The Hope College men's soccer team and first-year head coach David Blahnik are eager to enter the pitch. 

The Flying Dutchmen return 16 letterwinners for the 2022 season and are looking to carry over last season's success. The orange and blue posted a 11-4-3 overall record last season and climbed their way to the MIAA Tournament semifinal before falling to Kalamazoo in a season-ending loss. Hope strung together two different five-game winning streaks.

2022 Schedule

The Flying Dutchmen begin their 2022 season with a two-game homestand at Van Andel Soccer Stadium over Labor Day weekend. On Friday, September 2, the men host Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) at 7 p.m. and on Saturday, September 3 at 7 p.m., welcome the University of Redlands (California) to campus.

Hope then goes on a five-game road trip before returning home to host Heidelberg University (Ohio) on Saturday, September 24, which will also be a free team poster giveaway. 

MIAA league play begins on Wednesday, October 5, on the road against Adrian College at 7 p.m.

Hope will host its Purple Community game benefitting Van Andel Institute on Saturday, October 15, at 2:30 p.m. against Olivet College.

MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll

The Flying Dutchmen finished third in the 2022 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll with 20 points. Hope totaled 20 points and placed behind first-place Calvin University (seven points and seven first-place votes) and second-place Kalamazoo College (16 points and one first-place vote). Hope finished ahead of Trine University (21 points), Albion College (35), Alma College (38), Olivet College (40) and Adrian College (47). Coaches could not vote for their own teams.

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: David Blahnik, first season 
Assistant Coaches: Cory Miller, Connor Fowler, Ken Huber
Student Assistant Coach: Zach Riordan

2022 Roster

The Flying Dutchmen's roster of 25 players features three 2021 All-MIAA selections. Junior midfielder Matt Wimmer (Farmington Hills, Michigan / Detroit Jesuit) earned first-team honors last season. Senior defender and business major Jackson Strabel (Grand Rapids, Michigan / East Kentwood) and junior midfielder and mechanical engineering/physics major Ethan Jansen. 

Senior midfielder and mechanical engineering major Nic Kubert (Rochester Hills, Michigan / Avondale HS) is Hope's leading returning goal scorer after tallying a career-high six last season. 

Wimmer finished fourth on the team in scoring in 2021 with three goals and two assists. 

Sophomore goalkeeper and physical/health education major Daniel Hesselbein (Barrington, Illinois / Barrington Community) went 2-2-2 with a 0.81 goals against average in 2021.

By the Numbers

Over 59 seasons, the Flying Dutchmen have recorded a 600-312-68 overall record for a .647 winning percentage.

Hope has made the NCAA Tournament fourteen times during its history, with a regional semifinal shootout loss in 2002, and a quarterfinals shootout loss in 1994. 

The Flying Dutch outscored their opponents by a 31-15 margin during the 2021 season. Hope recorded 147 shots on goal to opponents' 68.

Van Andel Soccer Stadium has offered a home-field advantage since the facility opened in 2009. The Flying Dutchmen own an 82-28-7 record there, including a 51-19-1 mark in MIAA play. 

Coach's Outlook

"This team has been pretty resilient during preseason, and has exceeded expectations of our training environment. The guys have bought into what we're trying to do and given us everything they can, and we're doing a lot more in the classroom, in the film sessions, and trying to translate that to their field, and they're buying in. This team really wants to succeed, and they understand that that takes an element of work too, not just saying they want to succeed. I am really happy with their mindset and their mentality knowing that they have to put in the work, both physically and mentally and take care of themselves off the field as well. I think we have a lot of difficult opportunities this year that will prepare us for the end of the year. We have one of the more difficult non-conference seasons in Hope men's soccer history. It's a good challenge for the guys getting through a tough non-conference schedule, going into the conference schedule and then hopefully into postseason play." - David Blahnik