Newcomer of the Year

Liam Danitz, Men's Track and Field

The freshman burst onto the scene during the 2023 indoor and outdoor seasons as the Flying Dutchmen's fastest sprinter. Danitz clocked Hope's top times indoors in the 60 meters (7.05) and 200 meters (23.02) and outdoors in the 100 (10.79) and 200 meters (21.62). Danitz also anchored the MIAA runner-up 4x100 relay.

Kamryn Burbridge, Volleyball

The freshman middle hitter became a force on the court for the Flying Dutch, averaging a team-best 1.10 blocks per set and finishing third at 2.28 kills per set. Burbridge was named to the NCAA Division III Championships all-tournament team after the Flying Dutch finished as national runner-up. Burbridge also was voted to the All-MIAA Second Team after playing a big role in Hope's run to a sweep of MIAA regular-season and tournament championships.
 

Breakthrough Athlete of the Year 

Luke Wierengo, Men's Lacrosse

The sophomore long-stick midfielder played at an elite level during the 2023 season and became the Flying Dutchmen's second United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-America Honorable Mention recipient. Wierengo, who also received All-MIAA First Team honors, proved disruptive on defense with a team-best 39 caused turnovers and lethal on offense with 10 goals and four assists.

Libby Strotman, Women's Track and Field

The junior thrower set a personal record at a perfect time for the Flying Dutch during the 2023 outdoor track and field season. Strotman's career-best javelin toss of 36.07 meters (118 feet, 4 inches) made her MIAA event champion last May and helped the Flying Dutch win a fourth consecutive MIAA championship. Strotman also was named All-MIAA for the first time.
 

Comeback Player of the Year

Daniel Hesselbein, Men's Soccer

The goalkeeper made the All-MIAA Second Team and recorded career-highs in wins, saves, shutouts and minutes played as a junior after missing the final nine games of the 2022 season due to injury. Hesselbein totaled 11 wins, 55 saves and eight shutouts while averaging 87 minutes per game. Hesselbein made a Hope-record 13 saves at Van Andel Soccer Stadium during a 1-0 victory against 2022 national champion University of Chicago on Sept. 16.

Lauren Leach, Women's Basketball

The sophomore excelled after not playing in any games during the 2022-23 season due to injury. This season. Leach registered career-highs in minutes played with 426, points with 65, rebounds with 56, assists with 29 and steals with 13. The forward helped the Flying Dutch win the MIAA regular-season title outright and advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament before finishing with a 26-4 record.
 

Anchor Award

Keegan DeKuiper, Men's Soccer

Coach David Blahnik describes his junior goalkeeper as vital to the team because "Keegan is the ultimate teammate. Whether he is the star of the game or injured on the sideline you can always count on him to be a servant leader to his teammates and coaches to help in whatever way possible." 

Annie Lockett, Volleyball

The coolest part of a championship team is when every player makes an impact regardless of their role on the court. Coach Becky Schmidt believes junior Annie Lockett lived this out every day despite not being able to play due to injury. She says, "Annie is a selfless leader who was able to impact the team despite not having one stat this year. Her willingness to put the team first, celebrate her teammates and bring wisdom and perspective to the team was inspiring."
 

Athlete of the Year

Addie VanderWeide, Volleyball

The junior outside hitter served up a memorable debut season with the Flying Dutch, leading the team to a national runner-up finish and being selected as the American Volleyball Coaches Association Co-National Player of the Year in Division III and the MIAA Volleyball Player of the Year. VanderWeide set a Hope record and led the MIAA with 535 kills on the season. She ranked 10th in the nation at 4.31 kills per set and third in the MIAA with a .298 hitting percentage. An all-region selection, VanderWeide led the Flying Dutch to NCAA regional, MIAA Tournament and MIAA regular-season championships.

Ben Catton, Men's Swimming and Diving

The senior swam to multiple All-America and All-MIAA honors this season and qualified for the NCAA Championships for the third time in his career. Catton claimed All-America Second Team accolades at nationals in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay. Catton earned All-MIAA distinction for the fourth time and was part of the MIAA-champion 200 freestyle and 200 medley relay.  This season, Catton set two school records - 50 and 200 freestyle - and was part of two relay school records - 200 and 400 medley. Catton owns school records in 10 of the possible 18 events.
 

Be Strong, Be True. Athlete of the Year

Dylan Clem, Football

A civil engineering major and standout guard, Clem was voted as one of five offensive linemen to receive first-team honors on the Academic All-America® football teams for NCAA Division III chosen by the College Sports Communicators organization.  On the field, Clem earned All-America honors from D3football.com for the first time and All-MIAA recognition for the third season last fall.

Natalie Hammer, Women's Soccer

The senior delivered in the classroom and off the field for the Flying Dutch while pursuing a double major in German and social work and playing forward. Hammer played in 18 games this season, making 12 starts and scoring three goals. Hammer was selected to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Teams last fall. Hammer made the MIAA Academic Honor as a junior and as a freshman.
 

Exceptional Team Performance

2024 Women's Swim and Dive MIAA Championships

The 12th-ranked Flying Dutch capped a dominating effort by winning their fourth consecutive MIAA championship by totaling 1,275 points over four days at the Holland Aquatic Center. Greta Gidley and Abby Koops were named as the meet's top performers.

2024 Men's Basketball win over Trine in MIAA Tournament title game

The Flying Dutchmen topped No. 9-ranked Trine University, 72-68 in overtime, on Saturday, Feb. 24, in Angola, Indiana, to clinch the MIAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Trine went on to win the National Championship.
 

MIAA Championship Performance

2023 Women's Lacrosse

The Flying Dutch completed a perfect MIAA regular season defeating Kalamazoo College, 20-8. This was the first outright championship in school history. The Flying Dutch then claimed their first MIAA tournament championship in school history with an 18-13 victory over Saint Mary's (Indiana) College, and in the process claimed their first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III tournament.
 

Norman "Bunko" Japinga Service Award

Carol Fritz, Senior Associate Director for Admissions

The Bunko Service Award is presented to a faculty or staff member who is connected to Hope Athletics and recognized for their contributions that go above and beyond what is expected. Past award recipients are: Scott VanderStoep (2022), Gord VanderYacht (2020), and Hope College bus drivers (2019). The award honors the memory of Norman "Bunko" Japinga, who served the athletics program at Hope College by infusing extraordinary joy and kindness into sometimes ordinary responsibilities. As an equipment manager, bus driver, scorekeeper and announcer, Japinga became an encourager, servant, counselor and friend. Fritz is the associate director of admissions for Hope. Since coming to the college in 1993, Fritz has had the opportunity to work with students and their families in helping them get to know Hope and Holland. She strategizes how to share the Hope story to many different people across the country. She loves to work hard at building trusting relationships that empower students and families who never thought higher education was a possibility.
 

H-Club Hope for Humanity Award

Kara VanderKamp '95, Women's Soccer

Recognizing the values learned in cheering gyms and stadiums as well as silent early-morning workouts, the Hope for Humanity award is presented to Hope College alumni athletes who have demonstrated Christian commitment and service to others in their careers after Hope.  It was first awarded in 1990 and is presented by the college's H-Club, which consists of Hope alumni who were athletic letterwinners and other honorary letter winners. KaraVanderKamp, who as a student was a standout member of the women's soccer team, has served for the past 15 years as the founding chief executive officer of Remember Niger Coalition, whose mission is to unify people and mobilize resources to expand quality educational opportunities in Niger.   
 

Karen Page Courage Award

Eli Schoonveld, Men's Basketball

The Hope College Karen Page Courage Award is presented in honor of beloved former Hope women's tennis coach Karen Page, who lost her brave, five-year battle to breast cancer in the summer of 2009. Senior Eli Schoonveld has shown courage in the face of a challenging diagnosis of Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), one of a group of disorders that have orthostatic intolerance (OI) as their primary symptom. OI is a condition in which an excessively reduced volume of blood returns to the heart after an individual stands up from a lying-down position. The primary symptom of OI is lightheadedness or fainting. Schoonveld also dealt with a knee injury last summer that sidelined him this season. Despite his challenges, Schoonveld focuses on loving on and lifting up those around him, including his teammates.