Women's Track/Field Repeats as MIAA Indoor Champion

Once the Hope College women's indoor track and field team picked up steam, the Flying Dutch ran away with an MIAA indoor title repeat.

The Flying Dutch cruised to a winning total of 176 points on Saturday at Trine University behind the power of six event championships and three meet records.

Led by sprinter Sara Schermerhorn and distance runner Rebecca Markham, Hope claimed its fifth MIAA indoor championship in team history — and since 2018 — by finishing 32 points ahead of runner-up Trine.

It was a satisfying finish, head coach Kevin Cole said.

"We started out kind of slow today, but then just kept building momentum as the day went on," Cole said. "Sara was amazing with three MIAA records, three victories and a school record in the 200 that puts her third in the nation. Rebecca was dominant in the distances, winning both the 3k and 5k. Both relays won easily.

"It was a great team victory on a day when not everything was going right for us."

Schermerhorn (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City West HS) repeated as MIAA 200-meter champion in a meet-record time of 24.91 seconds that's third-fastest in the nation this season. The sophomore eclipsed her own MIAA record of 25.55 seconds.

Three teammates also scored in the event: 6. junior Jasmine Zimmerman (Byron Center, Michigan / Home School) at 27.45; 7. sophomore Catherine Leahy (Elk Rapids, Michigan / Elk Rapids) at 27.61; and 8. freshman Ashley Zimmerman Byron Center, Michigan / Home School) at 27.74.

In the 400 meters, Scherhermorn raced to a meet-record run of 58.49 seconds that passed the 2023 mark of 58.58 set by Alma's Ericka Bighma.

Three of Schermerhorn's teammates scored in the race: 3. Leahy at 1:01.39; 4. Jasmine Zimmerman at 1:01.51; and 7. freshman Stella Farmer (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton) at 1:02.99.

Schermerhorn anchored the MIAA record-setting 4x400 relay in the meet's final race. The relay of Leahy, senior Erin Moran (Arlington Heights, Illinois / John Hersey), Farmer and Schermerhorn clocked a run of 4:02.20 that broke their 2023 record of 4:04.84 that was run by Julie Timperman, Schermerhorn, Moran and Grace Behrens.

In the 60-meter dash, Schermerhorn finished runner-up with a sprint of 7.74 seconds. Albion's Avery Campbell edged her at the finish by 0.06 of a second and broke Schermerhorn's 2023 meet record of 7.74.

In the 3,000 meters, Markham (Hoffman Estates, Illinois / William Fremd) claimed the MIAA title by recording a run of 10:21.86. Senior Olivia Quillan (Grandville, Michigan / Calvin Christian) placed third at 10:26.35.

Later, Markham swept the distance events by winning the 5,000 meters in 17:40.17. Two teammates also earned points in the event: 3. junior Maddy Struck (Hainesville, Illinois / Grayslake Central) at 18:08.0; and 8. freshman Mary England (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Kalamazoo Central) at 19:03.1.

Hope won the meet's first race. The distance medley relay of freshman Annika Sytsma (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Kalamazoo Christian), sophomore Frances Cozzens (Lyman, New Hampshire / Saint Johnsbury), sophomore Molly Durow (Glenview, Illinois / Glenbrook South) and Struck clocked a winning time of 12 minutes,55.18 seconds.

In the 800 meters, Moran led a group of four scoring Flying Dutch by finishing runner-up after clocking a run of 2:21.28. Freshman Amanda Markham (Hoffman Estates, Illinois / William Fremd) took fourth at 2:23.71. Sophomore Madison Stern (Saline, Michigan / Saline) finished sixth at 2:25.40. Durow was seventh at 2:29.87.

In the mile, four Hope runners earned points: 3. Quillan at 5:10.91; 4. Stern at 5:15.97; 7. Sytsma at 5:29.76; and 8. junior Laura Taylor (Yorkville, Illinois / Yorkville) at 5:40.69.

In the 60-meter hurdles, freshman Gemma Lerchen (Empire, Michigan / Glen Lake) finished seventh at 10.07.

In field events, junior Greta Robrahn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) led Hope's point-earners by placing second in the shot put with a throw of 12.30 meters (40-4 ½).

Three more Hope throwers scored in the shot put: 3. sophomore Kamryn Bice (Monroe, Michigan / Monroe) at 12.10 meters (39-8 ½); 5. junior Alana Policastro (Geneva, Illinois / Geneva Community) at 11.35 meters (37-3); and 7. senior Libby Strotman (Park Ridge, Illinois / Maine Township) at 10.65 meters (34-11 ¼).

In the high jump, junior Allison Schram (Fenton, Michigan / Hartland) took third after clearing 1.60 meters (5-3). Sophomore Natalie Christnagel (Grosse Ile, Michigan / Grosse Ile) finished fourth at 1.51 meters (4-11 ½).

In the pole vault, senior Bethany Colbrunn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) recorded a sixth-place 3.0 meters (9-10). Freshman Abigail Cumings (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Central) was eighth at 2.75 meters (9-0 ¼).

In the triple jump, sophomore Meredith Kramer (Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan / Grosse Pointe South) finished seventh with a leap of 9.53 meters (31-3 ¼). Schram was eighth at 9.37 (30-9).

In the long jump, Kramer delivered a seventh-place leap of 4.67 meters (15-4).

In the weight throw, sophomore Sophia Raymond (Woodstock, Illinois / Woodstock) took eighth at 13.11 meters (43-0 ¼).

Calvin University finished third with 110 points and was followed by Albion College (77), Alma College (44), Adrian College (36) and The University of Olivet (35).

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