Women's Indoor Track and Field Places Third in Inaugural MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll

The Hope College women's indoor track and field team finished third in the inaugural MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Flying Dutch, led by first-year head coach Jordan Bartolazzi, totaled 16 points and claimed one first-place vote in the rankings.

Coaches could not vote for their own teams. Defending champion Calvin University topped the poll with 11 points and four first-place votes, edging second-place Trine University by one point and one first-place vote.

After Hope, Albion College took fourth with 30 points. Kalamazoo College placed fifth with 34 points and was followed by Adrian College (38), Alma College (41) and The University of Olivet (42).

The Flying Dutch begin the indoor season on Friday, Dec. 5, at noon at Grand Valley State University's Holiday Open.

Senior Sara Schermerhorn (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City West) is Hope's top returner after claiming All-America honors in four events for the second consecutive season in 2025: indoor and outdoor 200 meters, and indoor and outdoor 400 meters.

The exercise science major swept MIAA Most Valuable Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete honors as a junior and earned MIAA Most Valuable Indoor Track Athlete honors in back-to-back seasons. She became the first sprinter in league history to win league titles in the 60, 200 and 400 at the same meet.

Schermerhorn set MIAA records in the indoor 200 and 400 meters last season. She also ran on the MIAA champion 4x400 relay that returns two other sprinters: senior Frances Cozzens (Lyman, New Hampshire / Saint Johnsbury Academy) and sophomore Sofia Fisher (Lombard, Illinois / Montini Catholic).

Hope returns three runners from the MIAA champion distance medley relay: senior Molly Durow (Glenview, Illinois / Glenbrook South), junior Amanda Markham (Hoffman Estates, Illinois / William Fremd) and sophomore Lily Sackrider (St. Johns, Michigan / St. Johns).

Bartolazzi, a four-time College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Track and Field Coach of the Year, previously served at Elmhurst University (Illinois) as director of track and field and cross country from 2017-25. He guided the Elmhurst women to their first CCIW indoor and outdoor titles in 2025, earning CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year honors in both seasons.

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