Hope College head coach Jake Taber '24 has been named the 2026 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year after guiding both squads to conference titles at the 2026 MIAA Swimming & Diving Championships Presented by Collegiate Credit Union.

Taber led both teams to title-winning performances, continuing Hope's strong tradition in the pool. The men captured their seventh championship under the current meet format, while the women extended their dominance with a sixth-consecutive title and ninth overall.

For Taber, the recognition marks his third-straight Coach of the Year award on the women's side and the first time he has received the honor for the men's program.

Hope's success was reflected in numerous individual accolades across both rosters. Under Taber's leadership, 12 women's swimmers and two women's divers earned All-MIAA honors this season, highlighted by fifth-year senior Greta Gidley being named the MIAA Most Valuable Swimmer and freshman Grace Dawson receiving MIAA Most Valuable Diver recognition.

On the men's side, 10 swimmers and one diver were selected to the All-MIAA Team, showcasing the depth and strength of the Flying Dutchmen program.

"This truly is a humbling honor that needs to be credited to our entire staff," commented Taber. "The collaboration and teamwork from our coaching staff that went into this season coming together the way it did helped created such an opportunity for the team. As you combine that with the buy-in from the student-athletes and support from our administration, we are blessed to foster such a great environment and championship culture here at Hope."

Several Hope student-athletes will now represent the program on the national stage. Eight women's swimmers, six men's swimmers and two men's divers have qualified for the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships, scheduled for March 18–21 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Taber is in his eighth season as head coach of his alma mater and continues to build on the program's tradition of excellence through both championship performances and the development of student-athletes at the conference and national levels.