NCAA Champion Once More! Sara Schermerhorn Wins Another Thriller for Outdoor 400-Meter Crown

Hope College sprinter Sara Schermerhorn captured a second national championship in the 400 meters and added a second All-American finish in another race on Saturday during the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

The senior from Traverse City, Michigan (Traverse City West HS) won the 400 meters in a personal-record 54.19 seconds, edging Kylie Spytek of Washington University by just 0.07 seconds in a dramatic finish.

With the victory, Schermerhorn swept the event for the season, adding the outdoor crown to the indoor 400-meter national title she captured earlier this year. The historic win also makes her the first athlete in Hope College track and field history to win more than one NCAA national title.

Schermerhorn also helped the Flying Dutch secure 19.5 total team points over the weekend, marking the highest-scoring outdoor national meet in program history, surpassing the previous record of 18 points set back in 2009.

"It means the world to go out like this," Schermerhorn said. "This is my eighth trip to nationals, and it's my last meet as a senior. In the past, I feel like each time I came to the national meet I fell just short of what I wanted to accomplish. But this year, I've just been so happy and had such an amazing experience. It feels incredibly special, and I'm so grateful to walk away with a win."

"The greatest competitor I've ever coached"

Head coach Jordan Bartolazzi marveled at the senior's legacy after she stood atop the podium once again.

"What is there to say about Sara that hasn't already been said?" Bartolazzi said. "I've had the privilege to coach many great athletes, but Sara will go down as the greatest competitor I've ever coached. It is an incredible privilege for me to have gotten to coach her during her senior season at Hope."

Schermerhorn extended her legacy alongside Nora Kuiper and Erin Herrmann as individual national champions at Hope. Kuiper sprinted to the outdoor 100-meter title in 2009, while Herrmann raced to the outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase crown in 2017.

"This year I saw Sara deny herself and choose her teammates over and over again," Bartolazzi added. "She grew in her confidence and combined that growth with an incredible competitive instinct that makes her such a dangerous athlete on the track! It's hard to properly explain how fun and rewarding it has been to coach Sara, and I am so glad she gets to end her career as a national champion (again!)."

Reflecting on her time in Holland, Michigan, Schermerhorn emphasized her deep connection to the college and the track and field program. She recently graduated with a degree in exercise science.

"I love Hope," Schermerhorn said. "My sister went to Hope and ran here, too. These past four years have been the best, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat."

Schermerhorn competed in the 200-meter final less than an hour later, placing seventh overall with a run of 24.24 seconds. She was joined on the national podium at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse by sophomore teammate Sofia Fisher (Lombard, Illinois / Montini Catholic), who placed eighth in 24.29 seconds.

By placing seventh and eighth, Schermerhorn and Fisher secured First Team All-America honors. It marks the first time in Hope program history that the Flying Dutch have had two All-Americans in the same event at the national meet. The performance brings Schermerhorn's career total to 12 All-American honors, including eight First Team selections.

For Schermerhorn, the ability to excel on the track while thriving in the classroom defined her time with the Flying Dutch.

"I'm really grateful for the Division III student-athlete experience," Schermerhorn said. "It has allowed me to perfectly balance my academics and my sport while still maintaining a well-rounded life outside of track."

Bartolazzi also credited assistant coach Luke Currens for his impact on the sprint crew.

"Credit to Coach Luke Currens, who jumped in with our staff this season and played a huge role in Sofia's growth," Bartolazzi said. "We're grateful and proud of all she's accomplished."

Hope's historic weekend was bolstered by two masterful, podium-climbing performances earlier in the meet. On Friday, freshman Jaidyn Klimp (Galesburg, Michigan / Galesburg Augusta) locked down a fifth-place finish in the heptathlon with a program-record 5,033 points, while senior Molly Durow (Glenview, Illinois / Glenbrook South) battled her way to a seventh-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:33.58. Both Klimp and Durow earned First Team All-America honors.

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