The Hope College softball team and first-year head coach Brittney Harvey are fired up to step onto the field.
The Flying Dutch return 13 letterwinners for the 2023 season, including two All-MIAA selections.
The orange and blue posted a 26-12 overall record last season and climbed their way to the MIAA Tournament championship roundup before falling to eventual national runner-up Trine University. Harvey was an assistant coach for the Thunder last season.
The Flying Dutch begin their 2023 season with a three-game weekend in Edwardsville, Illinois taking on Fontbonne University, Carroll University and DePauw University on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 24-25.
On Saturday, March 4, the orange and blue host Defiance College for a double-header beginning at 1 p.m. at Wolters Stadium. Hope then travels on their spring break trip to Florida for a plethora of games including 11 different opponents in six days.
MIAA league play begins on Monday, April 10, on the road against Saint Mary's College at 3 p.m.
The Flying Dutch is projected to challenge for an MIAA title this spring after tying for second in the 2023 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll with 55 points. Hope tied with Calvin University for second place. Defending league champion Trine University finished first with 63 points and seven first-place votes. Calvin received the other two first-place votes.
Head Coach: Brittney Harvey, first season
Assistant Coach: Mercede Daugherty
Hope returns two All-MIAA First Team selections from last season to its roster of 22: junior infielder Grace Henry and senior infielder Lexi Potapczak.
Henry (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville HS) led the MIAA last season with 64 plate appearances and 60 at-bats. A biology major, Henry batted .393 in 2022 with three home runs, 33 runs scored and 23 RBIs.
Potapczak (Naperville, Illinois / Benet Academy) hit .421 with five home runs and 28 RBIs last season.
By the Numbers
1.74
Earned run average last season for returning pitcher Alaina Adams, which ranked her fourth in the MIAA. The Flying Dutch helped their pitches with a .963 fielding percentage, the second-highest among MIAA teams
4
Four student-athletes return for the Flying Dutch after starting all 38 games last season: OF Peyton Benjamin, IF Cayley Ebeling, IF Grace Henry, IF Lexi Potapczak.
6
The number of Hope College softball head coaches all-time: Brittney Harvey (present), Mary VandeHoef (2011-22), Karla Wolters (1988-2010), Anne Irwin (1977-87), Barb Bassett (1976), and Chris Blauwkamp (1975).
20
The Flying Dutch have won at least 20 games in eight consecutive full seasons. The lone exception was the 2021 shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where Hope went 2-1. The Flying Dutch's record during that stretch is 203-109 for a .650 winning percentage.
884
All-time wins for the Flying Dutch since their first season in 1975. The Flying Dutch own an 884-628-2 overall record for a winning percentage of .584.
Coach's Outlook
"These girls are just super excited for a new start. They all have huge hearts, they're ready to fight and ready to move forward. They've shown up every day at practice, so I'm super excited for when we can actually hit the field. I think this season's schedule is a huge opportunity to show how talented this team is. I think they're going to face every game this year with a new challenge and it is going to show them how strong they are." - Brittney Harvey
