Lynne Powe

General 4/14/2026 7:12:00 AM Alan Babbitt

2025-26 HOPEYs Award Recipients Announced

BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Women

Molly Durow, Cross Country and Track and Field: For her final cross-country season, the senior passed seven other runners during the final kilometer of the 6K course, posting a 32nd-place time of 21 minutes and 51.9 seconds, which captured her NCAA Division III All-American honors. She also earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors after finishing as regional runner-up with a time of 22 minutes, 7.01 seconds on the 6K course. Indoors, Molly hit her stride in the 800M run this winter, continually topping her personal best time in each competition, finally hitting 2:16.95. She captured Second Team All-America honors in the mile run in the indoor national NCAA Division III indoor championships. Her academic strength also earned USTFCCCA All-Academic recognition and the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honor.

Men

Orion Yant, Men's Basketball: After playing just three games his freshman season, Orion earned a starting position in December and captured MIAA's Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week honors twice. He averaged 9.8 points and 5.0 per game across the season for the MIAA Tournament-champion Flying Dutchmen. He scored a career-high 24 points vs. Kalamazoo at DeVos Fieldhouse. He grabbed 10 rebounds twice: against WashU and Adrian.

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Women

Makenzie Baldwin, Women's Swimming: The freshman jumped into the pool for her first collegiate season and finished with two Second Team All-America honors (individually in the 200-yard backstroke and collectively in the 400-medley relay). She also helped the Flying Dutch extend their MIAA championship streak to six. She earned six gold medals at the MIAA Championships, winning the 100 and 200 backstroke, 500 freestyle, 200 and 400 medley relays and 800 freestyle relay. She made the All-MIAA Team.

Men

Alex Thole, Football: The junior transfer started all 11 games during the 2025 season, passing 2,825 yards and 21 touchdowns over 11 games while rushing for 148 yards and four more scores. He quarterbacked the football team to back-to-back NCAA Division III playoff appearances for the first time in program history and earned All-MIAA second-team honors. The 2025 Academic All-District selection passed for 300-plus yards three times, including a high of 318 vs. Trine.

ANCHOR AWARD

Women

Lauren Leach, Women's Basketball: Lauren stands out as one of the greatest leaders I've had the privilege to coach in 30 years. She has raised the level of every player and coach this season. Her leadership off the court has shown in the way our freshmen and sophomores have progressed. They are on a crusade to talk her into a fifth year. They love and respect her so much. She takes time to meet with them in person, work out with younger players, showing the out-of-practice dedication necessary to have continuous growth throughout a season. And, as a non-starter, she led the second group to not only great growth each day, but to compete at a level that not only pushes the starters but beats them on many days. She is relentless, caring, and has helped transform our program during her time at Hope. The legacy she leaves as a leader will be referenced forever." — Brian Morehouse, head coach

Men

Nile Devers, Cross Country: "In spring 2024, Nile experienced a potential career-ending injury — but which actually allowed Nile's light to shine brighter. He intentionally looked for ways to encourage and support his teammates to new heights, and they responded with unspoken dedication. During his months of recovery and learning to walk/run again, Nile's determination to return to the side of his fellow harriers unified and motivated the team to push through barriers and achieve their goal. This past fall, Nile ran cross country again, and the team won the MIAA and NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships." — Mark Northuis, head coach

EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE

Women

Greta Gidley, Women's Swimming, and Sara Schermerhorn, Women's Track

Swimmer Greta Gidley, trailing halfway through her 200-yard individual medley final at the NCAA Division III Championships, remained focused and driven down the stretch of the four-stroke race, pulling away from the field for a title-clinching, school record, and personal-best time of 1:59 .20 on March 19 in Indianapolis. The fifth-year senior topped the field by more than 2 seconds and became the sixth Hope women's swimmer to win a national title and the first in 25 years.

Sprinter Sara Schermerhorn captured track's first indoor national championship on March 14, winning the 400-meter event at the NCAA Championships in Birmingham, Alabama. The senior clocked a school-record 54 .406 seconds, edging Grace Yarkosky of SUNY Plattsburgh by just four one-hundredths of a second in a dramatic finish. She is the Flying Dutch's third track national champion and first since 2017.

Men

Men's Soccer: The Flying Dutchmen rallied after a second-half equalizer to score twice late to beat visiting Trine, 3-1, on Oct 29 under the lights at Van Andel Soccer Stadium and clinch the first outright MIAA championship in 19 years. Sophomore Jackson Mindling recorded a hat trick for the Flying Dutchmen, including the go-ahead goal with 5 .5 minutes remaining and the clincher just under two minutes later.

BUNKO SERVICE AWARD

Darrin Duistermars, Public Address Announcer

COMEBACK PLAYER

Women

Lauren Nemens: The sprinter recovered from a torn ACL to claim All-MIAA First Team recognition this winter in indoor track and field. She ran a leg on the Flying Dutch's MIAA meet-record 4x400 relay. She also finished 10th in the pentathlon and 13th in the long jump at the MIAA Indoor Championships

Men

Nolan Sanders, Track and Field: The sprinter returned from a knee injury suffered during warm-ups at the 2024 MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship to claim USTFCCCA All-Great Lakes Region accolades in the 4x100 relay last spring for the track and field team.

COMEBACK PERFORMANCE

Women and Men

Men's Basketball: The Flying Dutchmen rallied from an 18-6 deficit midway through the first half against Trine in the MIAA Tournament championship game to win, 72-65, in February at Olivet. Hope's fourth MIAA Tournament title in five years — and 16th overall — clinched a return trip to the NCAA Championships. Without injured All-MIAA First Team forward Parker Hovey, Hope stormed back to take the lead for good at 27-26 on two free throws from sophomore center Orion Yant with 1:25 remaining in the first half and never trailed again.

MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

Women

Women's Basketball: The Flying Dutch avenged regular-season losses to Albion and Trine four times by double digits over a span of two weeks. During the regular season, the Flying Dutch defeated Albion, 80-44, at DeVos Fieldhouse on Feb. 18, and visiting Trine, 89-58, on Feb. 21. During postseason play, second-seeded Hope defeated third-seeded Albion, 73-58, in the semifinals on Feb. 27 at Trine and the top-seeded Thunder, 76-62, in the title game on Feb. 28, earning the 18th MIAA Tournament championship in program history.

Men

Men's Cross Country: The Flying Dutchmen raced to a historic finish at the MIAA Championships last fall, clocking five of the top seven scoring runs and seven of the fastest 10 runs overall en route to 22 points — 44 points fewer than the nearest competitor on Nov 1 at Broadway Acres Golf Course in Charlotte. It was the Flying Dutchmen's 16th MIAA championship, but the first since 1989.

BE STRONG. BE TRUE. ATHLETE

Women

Caleigh Randall, Women's Lacrosse: An elementary education major, Caleigh proved to be a standout midfielder for women's lacrosse, helping the Flying Dutch become the first MIAA team to win three consecutive regular-season league titles. She was named to the IWLCA All-Region Second and All-MIAA First Teams. She set career-highs with 36 goals and 47 points. She made the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. She has served on the SEED trip to Costa Rica and as a team captain, member of ACT/SAAC, and founder of Future Educator Leaders.

Men

Jack McNamara, Men's Lacrosse: A biology major, Jack scored a career-high nine goals and matched his career-high in assists with three as a key midfielder for men's lacrosse, which earned the fifth MIAA regular-season championship and second in a row. He made the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. He also served multiple roles on campus: Young Life leader, Dominican Republic SEED trip, Team 43 rep, admissions tour guide, academic tutor on campus, and as a men's lacrosse co-captain.

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Women

Lauren Lee, Volleyball: The setter delivered during a record-breaking season on the court that saw her become the first in program history to reach 5,000 career assists. She averaged 10 .30 assists per set, ranking 11th in the nation in the category and first among MIAA setters. She led Hope to a third consecutive MIAA regular-season championship for the second time in program history and a return trip to the NCAA Championships. She received AVCA First Team All-America accolades for the third time in her career and All-America honors for the fourth time. She was also selected as the MIAA's Most Valuable Player and AVCA Region 7 Player of the Year for the first time in her career and an All-MIAA selection for the fourth time. She was also named a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American for the second time.

Men

Liam Danitz, Football: The two-sport standout excelled in football and track, recording All-America performances in both sports . Last fall, Danitz set career highs with sacks (16), tackles for loss (21), solo tackles (25) and total tackles (46), helping the Flying Dutchmen reach the NCAA playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time. He was named to the American Football Coaches Association and Associated Press All-America Teams and D3football All-Region Team. He was chosen as the MIAA's Most Valuable Defensive Player and co-headlined the All-MIAA Team. His 1.3 sacks per game during the regular season tied for the fourth-highest average in Division III and led the MIAA. Last spring, he sprinted to All-America accolades in the outdoor 200 meters with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He was a USTFCCCA All-Great Lakes Region honoree and MIAA champion (and All-MIAA First Team) in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x400 relay. He was All-MIAA Second Team in the 4x100 relay.

MOST SPIRITED TEAM

Women and Men

Men's Swimming and Diving

OUTSTANDING TEAM

Women and Men

Women's Swim and Dive: The Flying Dutch excelled in the pool during the 2025-26 season, placing ninth as a team at the NCAA Championships and capturing a sixth consecutive MIAA title — the program's longest streak since 1992-99. The Top 10 finish at nationals was Hope's third in four years and the first in back-to-back seasons in 25 years. The Flying Dutch claimed All-American accolades in nine events, including a national champion, and 15 of 19 gold medals at the MIAA Championships.

KAREN PAGE COURAGE AWARD

Austin Harvey, Football: The junior defensive back and two-time All-MIAA selection has been brave in the face of losing both parents by the age of 10, his mother due to her decision to move back to her native Philippines when he was nine, and, one year later, his father due to pancreatic cancer.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Lauren Leach: G; 5' 10"; Senior; Business

#0 Liam Danitz: DL; 6' 5"; Senior; Exercise Science

#13 Austin Harvey: CB; 6' 0"; Junior; Business

Molly Durow: Senior; Elementary Education: Pre K-3, 3-6 Grade

Lauren Nemens: Senior; Biology

Sara Schermerhorn: Senior; Exercise Science

Nile Devers: Senior; Exercise Science

Nolan Sanders: Senior; Chemical Engineering

#9 Jackson Mindling: F; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#11 Lauren Lee: S; 5' 7"; Senior; Chemistry

Players Mentioned

#4 Lauren Leach
: 5' 10"; Senior; Business
: G

#0 Liam Danitz
: 6' 5"; Senior; Exercise Science
: DL

#13 Austin Harvey
: 6' 0"; Junior; Business
: CB

Molly Durow
: Senior; Elementary Education: Pre K-3, 3-6 Grade

Lauren Nemens
: Senior; Biology

Sara Schermerhorn
: Senior; Exercise Science

Nile Devers
: Senior; Exercise Science

Nolan Sanders
: Senior; Chemical Engineering

#9 Jackson Mindling
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: F

#11 Lauren Lee
: 5' 7"; Senior; Chemistry
: S