2024 Men's Track and Field Preview

The Hope College men's track and field team is ready to take a run at whatever the 2024 indoor and outdoor season brings.

Led by a deep and talented returning group of middle distance and sprinters, the Flying Dutchmen are aiming to challenge in the MIAA after finishing in fourth place at the 2023 indoor league championships and runner-up at the outdoor league championships.

It was Hope's third consecutive second-place effort at the MIAA Outdoor Championships.

2024 Roster

The Flying Dutchmen's roster of 55 features three fifth-year seniors, seven seniors, 15 juniors, 24 sophomores and six freshmen.

Four all-region honorees are both back.

Senior Eli Meder (Williamston, Michigan / Lansing Catholic HS) claimed individual all-region honors from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association indoors and outdoors in the 800-meter run.

Junior Lucas Guidone (Chicago, Illinois / Taft) made the all-region team in the 800 meters during the indoor season.

Fifth-year senior Nathan Woolum (Mattawan, Michigan / Mattawan) and Woolum were all-region in the 400-meter hurdles during the outdoor season.

Guidone, Meder and Wollum joined junior Connor Vachon (Jenison, Michigan / Jenison) in receiving all-region accolades in the distance medley relay during the indoor season.

Hope returns eight different student-athletes who earned MIAA titles and All-MIAA honors last season.

Meder raced to league championships last season in the indoor 800 meters and the outdoor 1,500 meters.

Vachon ran to an individual title in the indoor 1-mile run. He was a member of the Flying Dutchmen's indoor MIAA champion 4x400 relay along with Guidone, Meder and sophomore Wyatt Marsh (Grand Blanc, Michigan / Lake Fenton).

During the outdoor season, Guidone charged to an MIAA championship in the outdoor 800 meters.

Also, junior Aidan Kyle (Weston, Connecticut / Weston) heaved a winning throw at the MIAA Outdoor Championships in the javelin.

Coaching Staff

Head coach: Kevin Cole,19th season
Distance coach: Mark Northuis
Throws coach: Paul Markel
Pole vault coach: Jon Lunderberg
Assistant coaches: Kara Winton, Ben Turner

2024 Schedule

The Flying Dutchmen compete in their first full-squad indoor meet on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. at Grand Valley State University's Mike Lints Alumni Open.

It is the first of five indoor meets leading up to the MIAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday, Feb. 24, at Trine University.

Hope is aiming to qualify individuals and relays for the NCAA Indoor Championships on Friday-Saturday, March 8-9, in Virginia Beach, Va.

The outdoor season is scheduled to start on Saturday, March 9, at the Clark University Atlanta Panther Invitational.

There are six more outdoor meets before the MIAA Championships on Thursday, May 2-3, hosted by Calvin University.

The NCAA Outdoor Championships are on Thursday-Saturday, May 23-25, in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Coach's Outlook

"Our middle-distance runners will be as strong as we have been every year since I've been here," head coach Kevin Cole said, referring to runners such as junior Connor Vachon, senior Eli Meder, sophomore Ian Petruska and sophomore Carston Cole. "Our sprinters are running faster than ever. They're going to be another strong part of the team. It's all about scoring points in the meet. If you are especially strong in the middle distance and sprints, you don't have to have them running a lot of races and they can be faster for their races.

"We've only had one meet so far. Only our middle distance went," Cole said. "We're going to see what we've got, get sharper and learn how to race again. We ramp up everything [in the indoor season] to try to be at our best at the end of February."

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