Women's Lacrosse Picked as MIAA Favorite in Quest for Third Consecutive Title

The Hope College women's lacrosse team is projected to three-peat as MIAA champion this spring.

The Flying Dutch, winners of league championships in 2023 and 2024, topped the 2025 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

Hope received all seven possible first-place votes and totaled 49 points. Coaches could not vote for their team.

The Flying Dutch finished nine points ahead of second-place Trine University, which received the other first-place vote. Calvin University and Kalamazoo College tied for third place with 34 points each. The remainder of the poll featured Albion College (26), Adrian College (18), Alma College (13) and Saint Mary's College (10).

Led by head coach Keagan Pieri, who's entering her sixth season, Hope returns four All-MIAA selections, including junior attacker Julia Brown, the 2024 MIAA Offensive Player of the Year and All-MIAA First Team.

Brown (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Forest Hills Central) scored a career-high 65 goals last season along with 20 assists for a team-best 85 points. The psychology major claimed Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association All-Region First Team honors as a sophomore and her second All-MIAA accolade.

The Flying Dutch bring back junior midfielders Caleigh Randall (Lansing, Michigan / DeWitt) and Caroline Curnutt (Fishers, Indiana / Heritage Christian), both two-time All-MIAA honorees, and senior defender Mia Skibins (Granger, Indiana / Penn), a 2024All-MIAA First Team honoree.

Hope finished with a 13-5 overall record after playing in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second time in program history. The Flying Dutch went 7-0 in MIAA play for the second consecutive season.

This season, Hope opens on Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. at Oberlin College (Ohio).

The home opener is Tuesday, March 4, at 4 p.m. against Aurora University at Van Andel Soccer Stadium.

MIAA play starts on Saturday, April 5, at 1 p.m. vs. Adrian College at home. The top six teams qualify for the MIAA Tournament that begins on Saturday, April 26.

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Players Mentioned

#32 Julia Brown: A; Junior; Psychology

#7 Caroline Curnutt: D; Junior; Elementary Education: PreK-3, 3-6

#23 Caleigh Randall: M; Junior; Elementary Education: PreK-3, 3-6

#3 Mia Skibins: D; Senior; Nursing

Players Mentioned

#32 Julia Brown
: Junior; Psychology
: A

#7 Caroline Curnutt
: Junior; Elementary Education: PreK-3, 3-6
: D

#23 Caleigh Randall
: Junior; Elementary Education: PreK-3, 3-6
: M

#3 Mia Skibins
: Senior; Nursing
: D