Women's Track and Field Closes Out MIAA Outdoor Championships with Six Gold Medals, One Meet Record

One program and conference record. Six first-place performances. The Hope College women's track and field accomplished a lot during the final day of the MIAA Outdoor Championshis on Friday at Alma College.

The Flying Dutch set a meet record in the 4x100 relay and captured five more gold medals in the javelin, 200-, 400- and 800-meter runs, and the 4x400 relay, fueling a third-place total of 147.5 points at the two-day, seven-team event.

The 4x100 relay of junior Ava Schmidt (Saline, Michigan / Saline HS), junior Catherine Leahy (Elk Rapids, Michigan / Elk Rapids), freshman Sofia Fisher (Lombard, Illinois / Montini Catholic) and junior Sara Schermerhorn (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City West) recorded a winning run of 47.18 seconds, setting Hope and MIAA and meet records.

They passed their own program record of 47.46 set earlier this season and the Flying Dutch's 2023 MIAA record of 47.72 set by Schmidt, Grace Behrens, Helen Dodge and Schermerhorn.

In the javelin, senior Amanda Timonen (Palatine, Illinois / William Fremd) repeated as MIAA champion after recording a toss of 34.79 meters (114 feet, 1 inch).

Timonen is Hope's fourth two-time women's javelin champion, joining Jane Pearson (2015-16), Emily Schlutz (2002-03) and Karen Hoekstra (1985, 1987).

Junior Karly Roelofs (Kingsley, Michigan / Kingsley Area) took sixth at 29.45 meters (96-7).

Schermerhorn sprinted to MIAA titles in the 200 and 400 meters, repeating as the 400 champion.

In the 400 meters, Schermerhorn raced to a winning time of 55.41 seconds, edging Leahy, who finished runner-up at 56.19, the 28th fastest time in NCAA Division III this season.

Two more Hope runners scored in the event: junior Frances Cozzens (Lyman, New Hampshire / Saint Johnsbury Academy) in fifth with a PR 59.27 and senior Jasmine Zimmerman (Byron Center, Michigan / Home School) in sixth with a PR 59.56.

In the 200 meters, Schermerhorn won the event for the second time in three seasons by clocking a time of 24.28, the sixth-fastest time in the nation this season, and topping Calvin's Sydney Radigan, the 100-meter champion, who went :24.49.

Hope grabbed the next two spots: Leahy in third with a PR 25.07 and Fisher in fourth at 25.80.

In the 800 meters, junior Molly Durow (Glenview, Illinois / Glenbrook South) became the Flying Dutch's 15th MIAA champion the event by crossing the finish line with a PR 2:13.78.

Two of Durow's teammates also scored in the event: sophomore Amanda Markham (Hoffman Estates, Illinois / William Fremd) in fifth at 2:20.49 and senior senior Noel Vanderbilt (Saugatuck, Michigan / Home School) in seventh with a PR 2:20.55.

The Flying Dutch closed the meet with a dominating run in the 4x400 relay.

Leahy, Zimmerman, Fisher and Schermerhorn posted a gold-medal winning race of 3:53.96, 8.07 seconds ahead of runner-up The University of Olivet.

"It's fun to win events, and we won a lot of events," head coach Kevin Cole said, referring to the women's and men's teams, who combined for 12 gold medals. "We placed really high in a lot of different things. I'm most excited for the seniors to go out with some victories. We didn't quite have the depth to take the championship this year, but that happens. I think the team is looking really good now and in the future."

Hope scored in five more events on Friday.

In the high jump, senior Allison Schram (Fenton, Michigan / Hartland) tied for third after clearing 1.52 meters (4-11 ¾). Junior Natalie Christnagel (Grosse Ile, Michigan / Grosse Ile) was eighth at 1.46 meters (4-9 ½).

In the 400 hurdles, junior Elliana Johnson (East Lansing, Michigan / Haslett) placed fourth at a PR 1:07.46. Junior Lauren Nemens (Sterling Heights, Michigan / Adlai Stevenson) took fifth with a PR 1:09.66. Durow was seventh at 1:12.29.

In the discus, junior Kamryn Bice (Monroe, Michigan / Monroe) finished fifth with a toss of 36.95 meters (121-2). Senior Greta Robrahn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) was eighth at 33.68 meters (110-6).

In the 1,500 meters, Vanderbilt took seventh with a PR 4:48.11.

In the 100 meters, Fisher placed eighth with a season-best 12.88.

Hope's five-year reign as MIAA champion ended when Calvin University scored a winning total of 252.5 points. Trine University was second with 194 points.

The Flying Dutch finished ahead of fourth-place The University of Olivet (65), fifth-place Albion College (55), sixth-place Adrian College (45) and seventh-place Alma College (20).

Gallery: (5-2-2025) Women's MIAA track and field championshi

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