
Hope finished second in three events on Friday, including both relays.
In the 4x100 relay, Alex Daniels, Nathan Woolum, Drew Dow, and Nathan Trumble clocked a time of 42.48 seconds.
In the 4x400 relay, David McHugh, Dow, Trumble, and Woolum posted a run of 3:19.13.
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, sophomore Dan Campbell (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton) finished runner-up with a season-best time of 9:41.56.
The Flying Dutchmen scored in 12 more events.
In the 400 hurdles, Woolum (Mattawan, Michigan / Mattawan) took third by clocking a time of 56.81. McHugh placed fourth at 58.54. Samuel Miller (Zionsville, Indiana / Zionsville) was fourth with 1:01.39.
In the 200, Daniels (Holland, Michigan / Holland) recorded a third-place and season-best run of 22.37. Trumble (Granger, Indiana / Trinity School at Greenlawn) was seventh with a season-best 22.93.
In the 100, Daniels sprinted to a fourth-place and season-best time of 11.06. Trumble was seventh with a season-best 11.27.
In the 800, Connor Vachon (Jenison, Michigan / Jenison) finished fourth with a time of 1:56.82. Lucas Guidone (Chicago, Illinois / Taft) was sixth at 1:58.58.
In the javelin, Andrew Knieper (Lake Orion, Michigan / Lake Orion) tossed a fourth-place throw of 44.66 meters (146-6).
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Anders Bogard (Mattawan, Michigan / Kalamazoo Christian) placed fourth with a run of 9:51.04.
In the 110 hurdles, Jackson Player (San Antonis, Texas / Winston Churchill) clocked a fifth-place and season-best time of 15.58. Woolum placed sixth at 16.52. McHugh was seventh at 16.57.
In the 400, Dow (Bridgman, Michigan / Bridgman) recorded a fifth-place run of 51.04. Kyle was sixth at 51.60.
In the high jump, Player took sixth by clearing 1.75 meters (5-8 ¾). Case VanderZee (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian) was eighth at 1.70 meters (5-7).
In the 1,500 meters, Kyle finished sixth in the 1,500 with a run of 4:06.49.
In the discus, Tucker Babb (Caledonia, Michigan / Caledonia) placed seventh with a season-best toss of 37.68 meters (123-7).
In the triple jump, McHugh recorded a seventh-place and season-best leap of 12.82 meters (42-0). VanderZee was eighth at 12.75 meters (41-10).
Trine University won the meet with 228 points. After Hope, Calvin placed third with 153 points and was followed by Albion with 92, Adrian with 79, Olivet with 49, and Alma with 11.
