The Hope College men's lacrosse team opens the NCAA Division III Championships today at 4 p.m. with a second-round game against fourth-ranked Christopher Newport University (Va.). The winner advandes to the third-round game on Saturday, May 13, at 7 p.m. at CNU to play either Gettysburg College (Pa.) or Scranton University (Pa.).

Hope (12-5 overall) clinched a berth in the NCAA Championships by winning at top-seeded Albion College, 23-14, in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament championship game on Saturday. The Flying Dutchmen avenged their lone regular-season loss during MIAA play, a 21-12 loss at Albion on April 12 in the league opener. 

The Flying Dutchmen are on a season-high seven-game winning streak. During that stretch, Hope has held six opponents to less than 10 goals. Hope tied a season-best for goals allowed in a 19-2 home vs. Trine University (Ind.) on April 15 that started the winning streak.

This is the Flying Dutchmen's third appearance in the NCAA Championships and second time in the second round. Hope is 1-2 all-time in postseason play. In 2021, the Flying Dutchmen reached the second round with a 22-17, first-round victory against Benedictine University (Ill.) in Bloomington, Illinois, then lost to host Illinois Wesleyan University, 18-14, in the second round. In 2019, Hope lost to John Carroll University (Ohio), 7-6 in overtime, in first-round play in Rochester, N.Y.

Head coach Michael Schanhals has led the Flying Dutchmen for all 11 of their NCAA seasons. Since 2013, Hope is 111-51 as a Division III program. Schanhals also served as head coach of the Flying Dutchmen's club men's lacrosse team from 2005 to 2012. Schanhals also played goalie and attack on Hope's club team before graduating and was elected captain in 1990.

The Flying Dutchmen won their 100th game as an NCAA program earlier this season. Hope achieved the milestone on March 1 with a 9-6 victory against visiting Aurora University (IIl.).

Eight Hope student-athletes have received All-MIAA honors for the 2023 season from the league's coaches. Four earned first-team distinction: midfielder David Brace, attacker Michael Mann, defender Tucker Martinez and long pole Luke Wierengo. Four made the second team, all for the first time: face-off mid Caden Brainard, defender John Foster, midfielder Alex Goodall and short pole Marco Mularoni.

With 282 goals this season, the Flying Dutchmen are plus-106 in goal differential. The 282 goals are the most in a single season in program history. The 16.6 goals per game is the second-highest average in program history, trailing only the 2021 team's average of 18.40 over 15 games.

Junior attacker and public accounting major Michael Mann has scored a career-high 57 goals this spring and ranks third all-time for a single season. Mann needs eight goals to pass Gunnar Elder's 2016 school record of 64. This is Mann's second 50-goal season after recording 50 as a sophomore. Mann has 149 career goals in 51 games, second only at Hope to Gunnar Elder's 183 from 2014-17.

Four more Flying Dutchmen have 20 or more goals this season. Sophomore attacker and business major Sam Bowen is second on the team with a career-high 40 goals in 16 games. Sophomore midfielder and business major David Brace ranks third with 30 goals in 18 games. Senior attacker and business major Colin Stecco is fourth with 29 goals in 16 games, while senior attacker and civil engineering major Alex Goodall is fifth with 23 in just 11 games.

Colin Stecco's team-high 42 assists are the second-highest in program history, trailing Jack Radzville's 48 from 2021. This is Stecco's first lacrosse season at Hope. Stecco also skated on the Flying Dutchmen's ACHA Division III national runner-up team this season and their national champion ns in 2021 and 2020.