The 38th-ranked Hope College women's tennis team enters the 2026 season with the confidence of a dynasty and the hunger of a team that still feels it has more to prove. 

The Flying Dutch are not only defending their 13 consecutive MIAA Tournament champions, but also returning as the reigning regular-season champions, having claimed the conference title in 12 of the past 13 seasons. Hope also owns a 22-match winning streak against MIAA opponents, including an 8-0 mark last season.

Led by senior captains Amanda Lopykinski and Mallory Matthews, Hope returns a strong core, welcome an impactful freshman class, and carry the expectations that come with being on top of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, and one of the top programs in Division III. 

In the inaugural MIAA tennis preseason poll, Hope was chosen to top the league with 64 points and eight first-place votes. Coaches could not vote for their own team. 

Head coach Austin Hunt, the 2025 MIAA Coach of the Year, enters the season with a clear sense of purpose, reflecting on the long-term vision he set when he first arrived at Hope College.

""We're in the fifth and final year of the initial goal-setting I started out with when I got hired at Hope College, and within the first five years of my tenure as the head coach of this team we've had three major program goals," Hunt said. "This women's program has built itself up and has a history of excellence that we will look to continue, but also push the boundary and move even further."

Roster

The Flying Dutch enter the season with an 11-player roster that blends veteran leadership with emerging talent.

The team is anchored by its three seniors — Amanda Lopykinski (Lemont, Illinois / Lemont Township HS), the reigning MIAA MVP and returning All-MIAA honoree, along with Mallory Matthews (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow) and Hope Rhoades (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian), who provide experience and stability across the lineup. 

The junior class features Phoebe Walker (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City Central) and Madison Wei (Parker, Colorado / Regis Jesuit), both expected to play key roles.

Two sophomores, Kaitlyn Stievatern (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan / Wylie E. Groves) and returning All-MIAA honoree Hadley Krygier (White Lake, Michigan / Walled Lake Northern), bring another year of development and competitive edge to the rotation.

Rounding out the roster is a talented group of four freshmen: Wren Walker (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City Central), Amolia Rossow (Port huron, Michigan / Port Huron Northern), Sophia Grzesiak (Beverly Hills, Michigan / Detroit Country Day), and Jana Beier (Fort Wayne, Indiana / Carroll). 

"We have a great mix of returners who have contributed greatly to the success of the program over the years, and we also have a good number of new additions that will continue to make this women's program extremely strong and competitive within the MIAA and beyond," said Hunt. "This will be an exciting year to continue to legacy of women that have made Hope Women's Tennis what it is today."

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Austin Hunt, 5th season
Assistant Coach: Mark Hunt 

Schedule

Hope's season begins with a demanding opening weekend on the road, starting Friday, February 6, when the Flying Dutch travel to Cleveland to face No. 18 Case Western Reserve University. 

The team then heads to Ada, Ohio, for a Saturday doubleheader on Saturday, February 7, taking on No. 12 Carnegie Mellon University as well as host Ohio Northern University. 

An early-season out of state stretch follows in Texas in March, where Hope will meet No. 11 Trinity University, Southwestern University, and Concordia University Texas in a competitive three-match swing.

Conference play opens on Saturday, March 21, with a road matchup at The University of Olivet, before the team shifts its focus to the Midwest Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin, held April 3–4. 

The regular season builds toward a pivotal late-April showdown, as the Flying Dutch host Kalamazoo College, the MIAA's projected No. 2 team, on Friday, April 17. 

"We will go through the gauntlet this season with the competition they face repeatedly throughout the next few months. This women's program has continuously improved and established itself as a regional power, and this season's schedule will put that reputation to the test, which is exciting"