2023 Women's Cross Country Season Preview

The Hope College women's cross country team is determined to carry on a proud tradition of competitive excellence.

Despite the graduation of several talented runners, including All-American and fourth-place at nationals finisher Ana Tucker, the Flying Dutch are eyeing continuing their reign as MIAA champions and NCAA DIvision III Championships qualifiers.

Hope has been MIAA champion a program-best seven consecutive times, a streak that dates back to 2015. The Flying Dutch have been to nationals 12 consecutive seasons as well.

2023 Schedule

The Flying Dutch start the season on Friday, Sept. 1. at the Comet Open hosted by the University of Olivet at Broadway Acres Golf Club in Charlotte.

Hope will travel to five more regular-season meets, including the Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday, Sept. 30, at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Kentucky and the Pre-National Invitational hosted by Dickinson College on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Big Spring High School in Newville, Pennsylvania.

The MIAA Championships will be hosted by Hope on Saturday, Oct. 28, at Three Fires Golf Club in Holland.

The Flying Dutch will head to Norton, Ohio, for the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional on Saturday, Nov. 11, at Silver Creek Metro Park.

If Hope qualifies, the NCAA Championships are held on Saturday, Nov. 18, at Big Spring High School in Newville, Pennsylvania.

2023 Roster

Three runners who raced at the 2022 NCAA Division III Championships are back on the course for the Flying Dutch.

Fifth-year senior Rebecca Markham (Hoffman Estates, Illinois / William Fremd HS) is a three-time letterwinner and civil engineering major.

Senior Olivia Quillan (Grandville, Michigan / Calvin Christian) is also a three-time letterwinner as well as a nursing major.

Sophomore Madison Stern (Saline, Michigan / Saline) is an elementary education major.

The Flying Dutch also brought back sophomore Maddy Struck (Hainesville, Illinois / Grayslake Central), who raced at regionals.

Coaching Staff

Head coach Mark Northuis '82 has guided the Flying Dutch since 1988. Over 34 seasons, the Flying Dutch have qualified for the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Nationals Championships 15 times, earned three NCAA regional titles and claimed MIAA women's titles 10 times.

As a student-athlete, Northuis was a five-time, All-MIAA cross country and track runner at Hope. He won the 1980 MIAA Cross Country Championships. He finished in the top five at the MIAA meet each of his four years. He finished 27th as both a junior and senior at the NCAA Division III national championship meet. In track, Northuis won the 5,000-meter run at the 1980 MIAA Field Day. He is still the Hope record holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and six-mile run.

The Hope coaching staff features two returners: associate head coach Brian VanZanten '95 and assistant coach Avery Lowe '19.

There are two new assistant coaches: Mike Northuis, Mark's brother and a long-time high school cross country coach, and James Rogers '14.

Coach's Outlook

"We knew there was going to come a time where we were going to some lose high-producing seniors. What we did over the last couple of years was prepare the younger runners by getting them the experience they were going to need for conference meets and the postseason. We wanted them to run at some big meets and get used to the pressure. Now it's a lot of fun. They can just get out and race. We feel very good, especially with the newer runners. This summer, we have done more miles than we've ever done. It's showing early." — Mark Northuis

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Players Mentioned

Ana Tucker: Senior

Maddy Struck: Junior; Exercise Science

Rebecca Markham: Senior; Civil Engineering

Olivia Quillan: Senior; Nursing

Madison Stern: Sophomore; Elementary Education

Players Mentioned

Ana Tucker
: Senior

Maddy Struck
: Junior; Exercise Science

Rebecca Markham
: Senior; Civil Engineering

Olivia Quillan
: Senior; Nursing

Madison Stern
: Sophomore; Elementary Education