Football Lands in Top 20 in Both AFCA and D3football.com Final National Rankings

The Hope College football team finished in the Top 20 of the final national polls for the 2025 season.

The Flying Dutchmen ranked 17th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll with 441 points and 19th in the D3football.com Top 25 with 175 points.

The AFCA Coaches Poll is conducted weekly during the regular season for every division and is voted on solely by coaches from across the country. The D3football.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, sports information directors and media members nationwide.

Led by head coach Peter Stuursma, Hope posted a 9-2 record in 2025 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championships in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.

The Flying Dutchmen featured three All-Americans on their roster: defensive end Liam Danitz (AFCA and Associated Press), safety Owen Graham (D3football.com) and defensive lineman Caleb Paarlberg (D3football.com).

Danitz was named the MIAA Most Valuable Defensive Player and was joined on the All-MIAA teams by 10 teammates.

First-team selections included kicker Caden Balkon, safety Owen Graham, cornerback Austin Harvey, H-back Seth Luhmann, center Rob MacAleese and defensive lineman Caleb Paarlberg.

Linebacker Bryce Debri, receiver Jonny Rohen-Blanton, linebacker Colton Schreur and quarterback Alex Thole earned second-team honors.

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